SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING HARDWARE RESOURCES IN A SOFTWARE PROVISIONING ENVIRONMENT

• US 20100138696A1
• Filed: 11/28/2008
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Likins, Adrian Karstan, Vidal, Seth Kelby, DEHAAN, MICHAEL PAUL
• Granted Patent: US 8,782,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

A provisioning server can provide and utilize a diagnostic tool to test and interrogate hardware on target machines and to collect data from the hardware. The diagnostic tool can operate on the target machine independently of software already installed on the target machine. The diagnostic tool can interrogate hardware of the target machine and collect data from the hardware of the target machine. The provisioning server can select the diagnostic tool from a set of pre-generated diagnostic tools or generate a custom diagnostic tool tailored to a specific target machine. The provisioning server can interact directly with the diagnostic tool or interact with the diagnostic tool utilizing a network management server. Once data is collected, the provisioning server can be configured to store the collected data and/or output the data to other parties or systems.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring or analyzing systems in a software provisioning environment, comprising:

determining a diagnostic tool to provide to a target machine in a network of target machines, wherein the diagnostic tool is configured to collect data representing the operation of hardware of the target machine; and

providing the diagnostic tool to the target machine utilizing the network.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving data collected by the diagnostic tool on the target machine; and

storing the collected data in a repository.

3. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving data collected by the diagnostic tool on the target machine; and

outputting a report comprising an identification of the target machine and the collected data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data comprises:

instructing a network management server to collect data from the diagnostic tool; and

receiving the data from the network management server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the diagnostic tool comprises:

determining specifications of the hardware of the target machine; and

generating the diagnostic tool based on the determined specifications.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the diagnostic tool comprises:

instructing a helper client on the target machine to retrieve the diagnostic tool.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the diagnostic tool comprises:

transmitting the diagnostic tool to the target machine over the network; and

sending instructions to alter a power state of the target machine after transmitting the diagnostic tool.

8. A system for monitoring or analyzing systems in a software provisioning environment, comprising:

a network interface to a network of target machines; and

a provisioning server, communicating with the network interface and a network management server, the provisioning server being configured to

determine a diagnostic tool to provide to a target machine in the network of target machines, wherein the diagnostic tool is configured to collect data representing the operation of hardware of the target machine; and

provide the diagnostic tool to the target machine utilizing the network interface.

9. The system of claim 8, the provisioning server being further configured to

receive data collected by the diagnostic tool on the target machine utilizing the network interface;

and

store the collected data in a repository.

10. The system of claim 8, the provisioning server being further configured to

receive data collected by the diagnostic tool on the target machine utilizing the network interface;

and

output a report comprising an identification of the target machine and the collected data.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein receiving the data comprises:

instructing a network management server to collect data from the diagnostic tool; and

receiving the data from the network management server.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein determining the diagnostic tool comprises:

determining specifications of the hardware of the target machine; and

generating the diagnostic tool based on the determined specifications.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein providing the diagnostic tool comprises:

instructing a helper client on the target machine to retrieve the diagnostic tool.

14. The system of claim. 8, wherein providing the diagnostic tool comprises:

transmitting the diagnostic tool to the target machine over the network; and

sending instructions to alter a power state of the target machine after transmitting the diagnostic tool.

15. A provisioning application, the provisioning application being embodied in a computer readable storage medium and comprising instructions for causing a computer to perform a method comprising:

determining a diagnostic tool to provide to a target machine in a network of target machines, wherein the diagnostic tool is configured to collect data representing the operation of hardware of the target machine; and

providing the diagnostic tool to the target machine utilizing the network.

16. The provisioning application of claim 15, the method further comprising:

receiving data collected by the diagnostic tool on the target machine; and

storing the collected data in a repository.

17. The provisioning application of claim 15, the method further comprising:

receiving data collected by the diagnostic tool on the target machine; and

outputting a report comprising an identification of the target machine and the collected data.

18. The provisioning application of claim 15, wherein receiving the data comprises:

instructing a network management server to collect data from the diagnostic tool; and

receiving the data from the network management server.

19. The provisioning application of claim 15, wherein determining the diagnostic tool comprises:

determining specifications of the hardware of the target machine; and

generating the diagnostic tool based on the determined specifications.

20. The provisioning application of claim 15, wherein providing the diagnostic tool comprises:

instructing a helper client on the target machine to retrieve the diagnostic tool.

21. The provisioning application of claim 15, wherein providing the diagnostic tool comprises:

transmitting the diagnostic tool to the target machine over the network; and

sending instructions to alter a power state of the target machine after transmitting the diagnostic tool.