MEMORY LOG RETRIEVAL AND PROVISIONING SYSTEM

• US 20200133911A1
• Filed: 10/30/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Rao, Sanjay, Vijayvargiya, Divya
• Granted Patent: US 11,163,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/167 using a common memory, e.g. mailbox
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

A memory log retrieval and provisioning system includes a server device that is coupled to a support system via a network. The server device includes a memory device having at least one memory log. A memory log retrieval and provisioning subsystem is coupled to the memory device, and determines that a memory log retrieval event has occurred in the server device. In response to determining that the memory log retrieval event has occurred, the memory log retrieval and provisioning subsystem automatically retrieves the at least one memory log from the memory device without receiving user instructions subsequent to detecting the memory log retrieval event. The memory log retrieval and provisioning subsystem then automatically transmits the at least one memory log through the network to the support system without receiving user instructions subsequent to automatically retrieving the at least one memory log.

Claims

1. A memory log retrieval and provisioning system, comprising:

a support system; and

a server device that is coupled to the support system via a network, wherein the server device includes;

a memory device including at least one memory log; and

a memory log retrieval and provisioning subsystem that is coupled to the memory device and that is configured to;

determine that a memory log retrieval event has occurred in the server device;

automatically retrieve, without user instructions subsequent to detecting the memory log retrieval event and in response to determining the memory log retrieval event has occurred, the at least one memory log from the memory device; and

automatically transmit, without user instructions subsequent to automatically retrieving the at least one memory log, the at least one memory log through the network to the support system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory log retrieval event includes a server device support data collection event that is configured to collect support data from the server device and provide that support data through the network to the support system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory log retrieval event includes a critical memory device event that causes critical event memory data to be stored in the at least one memory log.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory log retrieval and provisioning subsystem includes:

a service module that is included in an operating system engine and that is configured to automatically issue a Service Management Interrupt (SMI) in response to determining that the memory log retrieval event has occurred;

a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) that is coupled to the operating system engine and that is configured to receive the SMI and, in response, automatically retrieve the at least one memory log and automatically provide the at least one memory log to the service module; and

a remote access controller device that is coupled to the operating system engine, wherein the service module is configured to automatically provide the at least one memory log to the remote access controller device, and wherein the remote access controller device is configured to automatically transmit the at least one memory log through the network to the support system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory log retrieval and provisioning subsystem includes:

a remote access controller device that is configured to automatically retrieve the at least one memory log from the memory device via a sideband interface, and automatically transmit the at least one memory log through the network to the support system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory device includes a Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) and the memory log includes a Serial Presence Detect (SPD) log.

7. An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:

a memory device; and

a memory log retrieval and provisioning subsystem that is coupled to the memory device and that is configured to;

determine that a memory log retrieval event has occurred;

automatically retrieve, without user instructions subsequent to detecting the memory log retrieval event and in response to determining the memory log retrieval event has occurred, at least one memory log from the memory device; and

automatically transmit, without user instructions subsequent to automatically retrieving the at least one memory log, the at least one memory log through a network to a support system.

8. The IHS of claim 7, wherein the memory log retrieval event includes a support data collection event that is configured to collect support data from the IHS and provide that support data through the network to the support system.

9. The IHS of claim 8, wherein the memory log retrieval event includes a critical memory device event that causes critical event memory data to be stored in the at least one memory log.

10. The IHS of claim 9, wherein the at least one memory log is automatically retrieved immediately following the detection of the critical memory device event.

11. The IHS of claim 8, wherein the memory log retrieval and provisioning subsystem includes:

a service module that is included in an operating system engine and that is configured to automatically issue a Service Management Interrupt (SMI) in response to determining that the memory log retrieval event has occurred;

a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) that is coupled to the operating system engine and that is configured to receive the SMI and, in response, automatically retrieve the at least one memory log and automatically provide the at least one memory log to the service module; and

a remote access controller device that is coupled to the operating system engine, wherein the service module is configured to automatically provide the at least one memory log to the remote access controller device, and wherein the remote access controller device is configured to automatically transmit the at least one memory log through the network to the support system.

12. The IHS of claim 8, wherein the memory log retrieval and provisioning subsystem includes:

a remote access controller device that is configured to automatically retrieve the at least one memory log from the memory device via a sideband interface, and automatically transmit the at least one memory log through the network to the support system.

13. The IHS of claim 8, wherein the memory device includes a Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) and the memory log includes a Serial Presence Detect (SPD) log.

14. A method for retrieving and providing memory logs, comprising:

determining, by a memory log retrieval and provisioning subsystem, that a memory log retrieval event has occurred;

automatically retrieving, by the memory log retrieval and provisioning subsystem without user instructions subsequent to detecting the memory log retrieval event and in response to determining the memory log retrieval event has occurred, at least one memory log from a memory device; and

automatically transmitting, by the memory log retrieval and provisioning subsystem without user instructions subsequent to automatically retrieving the at least one memory log, the at least one memory log through a network to a support system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the memory log retrieval event includes a support data collection event that is configured to collect support data from a server device that includes the memory device, and provide that support data through the network to the support system.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the memory log retrieval event includes a critical memory device event that causes critical event memory data to be stored in the at least one memory log.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one memory log is automatically retrieved immediately following the detection of the critical memory device event.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

automatically issuing, by a service module that is provided as part of the memory log retrieval and provisioning subsystem and included in an operating system engine, a Service Management Interrupt (SMI) in response to determining that the memory log retrieval event has occurred;

receiving, by a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) that is provided as part of the memory log retrieval and provisioning subsystem and that is coupled to the operating system engine, the SMI and, in response, automatically retrieving the at least one memory log and automatically providing the at least one memory log to the service module;

automatically providing, by the service module, the at least one memory log to a remote access controller device that is provided as part of the memory log retrieval and provisioning subsystem and that is coupled to the operating system engine; and

automatically transmitting, by the remote access controller device, the at least one memory log through the network to the support system.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

automatically retrieving, by a remote access controller device that is provided as part of the memory log retrieval and provisioning subsystem, the at least one memory log from the memory device via a sideband interface, and automatically transmitting the at least one memory log through the network to the support system.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the memory device includes a Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) and the memory log includes a Serial Presence Detect (SPD) log.