Mechanism to change firmware in a high availability single processor system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, comprising:
- (a) saving state information pertaining to first firmware;
(b) preventing a processor from network communication;
(c) ceasing execution of the first firmware;
(d) bringing second firmware to an active state, the first firmware by a reboot manager utility, the processor, and the second firmware forming a single-processor system; and
(e) applying the saved state information to the second firmware.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A “high availability” system comprises multiple switches under the control of a control processor (“CP”). The firmware executing on the processor can be changed when desired. Consistent with the high availability nature of the system (i.e., minimal down time), a single CP system implements a firmware change by loading new firmware onto the system, saving state information pertaining to the old firmware, preventing the old firmware from communicating with the switches, bringing the new firmware to an active state and applying the saved state information to the new firmware.
-
Citations
39 Claims
-
1. A method, comprising:
-
(a) saving state information pertaining to first firmware; (b) preventing a processor from network communication; (c) ceasing execution of the first firmware; (d) bringing second firmware to an active state, the first firmware by a reboot manager utility, the processor, and the second firmware forming a single-processor system; and (e) applying the saved state information to the second firmware. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A method, comprising:
-
(a) saving state information pertaining to first firmware; (b) preventing a processor from network communication; (c) ceasing execution of the first firmware; (d) bringing second firmware to an active state by a reboot manager utility, the first firmware, the processor, and the second firmware forming a single-processor system; and (e) synchronizing the second firmware to the first firmware using the saved state information.
-
-
7. A method, comprising:
-
(a) loading second firmware onto a system in which first firmware is actively running; (b) saving state information pertaining to said first firmware; (c) preventing a processor from network communication; (d) ceasing execution of the first firmware; (e) bringing the second firmware to an active state by a reboot manager utility, the first firmware, the processor, and the second firmware forming a single-processor system; and (f) synchronizing the second firmware to the first firmware using the saved state information.
-
-
8. A system, comprising:
-
a control processor executing firmware, said control processor having memory; wherein the firmware can be changed to new firmware by a reboot manager utility, the firmware, the control processor, and the new firmware forming a single-processor system, the change to the new firmware occurring by saving state information pertaining to the firmware in said memory, preventing the processor from network communication, ceasing execution of the firmware, bringing the new firmware to an active state and applying the saved state information to the new firmware. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A control processor, comprising:
-
a Central Processing Unit (CPU); and memory coupled to said CPU and containing CPU executable firmware having associated state information; wherein the firmware can be changed to new firmware by a reboot manager utility, the firmware, the CPU, and the new firmware forming a single-processor system, the change over to the new firmware occurring by saving state information pertaining to the firmware in said memory, preventing the control processor from network communication, ceasing execution of the firmware, bringing the new firmware to an active state, and applying the saved state information to the new firmware. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A computer readable storage medium for storing an executable set of software instructions that are executable by a processor, said software instructions comprising:
-
(a) a means for saving state information pertaining to first firmware; (b) a means for preventing the processor from network communication; (c) a means for ceasing execution of the first firmware; (d) a means for bringing second firmware to an active state, the first firmware, the processor, and the second firmware forming a single-processor system; and (e) a means for applying the saved state information to the second firmware. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A method, comprising:
-
(a) launching a reboot manager utility as a standby image; (b) synchronizing the standby image to an active image in which first firmware is running; (c) preventing a processor from network communication; (d) making second firmware a standby image, the first firmware, the processor, and the second firmware forming a single-processor system; (e) launching the utility as an active image; (f) synchronizing the standby image to the active image; and (g) failing over from the active image to the standby image. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A system, comprising:
-
a control processor that executes firmware and a reboot manager utility and communicates, said control processor having memory; wherein the firmware can be changed to new firmware, the firmware, the control processor, and the new firmware forming a single-processor system, the change to new firmware occurring by launching the utility as a standby image, synchronizing the standby image to an active image in which the firmware is running, preventing the control processor from network communication, making the new firmware a standby image, launching the utility as an active image, synchronizing the standby image to the active image, and failing over from the active image to the standby image. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
-
35. A control processor, comprising:
-
a CPU; and memory coupled to said CPU and containing CPU executable firmware having associated state information and a reboot manager utility; wherein the firmware can be changed to new firmware, the firmware, the CPU, and the new firmware forming a single-processor system, the change to the new firmware occurring by launching the utility as a standby image, synchronizing the standby image to an active image in which the firmware is running, preventing the control processor from network communication, making the new firmware a standby image, launching the utility as an active image, synchronizing the standby image to the active image, and failing over from the active image to the standby image. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
-
Specification