PARTIAL HIBERNATION RESTORE FOR BOOT TIME REDUCTION

• US 20120036346A1
• Filed: 08/04/2010
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: NOLTERIEKE, MICHAEL H., PAGAN, WILLIAM G., BOWER, FRED A. III
• Granted Patent: US 8,578,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4418 Suspend and resume; Hibernate and awake

Abstract

Checkpoint snapshots of segments of system memory are taken while an operating system is booting in a computer system. The segments of system memory are stored in non-volatile memory as hibernation files. In response to detecting a request for a system reboot of the OS, an affected hibernation file, which corresponds to an affected segment of system memory that will change during the system reboot of the OS, is identified. A restoration of the system memory via a wake-up from hibernation is then initiated. The wake-up from hibernation proceeds until the affected hibernation file is reached, such that initial steps in the system reboot are bypassed. Thereafter, subsequent steps, which are after the bypassed initial steps in the system reboot, are executed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of reducing operating system (OS) reboot time in a computer system, the computer implemented method comprising:

a processor taking checkpoint snapshots of system states during a booting of an OS in a computer system;

the processor storing the checkpoint snapshots in non-volatile memory as hibernation files;

the processor, in response to detecting a request for a system reboot of the OS, identifying an affected hibernation file that corresponds to an affected segment of system memory that will change during the system reboot of the OS;

the processor, in response to detecting the request for the system reboot of the OS, directing a restoration of the system memory via a wake-up from hibernation, wherein the wake-up from hibernation proceeds until the affected hibernation file is reached such that initial steps in the system reboot are bypassed; and

the processor directing an execution of subsequent steps in the system reboot that occur after the bypassed initial steps in the system reboot.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the system states are described in segments of system memory.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the hibernation files represents a cumulative copy of the system states up to a particular checkpoint.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

the processor tagging the hibernation files with metatags that correspond to progressive steps in the system reboot.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

the processor storing the hibernation files in an array of solid state disk drives.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

the processor determining that a software update process will cause the affected segment of system memory to be changed.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

the processor determining that a hardware discovery process will cause the affected segment of system memory to be changed.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

the processor determining that an application recovery process will cause the affected segment of system memory to be changed.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the processor is an OS executing processor that performs the system reboot of the OS.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the processor is located within a management module, and wherein the processor within the management module is different from an OS executing processor that will utilize an OS that is being rebooted.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the hibernation files are created during a pseudo-hibernation of the computer system, and wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises:

the processor updating the hibernation files as changes occur to the segments of the system memory during operation of the computer system.

12. A computer program product for reducing Operating System (OS) boot time, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage media;

first program instructions to take checkpoint snapshots of system states during a booting of an OS in a computer system;

second program instructions to store the checkpoint snapshots in non-volatile memory as hibernation files;

third program instructions to, in response to detecting a request for a system reboot of the OS, identify an affected hibernation file that corresponds to an affected segment of system memory that will change during the system reboot of the OS;

fourth program instructions to, in response to detecting the request for the system reboot of the OS, direct a restoration of the system memory via a wake-up from hibernation, wherein the wake-up from hibernation proceeds until the affected hibernation file is reached such that initial steps in the system reboot are bypassed; and

fifth program instructions to direct an execution of subsequent steps in the system reboot that occur after the bypassed initial steps in the system reboot; and

wherein the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising:

sixth program instructions to tag the hibernation files with metatags that correspond to progressive steps in the system reboot, wherein the sixth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising:

sixth program instructions to store the hibernation files in an array of solid state disk drives, wherein the sixth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising:

sixth program instructions to determine that a hardware discovery process will cause the affected segment of system memory to be changed, wherein the sixth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media.

16. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising:

sixth program instructions to determine that an application recovery process will cause the affected segment of system memory to be changed, wherein the sixth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media.

17. A computer system comprising:

a processor, a computer readable memory, and a computer readable storage media;

first program instructions to take checkpoint snapshots of system states during a booting of an OS in a computer system;

second program instructions to store the checkpoint snapshots in non-volatile memory as hibernation files;

third program instructions to, in response to detecting a request for a system reboot of the OS, identify an affected hibernation file that corresponds to an affected segment of system memory that will change during the system reboot of the OS;

fourth program instructions to, in response to detecting the request for the system reboot of the OS, direct a restoration of the system memory via a wake-up from hibernation, wherein the wake-up from hibernation proceeds until the affected hibernation file is reached such that initial steps in the system reboot are bypassed; and

fifth program instructions to direct an execution of subsequent steps in the system reboot that occur after the bypassed initial steps in the system reboot; and

wherein the first, second, third, fourth and fifth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.

18. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising:

sixth program instructions to tag the hibernation files with metatags that correspond to progressive steps in the system reboot, wherein the sixth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media.

19. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising:

sixth program instructions to store the hibernation files in an array of solid state disk drives, wherein the sixth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media.

20. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising:

sixth program instructions to determine that a software update process will cause the affected segment of system memory to be changed, wherein the sixth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media.