Apparatus, system, and method for securely providing power supply commands

• US 7,281,142 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kubo, Robert Akira, Walls, Andrew Dale, Lucas, Gregg Steven, Jones, Carl Evan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao; Chun
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRIBBS, MALCOLM
• Application Number:
  US10/935,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20060053312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713/320
• US Class Current: 713/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/81 by operating on the power supply, e.g. enabling or disabling power-on, sleep or resume operations

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for securely providing power supply commands. A security feature is added to the remote management of power-on and power-off sequences. The feature allows for multiple controller nodes to receive a command to initiate a power sequence. Each controller node possesses a unique identifier. The nodes compare the received command with received commands of other nodes to confirm that each node received identical power commands. The security feature prevents inadvertent power commands from being received and executed by a single controller node. The unique identifier of each node must be provided before execution of the power command occurs.

Claims

1. An apparatus to securely provide power commands to a system, the apparatus comprising:

a command module configured to provide power commands to the system, wherein the power commands consist of a power up command and a power down command;

a plurality of independent nodes configured to receive power commands, wherein each independent node comprises a network connection; and

a receiver module configured to confirm that each node in the plurality of nodes has received identical power commands and execute the power commands if each power command is identical.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the command module further comprises providing power commands remotely.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each network connection further comprises a unique identifier.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the command module is configured to provide the unique identifier for each network connection.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processing module configured to manage power commands to power down the system.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processing module is further configured to confirm that each node has received identical power commands to power down the system.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processing module is further configured to provide commands to the receiver module to power-off a power supply of the system.

18. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processing module is further configured to quiesce interfaces, destage data, and place data onto non-volatile mediums.

8. A system to securely provide power commands to a system of devices, the system comprising:

a user interface configured to provide the power commands, wherein the power commands consist of a power up command and a power down command;

a plurality of independent controller nodes configured to receive power commands, wherein each independent controller node comprises a network connection; and

a control processor configured to confirm that each controller node has received identical power commands and execute the power commands if each power command is identical.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the user interface provides the power commands to the system of devices from a remote location.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein each network interface connection comprises a unique identifier.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the user interface is configured to provide the unique identifier of each network interface connection of each controller node.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the control processor is configured to confirm that each controller node has received identical power commands.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein each controller node comprises a control processor.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising a processing complex configured to provide commands to power-off the power supply to the control processor.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein each controller node comprises a processing complex.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the unique identifier comprises a media access control address.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the processing complex is further configured to quiesce interfaces, destage data, and place data onto non-volatile mediums.

17. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable program code for receiving power commands for a system of devices, the program code configured to:

compare power commands received at each of a plurality of controller nodes from a user interface, wherein the power commands consist of a power up command and a power down command and each controller node comprises a network connection;

confirm that the power commands received by each controller node are identical; and

execute the power commands if each power command is identical.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the program code is further configured to quiesce interfaces, destage data, and place data onto non-volatile mediums.