Method and system for implementing a diagnostic or correction boot image over a network connection

• US 20060253696A1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chakkalamattam Jos Paul, Javier A. Guajardo Jr, Marc-Arthur Pierre-Louis
• Original Assignee: Chakkalamattam Jos Paul, Javier A. Guajardo Jr, Marc-Arthur Pierre-Louis
• Inventors: Pierre-Louis, Marc-Arthur, Guajardo, Javier A. Jr., Paul, Chakkalamattam Jos
• Granted Patent: US 7,519,807 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system that initiates specific maintenance and diagnostic boot images on remote computers. The system is used to select a particular remote device over a network. A particular new boot image is also selected, and that boot image is tailored to operate a maintenance or diagnostic function on the target machine. The new boot image is downloaded to the target, and the target is rebooted with the new boot image. The new boot image is selected from other specific boot images. Upon reboot, the new boot image performs the diagnostic or maintenance routines on the remote target machine. At some predetermined point, the original boot image is swapped back, and the machine rebooted once again. This returns the machine to its original image.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A computer implemented method for diagnosing and maintaining a remote computing device, the remote computing device coupled to a network and running under a first boot image, the method comprising:

initiating, by a first computing device, a maintenance reboot process in the remote computing device wherein the remote computing device is remote to the first computing device and wherein the first computing device selects the remote computing device from a plurality of remote computing devices;

downloading a maintenance boot image to the remote computing device via the network;

initiating a first reboot process of the remote computing device with the maintenance boot image;

performing a diagnostic or maintenance function by running the remote computing device under the maintenance boot image;

monitoring, at the first computing device, the remote computing device for the occurrence of a predetermined event; and

initiating a second reboot process of the remote computing device using the first boot image upon the occurrence of the predetermined event associated with the maintenance boot image.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first computing device is a server, and wherein the server initiates the maintenance reboot process in the remote computing device.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

selecting a particular new boot image from among a plurality of boot images.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of boot images is operable to perform a particular maintenance or diagnostic task on the remote computing device.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the predetermined event is a signal from the remote computing device indicating that function of the operational mode associated with the maintenance boot image has been completed.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of selecting is performed by a user through a user interface, and the user specifies the remote computing device.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of selecting is performed by a software program.

29. The method of claim 10, wherein the monitoring step further comprises:

polling the maintenance boot image for update information.

31. The method of claim 10 wherein the first computing device initiates the maintenance reboot process responsive to a determination that a performance criteria of the target remote computing device has fallen below a predetermined threshold.

32. The method of claim 10 wherein monitoring the remote computing device for the occurrence of a predetermined event is performed by a daemon.

33. The method of claim 10 wherein the first computing device initiates the maintenance reboot process on a timed maintenance program based on a schedule.

14-15. -15. (canceled)

19. A computer program product in a computer usable medium for diagnosing and maintaining a remote computing device, the remote computing device coupled to a network and running under a first boot image, the method comprising:

instructions for initiating, by a first computing device, a maintenance reboot process in the remote computing device, wherein the remote computing device is remote to the first computing device and wherein the first computing device selects the remote computing device from a plurality of remote computing devices;

instructions for downloading a maintenance boot image to the remote computing device via the network;

instructions for initiating a first reboot process of the remote computing device with the maintenance boot image;

instructions for performing a diagnostic or maintenance function by running the remote computing device under the maintenance boot image;

instructions for monitoring, at the server, the remote computing device for the occurrence of a predetermined event; and

instructions for initiating a second reboot process of the remote computing device using the first boot image upon the occurrence of the predetermined event associated with the maintenance boot image.

20. The computer program product of claim 19:

wherein the first computing device is a server, and wherein the server initiates the maintenance reboot process in the remote computing device.

21. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising:

instructions for selecting a particular new boot image from among a plurality of boot images.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of boot images is operable to perform a particular maintenance or diagnostic task on the remote computing device.

25. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the predetermined event is a signal from the remote computing device indicating that a function of the operational mode associated with the maintenance boot image has been completed.

26. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the instructions for selecting allow for the interaction of a user, and the user specifies the remote computing device.

27. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the instructions for selecting are responsive to signals from a software program.

30. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the instructions for monitoring the remote computing device for the occurrence of a predetermined event further comprises:

instructions for polling the maintenance boot image for update information.

34. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein monitoring the remote computing device for the occurrence of a predetermined event is performed by a daemon.

23-24. -24. (canceled)

28. (canceled)