APPARATUS FOR REMOTELY CONFIGURING NETWORK INTERFACES IN A REMOTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20120084408A1
• Filed: 06/06/2011
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Megatrends International, LLC
• Original Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Inventors: Ayanam, Varadachari Sudan, Parthiban, Baskar
• Granted Patent: US 9,281,999 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting

Abstract

According to one aspect, a computer system for remotely configuring network interfaces of a host computer is disclosed, the system including a remote management computer and a managed host computer communicatively connected to the remote management computer over a communications link. The host computer includes a first network interface operable to communicatively connect to two or more server computers on two or more corresponding port numbers, and a second network interface operable to communicatively connect to two or more server computers on two or more corresponding port numbers. The system also includes a microcontroller operatively connected to the first network interface and the second network interface. The microcontroller has a programmable processor that is programmed to cause the host computer to perform functions that include receiving configuration data from the remote management computer over the communications link.

Claims

1. A computer system for remotely configuring network interfaces of a host computer, comprising:

(a) a remote management computer; and

(b) a managed host computer communicatively connected to the remote management computer over a communications link, the host computer comprising;

(i) a first network interface operable to communicatively connect to at least two server computers on at least two corresponding port numbers;

(ii) a second network interface operable to communicatively connect to at least two server computers on at least two corresponding port numbers; and

(iii) a microcontroller operatively connected to the first network interface and the second network interface and having a programmable processor that is programmed to cause the host computer to perform functions comprising;

receiving configuration data from the remote management computer over the communications link, the configuration data comprising a selection of;

at least two services to be provided to the host computer from the at least two server computers;

a network interface, from among the first network interface and the second network interface, to be communicatively connected to the at least two server computers; and

at least two port numbers, on the selected network interface, on which the selected at least two services are to be provided to the host computer; and

configuring the selected network interface according to the configuration data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmable processor is further programmed to cause the host computer to communicatively connect the at least two server computers to the selected network interface such that the selected at least two services are provided to the host computer.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the function of configuring the selected network interface is performed during continuous operation of the microcontroller.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the selections in the configuration data is generated in response to an interaction of a user with the remote management computer.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one of the selections corresponding to the user is generated in response to an interaction of the user with a web interface application executing on the remote management computer.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the communications link comprises an internet connection.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two services comprise at least one of keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) console redirection, text console redirection, mass storage redirection, floppy drive redirection, USB flash drive redirection, and CD/DVD redirection.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is configured to function as a management controller for the host computer.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first network interface and the second network interface reside on the microcontroller.

10. A microcontroller for configuring network interfaces of a managed host computer communicatively connected to a remote management computer over a communications link, the microcontroller comprising:

(a) a first network interface operable to communicatively connect to at least two server computers on at least two corresponding port numbers;

(b) a second network interface operable to communicatively connect to at least two server computers on at least two corresponding port numbers; and

(c) a programmable processor that is programmed to cause the host computer to perform functions comprising;

(i) receiving configuration data from the remote management computer over the communications link, the configuration data comprising a selection of;

at least two services to be provided to the host computer from the at least two server computers;

a network interface, from among the first network interface and second network interface, to be communicatively connected to the at least two server computers; and

at least two port numbers, on the selected network interface, on which the selected at least two services are to be provided to the host computer; and

configuring the selected network interface according to the configuration data.

11. The microcontroller of claim 10, wherein microcontroller is further programmed to cause the host computer to communicatively connect the at least two server computers to the selected network interface such that the selected at least two services are provided to the host computer.

12. The microcontroller of claim 11, wherein the function of configuring the selected network interface is performed during continuous operation of the microcontroller.

13. The microcontroller of claim 10, wherein at least one of the selections in the configuration data is generated in response to an interaction of a user with the remote management computer.

14. The microcontroller of claim 13, wherein the at least one selection corresponding to the user is generated in response to an interaction of the user with a web interface application executing on the remote management computer.

15. The microcontroller of claim 14, wherein the communications link comprises an internet connection.

16. The microcontroller of claim 10, wherein the at least two services comprise at least one of keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) console redirection, text console redirection, mass storage redirection, floppy drive redirection, USB flash drive redirection, and CD/DVD redirection.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a programmable processor, cause a microcontroller of a managed host computer having a first network interface and second network interface and communicatively connected to a remote management computer over a communications link to perform functions comprising:

(a) receiving configuration data from the remote management computer over the communications link, the configuration data comprising a selection of;

(i) at least two services to be provided to the host computer from at least two server computers;

(ii) a network interface, from among the first network interface and second network interface, to be communicatively connected to the at least two server computers; and

(iii) at least two port numbers, on the selected network interface, on which the selected at least two services are to be provided to the host computer; and

(b) configuring the selected network interface according to the configuration data.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the programmable processor, cause the microcontroller to communicatively connect the at least two server computers to the selected network interface such that the selected at least two services are provided to the host computer.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the function of configuring the selected network interface is performed during continuous operation of the microcontroller.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein at least one of the selections in the configuration data is generated in response to an interaction of a user with a web interface application executing on the remote management computer.