Method and apparatus for performing field diagnostics on a computer system

• US 6,438,711 B2
• Filed: 07/15/1998
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ivanti, Inc. (Ivanti Software, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Woodruff, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoleil, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZIEMER, RITA A
• Application Number:
  US09/116,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20010054161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 714/27, 714/31, 713/2, 707/10, 709/224
• US Class Current: 714/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

A method for managing a computer system includes initiating a reset of the computer system from a remote location. Diagnostic software on the computer system is downloaded from the remote location.

Claims

1. A method for managing a computer system, comprising:

initiating a reset of the computer system from a remote location; and

running diagnostic software on the computer system downloaded from the remote location, said diagnostic software being enabled to diagnose said computer system without using an operating system stored within said computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the reset of the computer system from the remote location, comprises:

interfacing the computer system via a remote connection; and

sending a request to a shut down agent in the computer system via the remote connection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein interfacing the computer system via a remote connection, comprises interfacing the computer system via an Ethernet connection to a management module connected to the computer system.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein interfacing the computer system via a remote connection, comprises interfacing the computer system via a modem connection to a management module connected to the computer system.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein interfacing the computer system via a remote connection, comprises interfacing the computer system via a serial connection to a serial interface connected to the computer system.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein interfacing the computer system via a remote connection, comprises interfacing the computer system via a modem connection to a serial interface connected to the computer system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of interrogating the computer system to determine types of diagnostic software to download onto the computer system.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein interrogating the computer system comprises retrieving BIOS information from the computer system.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of downloading diagnostic software onto the computer system.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein downloading diagnostic software onto the computer system comprises transmitting data that includes diagnostic software code and a location in memory to write the diagnostic software code to a communications driver in the computer system.

11. A method for managing a computer system, comprising:

determining whether a remote computer system is requesting a diagnostic session;

writing diagnostic software code received from the remote computer system into locations in memory as specified by the remote computer system; and

executing the diagnostic software on a computer system to be diagnosed without using an operating system stored within said computer system to be diagnosed.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether a remote computer system is requesting a diagnostic session, comprises:

transmitting a query message to the remote computer system via a communications interface; and

monitoring the communications interface for a diagnostic session request message from the remote computer system.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining whether the remote computer system is authorized to participate in the diagnostic session.

14. A computer-readable medium having a sequence of instructions stored thereon, the sequence of instructions, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

determining whether a remote computer system is requesting a diagnostic session;

writing diagnostic code received from the remote computer system into locations in memory as specified by the remote computer system; and

executing the diagnostic software on a computer system to be diagnosed without using an operating system stored within said computer system to be diagnosed.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein determining whether a remote computer system is requesting a diagnostic session, comprises:

transmitting a query message to the remote computer system via a communications interface; and

monitoring the communications interface for a diagnostic session request message from the remote computer system.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions which when executed by the processor causes the processor to determine whether the remote computer system is authorized to participate in a diagnostic session.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the computer-readable medium is a read only memory and the sequences of instructions are in a Basic Input Output System (BIOS) of a computer system.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a shutdown agent that resets a computer system in response to receiving a shut down request from a remote computer system;

a session manager that determines whether the remote computer system is requesting a diagnostic session; and

a data handler that writes diagnostic software code received from the remote computer system into locations in memory as specified by the remote computer system, said diagnostic software being enabled to be executed without using an operating system stored within said computer system.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a session authorizer that determines whether the remote computer system is authorized to request the diagnostic session.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a system status provider that provides the remote computer system with information to determine types of diagnostic software to download to the computer system.

21. A computer system, comprising:

a bus;

a memory coupled to the bus;

a diagnostic manager, coupled to the bus, that includes a shut down agent that resets a computer system in response to receiving a shut down request from a remote computer system, a session manager that determines whether the remote computer system is requesting a diagnostic session, and a data handler that writes diagnostic software code received from the remote computer system into locations in memory as specified by the remote computer system, said diagnostic software being enabled to be executed without using an operating system stored within said computer system.