Remote execution of diagnostic firmware in a block data storage device

• US 6,711,520 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2002
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Fish, Wilson M., Magill, Michael G., Arnaout, Badih M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walling, Meagan S.
• Application Number:
  US10/127,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20030014207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 702/119, 702/120, 702/122, 702/186, 709/200, 709/212, 709/211, 709/213, 709/217, 709/250, 709/216, 709/218
• US Class Current: 702/119
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0727 in a storage system, e.g. in a DASD or network based storage system drivers for digital recording or reproducing units G06F3/06; circuits for error detection or correction within digital recording or reproducing units G11B20/18; for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0626 Reducing size or complexity of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0653 Monitoring storage devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0674 Disk device
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06

Abstract

Method and apparatus for accessing a block data storage device through a computer network to carry out remote diagnostic operations. The data storage device includes a data storage medium, a host interface port, a serial communication (COM) port and a programmable controller with associated platform firmware and associated diagnostic firmware. A client computer and a server computer are connected to a computer network, and the data storage device is connected to the server computer via the host interface port. The server computer is used to transmit a first command to cause the controller to execute the platform firmware, while the client computer is used to transmit a second command to the COM port of the data storage device to cause the controller to concurrently execute the diagnostic firmware to monitor operation of the platform firmware.

Claims

1. A method for diagnosing a remote block data storage device having a data storage medium, a host interface port, a serial communication (COM) port and a programmable controller with associated platform firmware and associated diagnostic firmware, the method comprising:

connecting a client computer and a server computer through a computer network;

directly connecting the data storage device to the server computer via the host interface port;

using the server computer to transmit a first command to the data storage device through the host interface port to cause the controller to execute the platform firmware; and

using the client computer to transmit a second command to the COM port of the data storage device to cause the controller to concurrently execute the diagnostic firmware.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting data from the COM port of the data storage device to the client computer through the computer network in response to the execution of the diagnostic firmware.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the data transmitted from the COM port of the data storage device comprises information relating to the concurrent execution of the platform firmware.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising additionally connecting the data storage device to the first computer via a serial interface cable in communication with the COM port, and transmitting the second command via the serial interface cable.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer network comprises the Internet.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein an Internet protocol (IP) address is associated with the data storage device, and wherein the client computer transmits the second command to the data storage device using the IP address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic firmware comprises an executable program which is executed by the controller in response to the second command.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform firmware is characterized as existing platform firmware and wherein the execution of the second command results in loading of updated platform firmware through the COM port to replace the existing platform firmware.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising loading command translation and reporting software onto the server computer comprising a diagnostic module and executing said command translation and reporting software on the server computer to generate the second command in response to a request from the client computer, wherein the diagnostic module interprets the request from the client computer and provides the second command into an appropriate format for receipt and execution by the controller.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic firmware comprises a file system comprising at least one Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) web page, and wherein the execution of the second command results in display of the at least one HTTP web page on the client computer.

11. A method for diagnosing a remote block data storage device having a data storage medium, a host interface port, a serial communication (COM) port and a programmable controller with platform firmware and diagnostic firmware, the method comprising:

connecting a client computer and a server computer to a computer network;

directly connecting the data storage device to the server computer via a host interface cable in communication with the host interface port;

loading command translation and reporting software onto the server computer;

using the server computer to transmit a first command via the host interface cable to cause the controller to execute the platform firmware;

using the client computer to transmit a request via the computer network to the server computer;

executing said command translation and reporting software on the server computer to generate a second command in response to the request from the client computer; and

transmitting the second command to the COM port of the data storage device to cause the controller to concurrently execute the diagnostic firmware.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting data from the COM port of the data storage device to the client computer through the computer network in response to the execution of the diagnostic firmware.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the data transmitted from the COM port of the disc storage device comprises information relating to the concurrent execution of the platform firmware.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising additionally connecting the data storage device to the first computer via a serial interface cable in communication with the COM port, and transmitting the second command via the serial interface cable.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the computer network comprises the Internet so that the request is transmitted by the client computer to the server computer over the Internet.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the diagnostic firmware comprises an executable program which is executed by the controller in response to the second command.

17. A method for diagnosing a remote block data storage device having a data storage medium, a host interface port, a serial communication (COM) port and a programmable controller with platform firmware used to control transfer of data to and/or from the data storage disc, the method comprising:

providing the data storage device with diagnostic firmware executable by the controller, said diagnostic firmware comprising a file system identifying at least one hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) web page;

connecting a client computer and a server computer to a computer network;

directly connecting the data storage device to the server computer via a host interface cable in communication with the host interface port;

using the server computer to transmit a first command via the host interface cable to cause the controller to execute the platform firmware; and

using the client computer to transmit a second command over the computer network to the COM port of the data storage device to cause the controller to concurrently execute the diagnostic firmware and return the at least one HTTP web page to the client computer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one HTTP web page returned to the client computer includes data relating to the concurrent execution of the platform firmware.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising additionally connecting the data storage device to the first computer via a serial interface cable in communication with the COM port, and transmitting the second command and the at least one HTTP web page via the serial interface cable.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the computer network comprises the Internet, wherein a selected Internet protocol (IP) address is associated with the data storage device, and wherein the client computer transmits the second command to the data storage device using the selected IP address.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the diagnostic firmware further comprises an executable program which is executed by the controller in response to the second command.

22. A block data storage device configured to operate as a network server device, comprising:

a data storage medium;

communication channel circuitry configured to transfer data to and/or from the data storage medium;

interface circuitry coupled to the communication channel circuitry and comprising a host interface port and a serial communication (COM) port; and

a programmable controller coupled to the interface circuitry and having associated memory in which platform firmware and diagnostic firmware are stored, wherein said platform firmware comprises operational programming steps used by the controller to control the transfer of data to and/or from the data storage medium, wherein said diagnostic firmware comprises a file system which identifies a plurality of network files with at least one of said network files comprising a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) web page, and wherein the disc drive data storage device transmits the HTTP web page to a remote computer in response to a request provided to the COM port.

23. The data storage device of claim 22, in combination with a server computer to which the data storage device is directly coupled by a host interface cable in communication with the host interface port and a client computer coupled to the server computer through the Internet, wherein the client computer issues the request to the data storage device using an Internet protocol (IP) address associated with the data storage device, and wherein the HTTP web page is transmitted via the Internet to the client computer.

24. The data storage device of claim 22, wherein the HTTP web page includes data relating to concurrent execution of the platform firmware.

25. The data storage device of claim 22, wherein the data storage medium comprises a rigid magnetic recording disc.