SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTERROGATING DIAGNOSTIC TARGET USING REMOTELY LOADED IMAGE

• US 20100223504A1
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• 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 8,135,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for interrogating one or more diagnostic targets using a remotely loaded image. A set of managed machines, such as personal computers or servers, can be managed by a network management engine communicating with the machines via a secure channel. The network management engine can access a selected diagnostic target to temporarily deactivate the installed native operating system on that target, insert a substitute operating environment, and remotely interrogate the target to perform hardware, software, security, or other diagnostics or installs. The network management engine can connect to the diagnostic target, extract security keys from the native operating environment, remotely load the substitute environment, and then perform diagnostic or provisioning activities while the native environment is deactivate and the diagnostic target is effectively off-network. Installations, diagnostics, or other activities that require the diagnostic target to be isolated from other machines can therefore be safely conducted.

Claims

1. A method of performing remote operations on a machine, comprising;

accessing at least one diagnostic target having a native operating environment via a secure channel in a network;

installing an image of a substitute operating environment on the diagnostic target via the secure channel;

deactivating the native operating environment;

activating the substitute operating environment; and

interrogating the diagnostic target via the substitute operating environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the installing comprises importing security credentials from the native operating environment to the substitute operating environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the native operating environment and the substitute operating environment comprises an operating system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the installing comprises transmitting the substitute operating environment to the diagnostic target via the secure channel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic target comprises at least one of a personal computer, a laptop computer, a workstation, and a server, installed on the network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the activating the substitute operating environment comprises booting the diagnostic target into the substitute operating environment while the native operating environment is deactivated.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the interrogating comprises at least one of debugging the diagnostic target, monitoring the diagnostic target, performing data collection on the diagnostic target, generating reports from the diagnostic target, inventorying the diagnostic target, configuring storage resources on the diagnostic target, configuring a basic input/output system (BIOS) of the diagnostic target, and provisioning the diagnostic target with software.

8. A network management platform, comprising:

an interface to at least one diagnostic target having a native operating environment in a network; and

a network management engine, communicating with the diagnostic target via the interface, the network management engine being configured to—

access the diagnostic target via a secure channel in a network,

install an image of a substitute operating environment on the diagnostic target via the secure channel,

deactivate the native operating environment,

activate the substitute operating environment, and

interrogate the diagnostic target via the substitute operating environment.

9. The network management platform of claim 8, wherein the network management engine is further configured to import security credentials from the native operating environment to the substitute operating environment.

10. The network management platform of claim 8, wherein at least one of the native operating environment and the substitute operating environment comprises an operating system.

11. The network management platform of claim 8, wherein the network management engine is further configured to transmit the substitute operating environment to the diagnostic target via the secure channel.

12. The network management platform of claim 8, wherein the diagnostic target comprises at least one of a personal computer, a laptop computer, a workstation, and a server, installed on the network.

13. The network management platform of claim 8, wherein the network management engine is further configured to activate the substitute operating environment by booting the diagnostic target into the substitute operating environment while the native operating environment is deactivated.

14. The network management platform of claim 8, wherein the interrogation comprises at least one of debugging the diagnostic target, monitoring the diagnostic target, performing data collection on the diagnostic target, generating reports from the diagnostic target, inventorying the diagnostic target, configuring storage resources on the diagnostic target, configuring a basic input/output system (BIOS) of the diagnostic target, and provisioning the diagnostic target with software.

15. A target machine, the target machine being configured to be interrogated by a method comprising;

accessing at least one diagnostic target, the diagnostic target having a native operating environment, via a secure channel in a network;

installing an image of a substitute operating environment on the diagnostic target via the secure channel;

deactivating the native operating environment;

activating the substitute operating environment; and

interrogating the diagnostic target via the substitute operating environment.

16. The target machine of claim 15, wherein the installing comprises importing security credentials from the native operating environment to the substitute operating environment.

17. The target machine of claim 15, wherein at least one of the native operating environment and the substitute operating environment comprises an operating system.

18. The target machine of claim 15, wherein the installing comprises transmitting the substitute operating environment to the diagnostic target via the secure channel.

19. The target machine of claim 15, wherein the diagnostic target comprises at least one of a personal computer, a laptop computer, a workstation, and a server, installed on the network.

20. The target machine of claim 15, wherein the activating the substitute operating environment comprises booting the diagnostic target into the substitute operating environment while the native operating environment is deactivated.