SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RETIRING TARGET MACHINES BY A PROVISIONING SERVER

• US 20100306380A1
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: DeHaan, Michael Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,134,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/62 Uninstallation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play

Abstract

A provisioning server can provide and interact with an eraser agent on target machines. The eraser agent can execute on one or more target machines to erase all the contents of storage on the target machines. In particular, the eraser agent can utilize secure algorithms to alter and obscure the information stored the storage devices of the target machines. The provisioning server can instruct the target machines to alter their power state (e.g. power cycle), if necessary, to provide and to initiate the eraser agent.

Claims

1. A method of managing a software provisioning environment, comprising:

identifying target machines to be removed from a network or to be re-tasked in the network;

providing an application to the identified target machines to securely erase all information stored on the target machines; and

instructing the target machines to power down and restart to cause the application to erase all the information stored on the target machines.

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

copying all the information stored on the target machine to other target machines prior to erasing all the information.

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

provisioning software to the target machines, utilizing at least one provisioning object, after erasing all the information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one provisioning object comprises at least one of a profile for provisioning the software, a template for provisioning the software, a software distribution record for provisioning the software, and a record for the target machines.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the application utilizes a secure algorithm to obscure and erase the information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing the target machines to power down and restart, comprises:

instructing a power management system to power down the target machines.

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

instructing a helper client to retrieve the application.

8. A computer readable storage medium comprising instruction for causing a processor to perform a method comprising:

identifying target machines to be removed from a network or to be re-tasked in the network;

providing an application to the identified target machines to securely erase all information stored on the target machines; and

instructing the target machines to power down and restart to cause the application to erase all the information stored on the target machines.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, the method further comprising:

copying all the information stored on the target machine to other target machines prior to erasing all the information.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, the method further comprising:

provisioning software to the target machines, utilizing at least one provisioning object, after erasing all the information.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the at least one provisioning object comprises at least one of a profile for provisioning the software, a template for provisioning the software, a software distribution record for provisioning the software, and a record for the target machines.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the application utilizes a secure algorithm to obscure and erase the information.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein instructing the target machines to power down and restart, comprises:

instructing a power management system to power down the target machines.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein providing the application, comprises:

instructing a helper client to retrieve the application.

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

identifying target machines to be removed from a network or to be re-tasked in the network;

providing an application to the identified target machines to securely erase all information stored on the target machines; and

instructing the target machines to power down and restart to cause the application to erase all the information stored on the target machines.

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

copying all the information stored on the target machine to other target machines prior to erasing all the information.

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

provisioning software to the target machines, utilizing at least one provisioning object, after erasing all the information.

18. The provisioning application of claim 17, wherein the at least one provisioning object comprises at least one of a profile for provisioning the software, a template for provisioning the software, a software distribution record for provisioning the software, and a record for the target machines.

19. The provisioning application of claim 15, wherein the application utilizes a secure algorithm to obscure and erase the information.

20. The provisioning application of claim 15, wherein instructing the target machines to power down and restart, comprises:

instructing a power management system to power down the target machines.

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

instructing a helper client to retrieve the application.