COMMUNICATING WITH AN IN-BAND MANAGEMENT APPLICATION THROUGH AN OUT-OF-BAND COMMUNICATIONS CHANNEL

• US 20110283006A1
• Filed: 07/26/2011
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Megatrends International, LLC
• Original Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Inventors: Ramamurthy, Venkatesh
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/344 Out-of-band transfers

Abstract

A remote management controller is provided for use in conjunction with a managed host computer. The remote management controller exposes a virtual network interface controller, such as a driverless virtual USB network interface controller, to the managed host computer. Through the in-band connection provided by the virtual network interface controller, the remote management controller can communicate with in-band management applications executing on the managed host computer. The managed host computer can also access services executing on the remote management controller through the in-band communications interface. The remote management controller can also enable communication between the management client computer and in-band management applications executing on the managed host computer. The managed host computer can also access an out-of-band communications network between the remote management device and a management client computer.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A method for enabling communication with an in-band management application through an out-of-band communications channel, the method comprising the steps of:

causing at least one physical network interface controller communicatively coupled to a managed host computer and a management client computer over an out-of-band communications channel to enable communication between the managed host computer and the management client computer over the out-of-band communications channel;

exposing a virtual network interface controller communicatively coupled to the at least one physical network interface controller to the managed host computer; and

enabling communication between the management client computer and an in-band management application executing on the managed host computer via a communications path comprising the at least one physical network interface controller, the virtual network interface controller, and the out-of-band communications channel.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the virtual network interface controller comprises a virtual universal serial bus (USB) network interface controller.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of providing an Internet protocol (IP) address to the virtual network interface controller.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of accessing one or more services provided by the managed host computer via the virtual network interface controller.

23. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform functions for enabling communication with an in-band management application through an out-of-band communications channel, the functions comprising:

causing at least one physical network interface controller communicatively coupled to a managed host computer and a management client computer over an out-of-band communications channel to enable communication between the managed host computer and the management client computer over the out-of-band communications channel;

exposing a virtual network interface controller communicatively coupled to the at least one physical network interface controller to the managed host computer; and

enabling communication between the management client computer and an in-band management application executing on the managed host computer via a communications path comprising the at least one physical network interface controller, the virtual network interface controller, and the out-of-band communications channel.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the virtual network interface controller comprises a virtual universal serial bus (USB) network interface controller.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, further comprising stored instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, further perform the function of providing an Internet protocol (IP) address to the virtual network interface controller.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, further comprising stored instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, further perform the function of accessing one or more services provided by the managed host computer via the virtual network interface controller.