SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING SYSTEM INSTALLATION ON A DISKLESS COMPUTING PLATFORM

• US 20080028035A1
• Filed: 07/25/2006
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Currid, Andrew, Overby, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,909,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for automatically provisioning a diskless computing device and an associated server system. A diskless computing device client incorporates an iSCSI initiator that is used to access resources provided by an iSCSI target that is resident on a server computing device. The iSCSI initiator is implemented in the client firmware, providing INT13 disk services entry points, thereby enabling the client to transparently access virtual storage devices at boot time. The client device conducts an apparently local installation using the virtual storage devices provided by the server computing device. A short signature value is associated with the boot image, uniquely associating the boot image with the specific client hardware configuration. When the client device boots normally, the signature value of the client device is presented to the server computing device to automatically reference the appropriate boot image.

Claims

1. A method for providing boot operation and installation services to a diskless computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a login command from the diskless computing device, wherein the login command includes a signature value indicating a hardware configuration of the diskless computing device;

determining whether the signature value is a known signature value; and

providing portions of either a boot image or an installation image to the diskless computing device based on whether the signature value is a known signature value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signature value is a known signature value, and further comprising the step of selecting the boot image that corresponds to the signature value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the signature value is not a known signature value, and further comprising the step of allocating memory space in a virtual storage device for a new boot image that corresponds to the signature value.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of receiving configuration information from the diskless computing device and storing the configuration information in the memory space allocated for the new boot image within the virtual storage device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of capturing and permanently storing the new boot image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the login command is an internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI) login command.

7. A computer-readable medium that includes instructions that, when executed by a diskless computing device, cause the diskless computing device to carry out a boot operation by performing the steps of:

receiving a login command from the diskless computing device, wherein the login command includes a signature value indicating a hardware configuration of the diskless computing device;

determining whether the signature value is a known signature value; and

providing portions of either a boot image or an installation image to the diskless computing device based on whether the signature value is a known signature value.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the signature value is a known signature value, and further comprising the step of selecting the boot image that corresponds to the signature value.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the signature value is not a known signature value, and further comprising the step of allocating memory space in a virtual storage device for a new boot image that corresponds to the signature value.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising the steps of receiving configuration information from the diskless computing device and storing the configuration information in the memory space allocated for the new boot image within the virtual storage device.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising the steps of capturing and permanently storing the new boot image.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the login command is an iSCSI login command.

13. A server computing device configured to providing boot operation and installation services to a diskless computing device, the server computing device comprising:

a storage subsystem;

a processing unit; and

an iSCSI target configured to;

receive a login command from the diskless computing device, wherein the login command includes a signature value indicating a hardware configuration of the diskless computing device,

determine whether the signature value is a known signature value, and

providing portions of either a boot image or an installation image to the diskless computing device based on whether the signature value is a known signature value.

14. The server computing device of claim 13, wherein the signature value is a known signature value, and the iSCSI target is further configured to select the boot image that corresponds to the signature value.

15. The server computing device of claim 13, wherein the signature value is not a known signature value, and the iSCSI target is further configured to allocating memory space in a virtual storage device for a new boot image that corresponds to the signature value.

16. The server computing device of claim 15, wherein the iSCSI target is further configured to receive configuration information from the diskless computing device and to store the configuration information in the memory space allocated for the new boot image within the virtual storage device.

17. The server computing device of claim 16, wherein the iSCSI target is further configured to capture and permanently store the new boot image.

18. The server computing device of claim 13, wherein the login command is an iSCSI login command.