Systems and methods for interrogating diagnostic target using remotely loaded image

• US 8,135,989 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: DeHaan, Michael Paul, Likins, Adrian Karstan, Vidal, Seth Kelby
• Primary Examiner(s): DUNCAN, MARC M
• Application Number:
  US12/394,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20100223504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 714/25, 714/27, 714/47
• US Class Current: 714/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for interrogating one or more diagnostic targets using a remotely loaded image. A set of managed machines, such as personal computers or servers, can be managed by a network management engine communicating with the machines via a secure channel. The network management engine can access a selected diagnostic target to temporarily deactivate the installed native operating system on that target, insert a substitute operating environment, and remotely interrogate the target to perform hardware, software, security, or other diagnostics or installs. The network management engine can connect to the diagnostic target, extract security keys from the native operating environment, remotely load the substitute environment, and then perform diagnostic or provisioning activities while the native environment is deactivate and the diagnostic target is effectively off-network. Installations, diagnostics, or other activities that require the diagnostic target to be isolated from other machines can therefore be safely conducted.

Claims

1. A method of performing remote operations on a machine, the method executed by a processor, the method comprising:

accessing, using the processor, a diagnostic target having a native operating environment comprising an operating system using a secure channel in a network;

transmitting an image of a substitute operating environment comprising a substitute operating system to the diagnostic target using the secure channel;

remotely installing the image of the substitute operating environment on the diagnostic target using the secure channel, wherein the substitute operating environment is separate from the native operating environment;

deactivating the native operating environment;

activating the substitute operating environment;

interrogating the diagnostic target using the substitute operating environment; and

re-booting the diagnostic target back to the native operating environment after interrogating the diagnostic target.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the installing comprises importing security credentials from the native operating environment to the substitute operating environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic target comprises at least one of a personal computer, a laptop computer, a workstation, and a server, installed on the network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the activating the substitute operating environment comprises booting the diagnostic target into the substitute operating environment while the native operating environment is deactivated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the interrogating comprises at least one of debugging the diagnostic target, monitoring the diagnostic target, performing data collection on the diagnostic target, generating reports from the diagnostic target, inventorying the diagnostic target, configuring storage resources on the diagnostic target, configuring a basic input/output system (BIOS) of the diagnostic target, and provisioning the diagnostic target with software.

6. A network management platform, comprising:

an interface to a diagnostic target having a native operating environment comprising an operating system in a network; and

a network management engine, communicating with the diagnostic target using the interface, the network management engine being configured to;

access the diagnostic target using a secure channel in a network,

transmit an image of a substitute operating environment comprising a substitute operating system to the diagnostic target using the secure channel;

remotely install the image of the substitute operating environment on the diagnostic target using the secure channel, wherein the substitute operating environment is separate from the native operating environment,

deactivate the native operating environment,

activate the substitute operating environment,

interrogate the diagnostic target using the substitute operating environment; and

re-boot the diagnostic target back to the native operating environment after interrogating the diagnostic target.

7. The network management platform of claim 6, wherein the network management engine is further configured to import security credentials from the native operating environment to the substitute operating environment.

8. The network management platform of claim 6, wherein the diagnostic target comprises at least one of a personal computer, a laptop computer, a workstation, and a server, installed on the network.

9. The network management platform of claim 6, wherein the network management engine is further configured to activate the substitute operating environment by booting the diagnostic target into the substitute operating environment while the native operating environment is deactivated.

10. The network management platform of claim 6, wherein the interrogation comprises at least one of debugging the diagnostic target, monitoring the diagnostic target, performing data collection on the diagnostic target, generating reports from the diagnostic target, inventorying the diagnostic target, configuring storage resources on the diagnostic target, configuring a basic input/output system (BIOS) of the diagnostic target, and provisioning the diagnostic target with software.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded to interrogate a target machine comprising:

accessing a diagnostic target, the diagnostic target having a native operating environment comprising an operating system, using a secure channel in a network;

transmitting an image of a substitute operating environment comprising a substitute operating system to the diagnostic target using the secure channel;

remotely installing the image of the substitute operating environment on the diagnostic target using the secure channel, wherein the substitute operating environment is separate from the native operating environment;

deactivating the native operating environment;

activating the substitute operating environment;

interrogating the diagnostic target using the substitute operating environment; and

re-booting the diagnostic target back to the native operating environment after interrogating the diagnostic target.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the installing comprises importing security credentials from the native operating environment to the substitute operating environment.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the diagnostic target comprises at least one of a personal computer, a laptop computer, a workstation, and a server, installed on the network.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the activating the substitute operating environment comprises booting the diagnostic target into the substitute operating environment while the native operating environment is deactivated.