Simultaneous download to multiple targets

• US 7,814,479 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Douglas, Darren C., Rao, Sudhir Gurunandan, Liu, Lei, Graves, Jason James
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen; Wei Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phillip H
• Application Number:
  US11/304,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20070169106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,763 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/20 using active fault-masking, e.g. by switching out faulty elements or by switching in spare elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/202 where processing functionality is redundant redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005, redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

Provided are a techniques for processing a download. Under control of a first target device, a download command is received via a first communication medium that indicates that an update is to be downloaded. The download command is issued to a second target device via a second communication medium, wherein the second communication medium is a private device communication medium that enables private communication between the first target device and the second target device. The update is received via the first communication medium. In response to determining that the update has been downloaded, run with the update.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed by a processor on a computer causes the computer to:

under control of a first target device,

receive a download command via a first communication medium that indicates that an update is to be downloaded, wherein the first target device is connected to a management module with the first communication medium;

issue the download command to a second target device via a second communication medium, wherein the second communication medium is a private device communication medium that enables private communication between the first target device and the second target device;

in response receiving an acknowledgment from the second target device indicating that the download command has been received, receive the update via the first communication medium from the management module at a same time as the second target device receives the update from the management module; and

in response to determining that the update has been downloaded, run with the update; and

under control of the second target device,

receive the download command from the first target device via the second communication medium;

in response to receiving the download command, activate an internal device communication medium to enable the second target device to listen on the internal device communication medium as a passive listener that is snooping on packets sent by the management module on the first communication medium via the internal communication medium, wherein the internal device communication medium is coupled to the first communication medium; and

receive the update via the internal device communication medium from the management module, wherein the second target device and the first target device receive the update simultaneously from the management module.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

under control of the first target device,

wait to receive the acknowledgment from the second target device indicating that the download command has been received.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the update is received as a series of downloads and wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

under control of the first target device,

wait to receive an acknowledgment from the second target device for each one of the series of downloads; and

in response to determining that the acknowledgment has not been received from the second target device within a predetermined amount of time, process an error.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the update is received as a series of downloads and wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

under control of the second target device,

send an acknowledgment to the first target device upon receipt of each one of the series of downloads.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the second target device maintains an indicator to maintain synchronization between the first target device and the second target device while receiving the update.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

under control of the first target device,

waiting to receive the acknowledgment from the second target device indicating that the download command has been received.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the update is received as a series of downloads and further comprising:

under control of the first target device,

waiting to receive an acknowledgment from the second target device for each one of the series of downloads; and

in response to determining that the acknowledgment has not been received from the second target device within a predetermined amount of time, processing an error.

6. A computer-implemented method for processing a download, comprising:

under control of a first target device,

receiving a download command via a first communication medium that indicates that an update is to be downloaded, wherein the first target device is connected to a management module with the first communication medium;

issuing the download command to a second target device via a second communication medium, wherein the second communication medium is a private device communication medium that enables private communication between the first target device and the second target device;

in response receiving an acknowledgment from the second target device indicating that the download command has been received, receiving the update via the first communication medium from the management module at a same time as the second target device receives the update from the management module; and

in response to determining that the update has been downloaded, running with the update; and

under control of the second target device,

receiving the download command from the first target device via the second communication medium;

in response to receiving the download command, activating an internal device communication medium to enable the second target device to listen on the internal device communication medium as a passive listener that is snooping on packets sent by the management module on the first communication medium via the internal communication medium, wherein the internal device communication medium is coupled to the first communication medium; and

receiving the update via the internal device communication medium from the management module, wherein the second target device and the first target device receive the update simultaneously from the management module.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the update is received as a series of downloads and further comprising:

under control of the second target device,

sending an acknowledgment to the first target device upon receipt of each one of the series of downloads.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the second target device maintains an indicator to maintain synchronization between the first target device and the second target device while receiving the update.

11. A system for processing a download, comprising:

hardware logic capable of performing operations, the operations comprising;

under control of a first target device,

receiving a download command via a first communication medium that indicates that an update is to be downloaded, wherein the first target device is connected to a management module with the first communication medium;

issuing the download command to a second target device via a second communication medium, wherein the second communication medium is a private device communication medium that enables private communication between the first target device and the second target device;

in response receiving an acknowledgment from the second target device indicating that the download command has been received, receiving the update via the first communication medium from the management module at a same time as the second target device receives the update from the management module; and

in response to determining that the update has been downloaded, running with the update; and

under control of the second target device,

receiving the download command from the first target device via the second communication medium;

in response to receiving the download command, activating an internal device communication medium to enable the second target device to listen on the internal device communication medium as a passive listener that is snooping on packets sent by the management module on the first communication medium via the internal communication medium, wherein the internal device communication medium is coupled to the first communication medium; and

receiving the update via the internal device communication medium from the management module, wherein the second target device and the first target device receive the update simultaneously from the management module.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

under control of the first target device,

waiting to receive the acknowledgment from the second target device indicating that the download command has been received.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the update is received as a series of downloads and wherein the operations further comprise:

under control of the first target device,

waiting to receive an acknowledgment from the second target device for each one of the series of downloads; and

in response to determining that the acknowledgment has not been received from the second target device within a predetermined amount of time, processing an error.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the update is received as a series of downloads and wherein the operations further comprise:

under control of the second target device,

sending an acknowledgment to the first target device upon receipt of each one of the series of downloads.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the second target device maintains an indicator to maintain synchronization between the first target device and the second target device while receiving the update.