Method and mechanism for cataloguing information on devices in a computing system

• US 20070204072A1
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kulczar, David, Saenz, Leonel, Doan, Christopher, Tran, Thanh
• Granted Patent: US 7,509,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information

Abstract

In a computing network containing multiple computing devices, a network card in a computing device provides the ability for the computing device to transmit specific types of information while the computing device is in an inactive state. The network card contains processing capabilities that enable it to detect and receive an inquiry directed to that device, process the inquiry, retrieve the requested data which is stored in the network card and transmit that information to the requestor. The ability of the network card to perform this enables system administrators to perform certain system maintenance functions while a computer may be in a power off or hibernate state instead if having to power on the computing device.

Claims

1. A computing device connected to a computer network comprising:

a central processing unit;

a memory operatively associated with the central processing unit;

a network interface operatively associated with the central processing unit;

a network card, said network card comprising a card central processing unit and a card memory operatively associated with the network card central processing and said network card configured to receive and store information about characteristics of said computing device and further configured to transmit stored information across the computer network when said computing device is in a hibernate or power off state.

2. The computing device as described in claim 1 further comprising a power management controller, operatively associated with said network card, said power management controller configured to control the power state of said computing device.

3. The computing device as described in claim 2 wherein said power management controller is further configured to activate the network card when said computing device goes into a hibernate or power off status.

4. The computing device as described in claim 2 wherein said power management controller is further configured to deactivate the network card when said computing device is in an active status.

5. The computing device as described in claim 1 wherein said network card is further configured to validate a source of any received inquiry.

6. The computing device as described in claim 1 wherein said network card further comprises a configuration collection routine, said configuration collection routine scans a computing device, collects computing device configuration information, transfers the collected configuration information to the network memory card;

7. The computing device as described in claim 1 further comprising a second network interface operationally associated with said network card to facilitate interaction the computer network.

8. The computing device as described in claim 1 wherein said network card is detachable from said computing device and is insert able into said computing device.

9. A method for a computing device connected to a computing network to communicate over the computer network when said computing device is in a hibernate or power off state comprising the steps of:

detecting a hibernate or power off state of the computing device;

activating a network communication component of said computer device;

detecting a network inquiry at the computing device, the inquiry being transmitted over the computer network;

retrieving information requested in the inquiry; and

transmitting the retrieved information over the computer network to a source of the inquiry.

10. The method as described in claim 9 further comprising before said retrieving step the step of determining the source of the inquiry.

11. The method as described in claim 10 further comprising after said source determination step, the step of verifying whether the source of the inquiry has authorization to request information from the computing device.

12. The method as described in claim 9 further comprising before said detecting step, the step of storing computing device information on a network card within said computer, the network card having the capability to communicate over the computer network when said computing device is in a hibernate or power off state.

13. The method as described in claim 9 further comprising before said retrieving step, the step of determining the requested information from the received inquiry and identifying the location of the identified information.

14. The method as described in claim 9 further comprising before said detecting step, the steps of:

storing computing device information on a network card;

detecting the insertion of the network card into the computing device;

establishing network card communication in the computing device, the computer, the network card having the capability to communicate over the computer network when said computing device is in a hibernate or power off state.

15. A computer program product for a computing device connected to a computing network to communicate over the computer network when said computing device is in a hibernate or power off state comprising:

instructions for detecting a hibernate or power off state of the computing device;

instructions for activating a network communication component of said computer device;

instructions for detecting a network inquiry at the computing device, the inquiry being transmitted over the computer network;

instructions for retrieving information requested in the inquiry; and

instructions for transmitting the retrieved information over the computer network to a source of the inquiry.

16. The computer program product as described in claim 15 further comprising before said retrieving instructions, instructions for determining the source of the inquiry.

17. The computer program product as described in claim 16 further comprising after said source determination instructions, instructions for verifying whether the source of the inquiry has authorization to request information from the computing device.

18. The computer program product as described in claim 15 further comprising before said detecting instructions, instructions for storing computing device information on a network card within said computer, the network card having the capability to communicate over the computer network when said computing device is in a hibernate or power off state.

19. The computer program product as described in claim 15 further comprising before said retrieving instructions, instructions for determining the requested information from the received inquiry and identifying the location of the identified information.

20. The computer program product as described in claim 15 further comprising before said detecting instructions, instructions for:

storing computing device information on a network card;

detecting the insertion of the network card into the computing device;

establishing network card communication in the computing device, the computer, the network card having the capability to communicate over the computer network when said computing device is in a hibernate or power off state.

21. A system for a computing device connected to a computing network to communicate computer device configuration information over the computer network when the computing device is in a hibernate or power off state comprising:

a computing device having a network card, said network card comprising a card central processing unit and a card memory operatively associated with the network card central processing and said network card configured to receive and store information about characteristics of said computing device and further configured to transmit stored information across the computer network when said computing device is in a hibernate or power off state;

a configuration collection routine, said configuration collection routine scans a computing device, collects computing device configuration information, transfers the collected configuration information to the network memory card; and

a network system manager in communication with said computing device, said network system manager capable of requesting computing device configuration information and receiving configuration status information from a computing device when the computing device is in a hibernate state.

22. The system as described in claim 21 wherein said network system manager further comprises an inventory of computing devices on a network and the configuration status of each computing device.