System and method for applying a destructive firmware update in a non-destructive manner

• US 7,823,020 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2006
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Britson, Wayne A., Spinler, Matthew S., Bishop, Bradley W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehrmanesh; Elmira
• Application Number:
  US11/468,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20080126778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 714/36, 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 717/168, 717/170
• US Class Current: 714/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-usable medium for applying a destructive firmware update in a non-destructive manner. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, during operation of a multiprocessor data processing system, a service processor updates firmware in the multiprocessor data processing system from a first firmware setting to a second firmware setting. The service processor iteratively applies the second firmware setting to hardware within the multiprocessor data processing system by de-allocating a first hardware device when the second firmware setting includes at least one destructive operation targeted to the first hardware device, performing the destructive operation on the first hardware device, and re-allocating the first hardware device into the multiprocessor data processing system when the destructive operation is complete.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a firmware update in a multiprocessor data processing system, said method comprising:

updating firmware in said multiprocessor data processing system from a first firmware setting to a second firmware setting; and

iteratively applying said second firmware setting to hardware within said multiprocessor data processing system by;

when said second firmware setting includes at least one destructive operation targeted to a first hardware device within said multiprocessor data processing system,

de-allocating workload from said first hardware device and re-allocating said workload to a second hardware device within said multiprocessor data processing system;

performing said destructive operation on said first hardware device;

rebooting said first hardware device; and

,

when said rebooting said first hardware device is complete, de-allocating said workload from said second hardware device and re-allocating said workload to said first hardware device; and

when said second firmware setting does not include at least one destructive operation,

applying said second firmware setting to said first hardware device without said de-allocating said workload from and said re-allocating said workload to said first hardware device.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a boot process in said multiprocessor data processing system.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said de-allocating said workload from said first hardware device further comprises:

de-allocating said first hardware device via a hot-removal procedure.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said re-allocating said workload to said first hardware device further comprises:

re-allocating said first hardware device via a hot-plug procedure.

5. A system for implementing a firmware update in a multiprocessor data processing system, said system comprising:

a plurality of processors;

a data bus coupled to said plurality of processors;

a computer-readable storage medium embodying computer program code, said computer-readable storage medium being coupled to said data bus, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by said plurality of processors and configured for;

updating firmware in said multiprocessor data processing system from a first firmware setting to a second firmware setting; and

iteratively applying said second firmware setting to hardware within said multiprocessor data processing system by;

when said second firmware setting includes at least one destructive operation targeted to a first hardware device within said multiprocessor data processing system,

de-allocating workload said first hardware device;

re-allocating said workload to a second hardware device within said multiprocessor data processing system;

performing said destructive operation on said first hardware device;

rebooting said first hardware device; and

,

when said rebooting said first hardware device is complete, de-allocating said workload from said second hardware device and re-allocating said workload to said first hardware device; and

when said second firmware setting does not include at least one destructive operation,

applying said second firmware setting to said first hardware device without said de-allocating said workload from and said re-allocating said workload to said first hardware device.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said instructions are further configured for:

initiating a boot process in said multiprocessor data processing system.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein said instructions for said de-allocating said workload from said first hardware device are further configured for:

de-allocating said first hardware device via a hot-removal procedure.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein said instructions for said re-allocating said workload to said first hardware device are further configured for:

re-allocating said first hardware device via a hot-plug procedure.

9. A computer-readable storage medium embodying computer program code, said computer program code comprising computer-executable instructions configured for:

updating firmware in a multiprocessor data processing system from a first firmware setting to a second firmware setting; and

iteratively applying said second firmware setting to hardware within said multiprocessor data processing system by;

when said second firmware setting includes at least one destructive operation targeted to a first hardware device within said multiprocessor data processing system,

de-allocating workload from said first hardware device;

re-allocating said workload to a second hardware device within said multiprocessor data processing system;

performing said destructive operation on said first hardware device;

rebooting said first hardware device; and

,

when said rebooting said first hardware device is complete, de-allocating said workload from said second hardware device and re-allocating said workload to said first hardware device; and

when said second firmware setting does not include at least one destructive operation,

applying said second firmware setting to said first hardware device without said de-allocating said workload from and said re-allocating said workload to said first hardware device.

10. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein said embodied computer-program code further comprises computer-executable instructions configured for:

initiating a boot process in said multiprocessor data processing system.

11. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein said embodied computer-program code comprising computer-executable instructions configured for said de-allocating said workload from said first hardware device further comprises computer-executable instructions configured for:

de-allocating said first hardware device via a hot-removal procedure.

12. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein said embodied computer-program code comprising computer-executable instructions configured for said re-allocating said workload to said first hardware device further comprises computer-executable instruction configured for:

re-allocating said first hardware device via a hot-plug procedure.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the computer executable instructions are deployable to a client computer from a server at a remote location.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the computer executable instructions are provided by a service provider to a customer on an on-demand basis.