Method and system for identifying compatibility between firmware images
First Claim
1. A method for upgrading an installed firmware with a candidate firmware, comprising:
- determining if each of said installed and candidate firmwares has a control block, wherein each of said control blocks includes a firmware family code, firmware stepping level and compatibility table of an associated firmware;
acquiring firmware family codes and firmware stepping levels of said installed and candidate firmwares in response to said determination that both of said installed and candidate firmwares have a control block, wherein each said firmware family code uniquely identifies a product family of a firmware image;
comparing said family codes and said stepping levels of said installed and candidate firmwares; and
determining if said installed and candidate firmwares are compatible utilizing said compatibility tables in response to said family codes and said stepping levels of said installed and candidate firmwares not matching; and
in response to determining that said installed firmware does not have a firmware family control block that includes a firmware family code, firmware stepping level and compatibility table for said installed firmware, causing a flash utility to refuse to install said candidate firmware.
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Abstract
A method and system for identifying compatibility between firmware images. The method for identifying compatibility between firmware images includes analyzing a control block of each of the firmware images, where each of the control blocks includes a firmware family code and a compatibility table of a firmware image associated with the control block. Next, the method determines if the firmware family codes of the firmware images are the same and whether any of the compatibility table entries pertain to either firmware image. Generally, if the firmware family codes are the same, the firmware images are considered compatible, however, if the firmware family codes are different, the firmware images are considered to be incompatible, unless a compatibility table entry indicates otherwise.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for upgrading an installed firmware with a candidate firmware, comprising:
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determining if each of said installed and candidate firmwares has a control block, wherein each of said control blocks includes a firmware family code, firmware stepping level and compatibility table of an associated firmware; acquiring firmware family codes and firmware stepping levels of said installed and candidate firmwares in response to said determination that both of said installed and candidate firmwares have a control block, wherein each said firmware family code uniquely identifies a product family of a firmware image; comparing said family codes and said stepping levels of said installed and candidate firmwares; and determining if said installed and candidate firmwares are compatible utilizing said compatibility tables in response to said family codes and said stepping levels of said installed and candidate firmwares not matching; and in response to determining that said installed firmware does not have a firmware family control block that includes a firmware family code, firmware stepping level and compatibility table for said installed firmware, causing a flash utility to refuse to install said candidate firmware. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer-readable storage device having stored thereon computer executable instructions for implementing a method for upgrading an installed firmware with a candidate firmware, said computer executable instructions when executed perform the steps of:
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determining if each of said installed and candidate firmwares has a control block, wherein each of said control blocks includes a firmware family code, firmware stepping level and compatibility table of an associated firmware; acquiring firmware family codes and firmware stepping levels of said installed and candidate firmwares in response to said determination that both of said installed and candidate firmwares have a control block, wherein each said firmware family code uniquely identifies a product family of a firmware image, and wherein the product family is defined as a set of products that utilizes a same firmware that allows unrestricted changes from one revision level of said firmware image to another revision level of said firmware image; comparing said family codes and said stepping levels of said installed and candidate firmwares; determining if said installed and candidate firmwares are compatible utilizing said compatibility tables in response to said family codes and said stepping levels of said installed and candidate firmwares not matching; and in response to determining that said installed firmware does not have a firmware family control block that includes a firmware family code, firmware stepping level and compatibility table for said installed firmware, causing a flash utility to refuse to install said candidate firmware. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification