Implementing a diagnostic or correction boot image over a network connection

• US 8,214,633 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2009
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Paul, Chakkalamattam Jos, Pierre-Louis, Marc-Arthur, Guajardo, Javier A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): YANCHUS III, PAUL B
• Application Number:
  US12/418,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20090217025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 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 computing system aiding in maintenance functions of a remote computing device, the remote computing device coupled to a network and running under a first boot image, the computing system comprising a hardware data processor and memory, and further comprising:

a download director, communicatively coupled to a user interface of the computing system, that controls a download of a maintenance boot image to the remote computing device via the network;

a first reboot director that initiates a first reboot process of the remote computing device to reboot the remote computing device with the maintenance boot image and perform maintenance functions included with the maintenance boot image;

a monitoring director that monitors the remote computing device for an occurrence of a predetermined event associated with the maintenance boot image being run by the remote computing device while the remote computing device is running the maintenance boot image;

a second reboot director that initiates a second reboot process of the remote computing device to reboot the remote computing device using the first boot image upon the occurrence of the predetermined event, 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; and

a process initiator that selects a specific operational mode of the remote computing device, wherein the reboot of the remote computing device is an initialization boot process that initializes the remote computer device in a manner as if the remote computing device was initially powered-up and executing a boot image from a boot device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the selection of a specific operational mode results in a download of a particular new boot image from among a plurality of boot images.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of boot images is operable to perform a particular maintenance or diagnostic task on the remote computing device.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the plurality of boot images reside on a remote storage media.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the process initiator is a user interface, and an operator specifies the remote computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation monitor polls the maintenance boot image for update information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the operation monitor provides at least one of additional data and a subroutine to the maintenance boot image.

8. A computing system aiding in maintenance functions of a remote computing device, the remote computing device coupled to a network and running under a first boot image, the computing system comprising a hardware data processor and memory, and further comprising:

a download director, communicatively coupled to a user interface of the computing system, that controls a download of a maintenance boot image to the remote computing device via the network;

a first reboot director that initiates a first reboot process of the remote computing device to reboot the remote computing device with the maintenance boot image;

a monitoring director that monitors the remote computing device for an occurrence of a predetermined event associated with the maintenance boot image being run by the remote computing device to perform a maintenance function on the remote computing device;

a second reboot director that initiates a second reboot process of the remote computing device to reboot the remote computing device using the first boot image upon the occurrence of the predetermined event, 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; and

a process initiator that selects a specific operational mode of the remote computing device, wherein the process initiator is an independent diagnostic program, the independent diagnostic program initiating a selection of the remote computing device based upon specified criteria, the specified criteria of the remote computing device being monitored by the independent diagnostic program.

9. A method for maintaining a remote computing device by a first computing device, the remote computing device coupled to a network and running under a first boot image, the method comprising automated computer implemented steps of:

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

initiating, by the first computing device, a first reboot process of the remote computing device to reboot the remote computing device with the maintenance boot image and perform a maintenance function included with the maintenance boot image;

monitoring, by the first computing device, the remote computing device for an occurrence of a predetermined event associated with the maintenance boot image being run by the remote computing device while the remote computing device is running the maintenance boot image;

initiating, by the first computing device, a second reboot process of the remote computing device to reboot the remote computing device using the first boot image upon the occurrence of the predetermined event, 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; and

selecting a specific operational mode of the remote computing device, wherein the reboot of the remote computing device is an initialization boot process that initializes the remote computer device in a manner as if the remote computing device was initially powered-up and executing a boot image from a boot device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of selecting a specific operational mode results in downloading a particular new boot image from among a plurality of boot images.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of boot images is operable to perform a particular maintenance or diagnostic task on the remote computing device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of boot images reside on a remote storage media.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of selecting is performed by a user through a user interface, and the user specifies the remote computing device.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of selecting is performed by a software program.

15. A computer program product comprising computer usable storage device having instructions stored thereon for maintaining a remote computing device by a first computing device, the remote computing device coupled to a network and running under a first boot image, the instructions comprising:

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

instructions for initiating, by the first computing device, a first reboot process of the remote computing device to reboot the remote computing device with the maintenance boot image and perform maintenance functions included with the maintenance boot image;

instructions for initiating, by the first computing device, a second reboot process of the remote computing device to reboot the remote computing device using the first boot image upon an occurrence of a predetermined event, 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;

instructions for selecting a specific operational mode of the remote computing device, wherein the reboot of the remote computing device is an initialization boot process that initializes the remote computer device in a manner as if the remote computing device was initially powered-up and executing a boot image from a boot device; and

instructions for monitoring the remote computing device for the occurrence of the predetermined event while the remote computing device is running the maintenance boot image.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, the instructions for selecting a specific operational mode resulting in downloading a particular new boot image from among a plurality of boot images.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of boot images is operable to perform a particular maintenance or diagnostic task on the remote computing device.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the plurality of boot images reside on a remote storage media.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the instructions for selecting allow for the interaction of a user, and the user specifies the remote computing device.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the instructions for selecting are responsive to signals from a software program.