Synchronizing controller firmware download

• US 8,352,932 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2007
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cockburn, Gordon J., Medhurst, David James
• Primary Examiner(s): DAO, THUY CHAN
• Application Number:
  US11/934,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20080127166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories

Abstract

Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for synchronizing controller firmware download. A master device controller receives a code download and sends the code download to a subordinate device controller. The master device controller requests a subordinate code status from the subordinate device controller indicating a status of the code download at the subordinate device controller and stores the received code download and a master code status for the download. The master device controller receives the subordinate code status from the subordinate device controller and compares the subordinate code status with the master code status to determine whether both are valid and at same code level. The master device controller updates the master code image with the code download and coordinating the update of the code download to the subordinate code image in response to determining that the master and subordinate code status are both valid and at the same code level.

Claims

1. An method, comprising:

receiving, by a master device controller including a first processor, a code download;

sending, by the master device controller, the code download to a subordinate device controller including a second processor;

requesting, by the master device controller, a subordinate code status from the subordinate device controller indicating a status of the code download at the subordinate device controller;

storing, by the master device controller, the received code download and a master code status for the download;

receiving, by the master device controller, the subordinate code status from the subordinate device controller;

comparing, by the master device controller, the subordinate code status with the master code status to determine whether both are valid and at a same code level; and

updating, by the master device controller, a master code image with the code download and coordinating the update of the code download to a subordinate code image in response to determining that the master and subordinate code status are both valid and at the same code level.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the subordinate device controller, the code download from the master device controller;

sending, by the subordinate device controller, the subordinate code status to the master device controller; and

receiving, by the subordinate device controller, the master code status from the master device controller.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

comparing the subordinate code status with the master code status to determine whether both are valid and at the same code level; and

updating the subordinate code image with the code download in response to determining that the both the subordinate and master code statuses are valid and at the same code level.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operations performed by the subordinate device controller to coordinate the update of the code download to the subordinate code image further comprise:

sending a reset to the subordinate device controller to cause the subordinate device controller to update the subordinate code image with the code download.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the subordinate device controller updates the subordinate code image with the code download in response to receiving the reset and in response to determining that the both the subordinate and master code statuses are valid and at the same code level.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the master device controller updates the master code image with the code download in response to waiting a period of time to provide the subordinate device controller time to update the subordinate code image with the code download.

7. A system, comprising:

a master device controller, including a first processor, executing a master main code image;

a subordinate device controller, including a second processor, in communication with the master device controller executing a subordinate main code image;

wherein the master device controller implements at least one of logic and software to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a code download;

sending the code download to the subordinate device controller;

requesting a subordinate code status from the subordinate device controller indicating a status of the code download at the subordinate device controller;

storing the received code download and a master code status for the download;

receiving the subordinate code status from the subordinate device controller;

comparing the subordinate code status with the master code status to determine whether both are valid and at a same code level; and

updating the master code image with the code download and coordinating the update of the code download to the subordinate code image in response to determining that the master and subordinate code status are both valid and at the same code level.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the subordinate device controller implements at least one of logic and software to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving the code download from the master device controller;

sending the subordinate code status to the master device controller; and

receiving the master code status from the master device controller.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations performed by the subordinate device controller further comprise:

comparing the subordinate code status with the master code status to determine whether both are valid and at the same code level; and

updating the subordinate code image with the code download in response to determining that the both the subordinate and master code statuses are valid and at the same code level.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the master and subordinate device controllers do not update the master and subordinate code images with the code download in response to determining that at least one of the subordinate and master code statuses are not valid or at the same code level.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the operations performed by the subordinate device controller to coordinate the update of the code download to the subordinate code image further comprise:

sending a reset to the subordinate device controller to cause the subordinate device controller to update the subordinate code image with the code download.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the subordinate device controller updates the subordinate code image with the code download in response to receiving the reset and in response to determining that the both the subordinate and master code statuses are valid and at the same code level.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the master device controller updates the master code image with the code download in response to waiting a period of time to provide the subordinate device controller time to update the subordinate code image with the code download.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the master device controller updates the master code image with the code download in response to waiting the period of time and in response to determining that both the master and subordinate device controller have the code download available.

15. An article of manufacture comprising at least one computer readable medium comprising hardware implemented in a master device controller and in a subordinate device controller to cause the master and subordinate device controllers to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving, by the master device controller, a code download;

sending, by the master device controller, the code download to the subordinate device controller;

requesting, by the master device controller, a subordinate code status from the subordinate device controller indicating a status of the code download at the subordinate device controller;

storing, by the master device controller, the received code download and a master code status for the download;

receiving, by the master device controller, the subordinate code status from the subordinate device controller;

comparing, by the master device controller, the subordinate code status with the master code status to determine whether both are valid and at a same code level; and

updating, by the master device controller, a master code image with the code download and coordinating the update of the code download to a subordinate code image in response to determining that the master and subordinate code status are both valid and at the same code level.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, by the subordinate master device controller, the code download from the master device controller;

sending, by the subordinate device controller, the subordinate code status to the master device controller; and

receiving, by the subordinate device controller, the master code status from the master device controller.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

comparing the subordinate code status with the master code status to determine whether both are valid and at the same code level; and

updating the subordinate code image with the code download in response to determining that the both the subordinate and master code statuses are valid and at the same code level.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein the master and subordinate device controllers do not update the master and subordinate code images with the code download in response to determining that at least one of the subordinate and master code statuses are not valid or at the same code level.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the operations performed by the subordinate device controller to coordinate the update of the code download to the subordinate code image further comprise:

sending a reset to the subordinate device controller to cause the subordinate device controller to update the subordinate code image with the code download.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the subordinate device controller updates the subordinate code image with the code download in response to receiving the reset and in response to determining that the both the subordinate and master code statuses are valid and at the same code level.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the master device controller updates the master code image with the code download in response to waiting a period of time to provide the subordinate device controller time to update the subordinate code image with the code download.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the master device controller updates the master code image with the code download in response to waiting the period of time and in response to determining that both the master and subordinate device controller have the code download available.