TECHNIQUES FOR COMPUTER SYSTEM RECOVERY

• US 20150149412A1
• Filed: 11/26/2013
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Kobres, Erick C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,250,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/640
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1417 Boot up procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/805 Real-time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]

Abstract

Techniques for computer system recovery which remotely restore a default partition to a recent state even when an operating system is functioning abnormally. In an example embodiment, a service center computer establishes a first network connection to a monitored computer system. The service center computer configures the monitored computer system to boot from a bootable image file in the monitored computer system and reboots the monitored computer system into an alternate operating system environment of the bootable image file. The service center computer establishes a second network connection to the monitored computer system to restore a recent backup image of the default partition from a diagnostic partition to a default partition. The service center computer establishes a third network connection to the monitored computer system and reboots the monitored computer system to the default partition.

Claims

1. A computer system recovery method comprising:

connecting to a first computer system including a first storage area with a default operating system environment and a second storage area containing a backup image of the first storage area by a second computer through a network;

configuring the first computer system to boot into an alternate operating system environment by the second computer system; and

restoring the backup image to the first partition while the first computer system is operating within the alternate operating system environment by the second computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting comprises connecting to the first computer system through an out of band connection by the second computer system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting comprises connecting to the first computer system through a Serial over Local Area Network (SOL) connection by the second computer system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring comprises using Integrated Drive Electronics redirection (IDEr) to boot into the alternate operating system environment instead of the default operating system environment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring comprises configuring the first computer system to boot from an image file containing the alternate operating system environment.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the image file is located in the second storage area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein restoring comprises:

remotely accessing the alternate operating system environment of the first computer system by the second computer system; and

executing restore software within the alternate operating environment by the second computer system.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

obtaining credentials for remotely accessing the operating system environment of the first computer system by the second computer system;

wherein remotely accessing the alternate operating system environment of the first computer system includes connecting to the first computer system using the credentials.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein obtaining comprises receiving the credentials from the first computer system.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the first computer system to boot into the default operating system environment by the second computer system.

11. A computer system recovery method comprising:

establishing a first network connection to a monitored computer system configured to operate in a default operating system environment by a service center computer system, wherein the monitored computer system includes a storage drive containing a first partition with the default operating system environment and a second partition containing a backup image of the first partition and a bootable image file;

configuring the monitored computer system to boot from the bootable image file into an alternate operation system environment during the first network connection by the service center computer system;

establishing a second network connection to the monitored computer system when the monitored computer system is operating in the alternate operating system environment by the service center computer system;

restoring the backup image to the first partition during the second network connection by the service center computer system;

establishing a third network connection to the monitored computer system by the service center computer system;

configuring the monitored computer system to boot into the default operating system environment during the third network connection by the service center computer system; and

rebooting the monitored computer system into the default operating system environment during the third network connection by the service center computer system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and third network connections comprise out of band connections.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and third network connections comprise Serial over Local Area Network (SOL) connections.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving login credentials for the second network connection via the first SOL connection by the service center computer system.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the configuring steps comprise using Integrated Drive Electronics redirection (IDEr).

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the second network connection comprises a remote access connection.

17. A computer system comprising:

a storage drive containing a first storage area with the default operating system environment and a second storage area containing a backup image of the first storage area and a bootable image file containing an alternate operating system environment; and

a processor configured to

periodically during a normal operating mode create the backup image of the first storage area;

establish during an abnormal operating mode a first network connection with another computer system;

change a boot priority from the default operating system to the bootable image file and reboot during the first network connection under control from the other computer system;

establish a second network connection with the other computer system while operating in the alternate operating system environment;

restore the backup image to the first storage area during the second network connection under control from the other computer system;

establish a third network connection with the monitored computer system;

change the boot priority from the bootable image file to the default operating system during the third network connection under control from the other computer system; and

reboot during the third network connection under control from the other computer system to the normal operating mode.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and third network connections comprise out of band connections.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and third network connections comprise Serial over Local Area Network (SOL) connections.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the second network connection comprises a remote access connection.