Automated firmware restoration to a peer programmable hardware device

• US 7,761,735 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ellsworth, Earle, Gee, Lourdes Magally, Holdaway, Kevan D., Olguin, Ivan Ronald II, Morton, David Michael, Nguyen, Nhu Thanh, Graves, Jason James
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lottich; Joshua P
• Application Number:
  US11/735,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20080256526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 714/6, 714/15
• US Class Current: 714/6.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1658 Data re-synchronization of a redundant component, or initial sync of replacement, additional or spare unit
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2038 with a single idle spare processing component

Abstract

Provided are techniques for restoring firmware. A first programmable hardware device determines that a second programmable hardware device needs a valid firmware image, retrieves a copy of the valid firmware image from an external memory, and sends the valid firmware image to the second programmable hardware device via a private communication link, wherein the private communication link enables private communication between the first programmable hardware device and the second programmable hardware device. The second programmable hardware device restores existing firmware using the valid firmware image.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

hardware logic at a first programmable hardware device in a server performing operations, the operations comprising;

periodically determining whether a second programmable hardware device in the server needs a valid firmware image; and

in response to determining that the second programmable hardware device needs the valid firmware image,

retrieving a copy of the valid firmware image for the second programmable hardware device; and

sending the valid firmware image to the second programmable hardware device via a private communication link, wherein the private communication link enables private communication between the first programmable hardware device and the second programmable hardware device; and

hardware logic at the second programmable hardware device performing operations, the operations comprising;

in response to receiving the valid firmware image from the first programmable storage device, restoring existing firmware using the valid firmware image;

periodically determining whether the first programmable hardware device needs a valid firmware image; and

in response to determining that the first programmable hardware device needs the valid firmware image,

retrieving a copy of the valid firmware image for the first programmable hardware device; and

sending the valid firmware image to the first programmable hardware device via the private communication link.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first programmable hardware device retrieves the valid firmware image from an external memory that is dedicated to the first programmable hardware device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first programmable hardware device and the second programmable hardware device share an external memory storing the valid firmware image.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second programmable hardware device retrieves the valid firmware image from an external memory that is dedicated to the second programmable hardware device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first programmable hardware device and the second programmable hardware device are redundant and use a same firmware.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first programmable hardware device and the second programmable hardware device are not redundant and use different firmware.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein, when determining whether the second programmable hardware device needs the valid firmware image, operations at the first programmable hardware device further comprise:

using a heartbeat function to periodically send a heartbeat function message to the second programmable hardware device to determine whether the second programmable hardware device is functioning, wherein, when the second programmable hardware device does not respond to the heartbeat function message from the first programmable hardware device within a predetermined period of time, the first programmable hardware device determines that the second programmable hardware device needs the valid firmware image.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein, when determining whether the second programmable hardware device needs the valid firmware image, operations at the first programmable hardware device further comprise:

receiving an indication from the second programmable hardware device requesting the valid firmware image, wherein the second programmable hardware device specifies a version of the valid firmware image.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein an external memory stores multiple versions of the valid firmware image.

10. A system, comprising:

hardware logic at a first programmable hardware device in a server performing operations, the operations comprising;

in response to determining that a second programmable hardware device in the server needs a valid firmware image,

retrieving a copy of the valid firmware image from a first memory; and

directly updating a second memory of the second

programmable hardware device with the valid firmware image; and

hardware logic at the second programmable hardware device performing operations, the operations comprising;

in response to the second memory being updated, restoring existing firmware using the valid firmware image; and

in response to determining that the first programmable hardware device needs a valid firmware image,

retrieving a copy of the valid firmware image from the second memory; and

directly updating the first memory of the first programmable hardware device with the valid firmware image.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein directly updating the second memory comprises using a utility that comprises a Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) interface.