Method and system for implementing a diagnostic or correction boot image over a network connection

• US 7,519,807 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Guajardo, Javier A. Jr., Paul, Chakkalamattam Jos, Pierre-Louis, Marc-Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yanchus, III; Paul B
• Application Number:
  US11/386,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20060253696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 717/171, 717/176
• US Class Current: 713/2
• 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 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system that initiates specific maintenance and diagnostic boot images on remote computers. The system is used to select a particular remote device over a network. A particular new boot image is also selected, and that boot image is tailored to operate a maintenance or diagnostic function on the target machine. The new boot image is downloaded to the target, and the target is rebooted with the new boot image. The new boot image is selected from other specific boot images. Upon reboot, the new boot image performs the diagnostic or maintenance routines on the remote target machine. At some predetermined point, the original boot image is swapped back, and the machine rebooted once again. This returns the machine to its original image.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for diagnosing and maintaining a remote computing device, the remote computing device coupled to a network and running under a first boot image, the method comprising:

initiating, by a first computing device, a maintenance reboot process in the remote computing device, wherein the remote computing device is remote to the first computing device and wherein the first computing device selects the remote computing device from a plurality of remote computing devices and wherein the first computing device is a server, and wherein the server initiates the maintenance reboot process in the remote computing device in response to a determination that a performance criteria of the target remote computing device has fallen below a predetermined threshold;

downloading a maintenance boot image to the remote computing device via the network;

initiating a first reboot process of the remote computing device with the maintenance boot image;

performing at least one of a diagnostic and a maintenance function by running the remote computing device under the maintenance boot image;

monitoring, at the first computing device, the remote computing device for the occurrence of a predetermined event, wherein monitoring the remote computing device for the occurrence of a predetermined event is performed by a daemon; and

initiating a second reboot process of the remote computing device using the first boot image upon the occurrence of the predetermined event associated with the maintenance boot image, wherein the predetermined event is a signal from the remote computing device indicating that function of an operational mode associated with the maintenance boot image has been completed.

2. A computer program product in a computer usable storage medium for diagnosing and maintaining a remote computing device, the remote computing device coupled to a network and running under a first boot image, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for initiating, by a first computing device, a maintenance reboot process in the remote computing device, wherein the remote computing device is remote to the first computing device and wherein the first computing device selects the remote computing device from a plurality of remote computing devices, wherein the first computing device is a server, and wherein the server initiates the maintenance reboot process in the remote computing device, and wherein the server initiates the maintenance reboot process in the remote computing device in response to a determination that a performance criteria of the remote computing device has fallen below a predetermined threshold;

instructions for downloading a maintenance boot image to the remote computing device via the network;

instructions for initiating a first reboot process of the remote computing device with the maintenance boot image;

instructions for at least one of a diagnostic and a or maintenance function by running the remote computing device under the maintenance boot image;

instructions for monitoring, at the server, the remote computing device for the occurrence of a predetermined event, wherein monitoring the remote computing device for the occurrence of a predetermined event is performed by a daemon; and

instructions for initiating a second reboot process of the remote computing device using the first boot image upon the occurrence of the predetermined event associated with the maintenance boot image, wherein the predetermined event is a signal from the remote computing device indicating that a function of the operational mode associated with the maintenance boot image has been completed.