Emulating multiple universal serial bus (USB) keys so as to efficiently configure different types of hardware

• US 9,009,359 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2013
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ashok, Rohith K., Burr, Michael J., Hockett, Hugh E., Law, Michael S., Sheard, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shyu, Jing-Yih
• Application Number:
  US13/853,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20140297893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/10 Program control for peripheral devices G06F13/14 - G06F13/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/105 where the programme performs an input/output emulation function

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for efficiently configuring different types of hardware components. A computing device is connected to a hardware component to be configured. The computing device detects the type of the hardware component upon being connected to the hardware component. The computing device then identifies a profile from among multiple profiles associated with the detected type of hardware component, where each profile contains a configuration file(s) for configuring its associated type of hardware component. Upon identifying the profile associated with the connected hardware component, the computing device emulates a Universal Serial Bus (USB) key presenting the configuration file(s) contained in the identified profile to the detected hardware component. Such a process may be repeated for configuring another type of hardware component. In this manner, the user is able to efficiently configure different types of hardware by having the computing device emulate multiple USB keys.

Claims

1. A method for efficiently configuring different types of hardware components, the method comprising:

detecting a first type of hardware component upon being connected to said first hardware component;

identifying a first profile associated with said detected first type of hardware component, wherein said first profile contains a first configuration file for configuring said detected first type of hardware component, wherein said first configuration file comprises the following settings;

Internet Protocol address, subnet mask, formation of disk and topology of disk, wherein said first profile is identified based on properties of said detected first hardware component available on a USB interface;

emulating, by a processor, a first Universal Serial Bus (USB) key presenting said first configuration file to said detected first hardware component;

detecting a second type of hardware component upon being connected to said second hardware component;

identifying a second profile associated with said detected second type of hardware component, wherein said second profile contains a second configuration file for configuring said detected second type of hardware component; and

emulating, by said processor a second USB key presenting said second configuration file to said detected second hardware component.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said properties comprise one or more of the following:

name, type and serial number.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second profiles are identified from among a plurality of profiles, wherein each of said plurality of profiles is associated with a different type of hardware component.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said detected first and second hardware components are part of a cloud computing environment.

5. A method for efficiently configuring different types of hardware components, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of a profile from a list of a plurality of profiles presented to a user associated with a type of hardware component that needs to be configured, wherein said profile contains a configuration file, wherein said configuration file comprises the following settings;

Internet Protocol address, subnet mask, formation of disk and topology of disk, wherein each of said plurality of profiles is associated with a different type of hardware component; and

emulating, by a processor, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) key presenting said configuration file contained in said selected profile to said hardware component upon being connected to said hardware component.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said hardware component is part of a cloud computing environment.

7. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium for efficiently configuring different types of hardware components, the computer program product comprising the programming instructions for:

detecting a first type of hardware component upon being connected to said first hardware component;

identifying a first profile associated with said detected first type of hardware component, wherein said first profile contains a first configuration file for configuring said detected first type of hardware component, wherein said first configuration file comprises the following settings;

Internet Protocol address, subnet mask, formation of disk and topology of disk, wherein said first profile is identified based on properties of said detected first hardware component available on a USB interface;

emulating, by a processor, a first Universal Serial Bus (USB) key presenting said first configuration file to said detected first hardware component;

detecting a second type of hardware component upon being connected to said second hardware component;

identifying a second profile associated with said detected second type of hardware component, wherein said second profile contains a second configuration file for configuring said detected second type of hardware component; and

emulating, by said processor a second USB key presenting said second configuration file to said detected second hardware component.

8. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein said properties comprise one or more of the following:

name, type and serial number.

9. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein said first and second profiles are identified from among a plurality of profiles, wherein each of said plurality of profiles is associated with a different type of hardware component.

10. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein said detected first and second hardware components are part of a cloud computing environment.