Apparatus for remotely configuring network interfaces in a remote management system

• US 9,281,999 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2011
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Megatrends International, LLC
• Original Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Inventors: Ayanam, Varadachari Sudan, Parthiban, Baskar
• Primary Examiner(s): ELFERVIG, TAYLOR A
• Application Number:
  US13/154,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20120084408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 709220-226, 709/250
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting

Abstract

According to one aspect, a computer system for remotely configuring network interfaces of a host computer is disclosed, the system including a remote management computer and a managed host computer communicatively connected to the remote management computer over a communications link. The host computer includes a first network interface operable to communicatively connect to two or more server computers on two or more corresponding port numbers, and a second network interface operable to communicatively connect to two or more server computers on two or more corresponding port numbers. The system also includes a microcontroller operatively connected to the first network interface and the second network interface. The microcontroller has a programmable processor that is programmed to cause the host computer to perform functions that include receiving configuration data from the remote management computer over the communications link.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause a baseboard management controller (BMC) of a host computer to perform functions comprising:

(a) receiving, from a remote management computer over a communications link, configuration data for a first server of the at least two servers, wherein the configuration data comprises;

(i) an indication of the first server specifying the first server;

(ii) an indication of a service network interface specifying the service network interface intended to be communicatively connected to the first server, wherein the service network interface is one of a first network interface and a second network interface of the BMC; and

(iii) a port number;

(b) determining whether each of the first network interface and the second network interface is enabled; and

(c) in response to a determination of whether each of the first network interface and the second network interface is enabled, selecting, based on the determination and the configuration data, a selected network interface to be communicatively connected to the first server by;

(1) when only the first network interface is determined to be enabled and the second network interface is determined to be disabled, ignoring the indication of the service network interface of the configuration data and utilizing only the indication of the first server and the port number of the configuration data to;

select the first network interface as the selected network interface, and

bind the one of the at least two ports of the first network interface indicated by the port number with the first server according the indication of the first server and the port number of the configuration data;

(2) when only the second network interface is determined to be enabled and the first network interface is determined to be disabled, ignoring the indication of the service network interface of the configuration data and utilizing only the indication of the first server and the port number of the configuration data to;

select the second network interface as the selected network interface, and

bind the one of the at least two ports of the second network interface indicated by the port number with the first server according the indication of the first server and the port number of the configuration data; and

(3) when both the first network interface and the second network interface are determined to be enabled, utilizing all of the indication of the first server, the indication of the service network interface and the port number of the configuration data to;

select the service network interface as the selected network interface according to the indication of the service network interface of the configuration data, and

bind the one of the at least two ports of the service network interface indicated by the port number with the first server according to the indication of the first server and the port number of the configuration data.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the at least one service of the first server to be available to the host computer.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the binding of the one of the at least two ports with the first server is performed during continuous operation of the BMC.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein at least one of the indication of the first server, the indication of the service network interface, and the port number of the configuration data is generated in response to an interaction of a user with a web interface application executing on the remote management computer.

5. A computer system, comprising:

(a) a remote management computer;

(b) at least two servers, wherein each of the at least two servers is configured to provide at least one service;

(c) a baseboard management controller (BMC) of a host computer, wherein the BMC comprises;

(i) a processor;

(ii) a first network interface comprising at least two ports;

(iii) a second network interface comprising at least two ports;

(iv) a memory storing firmware, wherein the firmware is configured, when executed at the processor, to

(1) receive, from the remote management computer over a communications link, configuration data for a first server of the at least two servers, wherein the configuration data comprises;

an indication of the first server specifying the first server;

an indication of a service network interface specifying the service network interface to be communicatively connected to the first server, wherein the service network interface is one of the first network interface and the second network interface; and

a port number;

(2) determine whether each of the first network interface and the second network interface is enabled; and

(3) in response to a determination of whether each of the first network interface and the second network interface is enabled, select, based on the determination and the configuration data, a selected network interface to be communicatively connected to the first server by;

(A) when only the first network interface is determined to be enabled and the second network interface is determined to be disabled, ignoring the indication of the service network interface of the configuration data and utilizing only the indication of the first server and the port number of the configuration data to;

 

select the first network interface as the selected network interface, and

 

bind the one of the at least two ports of the first network interface indicated by the port number with the first server according to the indication of the first server and the port number of the configuration data;

(B) when only the second network interface is determined to be enabled and the first network interface is determined to be disabled, ignoring the indication of the service network interface of the configuration data and utilizing only the indication of the first server and the port number of the configuration data to;

 

select the second network interface as the selected network interface, and

 

bind the one of the at least two ports of the second network interface indicated by the port number with the first server according to the indication of the first server and the port number of the configuration data; and

(C) when both the first network interface and the second network interface are determined to be enabled, utilizing all of the indication of the first server, the indication of the service network interface and the port number of the configuration data to;

 

select the service network interface as the selected network interface according to the indication of the service network interface of the configuration data, and

 

bind the one of the at least two ports of the service network interface indicated by the port number with the first server according to the indication of the first server and the port number of the configuration data.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the firmware is further configured, when executed, to cause the at least one service of the first server to be available to the host computer.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the binding of the one of the at least two ports with the first server is performed during continuous operation of the BMC.

8. The computer system of claim 5, wherein at least one of the indication of the first server, the indication of the service network interface, and the port number of the configuration data is generated in response to an interaction of a user with the remote management computer.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the interaction of the user is performed with a web interface application executing on the remote management computer.

10. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the communications link comprises an internet connection.

11. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the at least one service comprises at least one of keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) console redirection, text console redirection, mass storage redirection, floppy drive redirection, USB flash drive redirection, and CD/DVD redirection.

12. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the BMC is configured to function as a management controller for the host computer.

13. A baseboard management controller (BMC) configured to be connected to a host computer, the BMC comprising:

(a) a processor;

(b) a first network interface comprising at least two ports;

(c) a second network interface comprising at least two ports; and

(d) a memory storing firmware, wherein the firmware is configured, when executed at the processor, to

(i) receive, from a remote management computer over a communications link, configuration data for a first server of the at least two servers, wherein the configuration data comprises;

an indication of the first server specifying the first server;

an indication of a service network interface specifying the service network interface to be communicatively connected to the first server, wherein the service network interface is one of the first network interface and the second network interface; and

a port number;

(ii) determine whether each of the first network interface and the second network interface is enabled; and

(iii) in response to a determination of whether each of the first network interface and the second network interface is enabled, select, based on the determination and the configuration data, a selected network interface to be communicatively connected to the first server by;

(1) when only the first network interface is determined to be enabled and the second network interface is determined to be disabled, ignoring the indication of the service network interface of the configuration data and utilizing only the indication of the first server and the port number of the configuration data to;

select the first network interface as the selected network interface, and

bind the one of the at least two ports of the first network interface indicated by the port number with the first server according to the indication of the first server and the port number of the configuration data;

(2) when only the second network interface is determined to be enabled and the first network interface is determined to be disabled, ignoring the indication of the service network interface of the configuration data and utilizing only the indication of the first server and the port number of the configuration data to;

select the second network interface as the selected network interface, and

bind the one of the at least two ports of the second network interface indicated by the port number with the first server according to the indication of the first server and the port number of the configuration data; and

(3) when both the first network interface and the second network interface are determined to be enabled, utilizing all of the indication of the first server, the indication of the service network interface and the port number of the configuration data to;

select the service network interface as the selected network interface according to the indication of the service network interface of the configuration data, and

bind the one of the at least two ports of the service network interface indicated by the port number with the first server according to the indication of the first server and the port number of the configuration data.

14. The BMC of claim 13, wherein the firmware is further configured, when executed, to cause the at least one service of the first server to be available to the host computer.

15. The BMC of claim 14, wherein the binding of the one of the at least two ports with the first server is performed during continuous operation of the BMC.

16. The BMC of claim 13, wherein at least one of the indication of the first server, the indication of the service network interface, and the port number of the configuration data is generated in response to an interaction of a user with the remote management computer.

17. The BMC of claim 16, wherein the interaction of the user is performed with a web interface application executing on the remote management computer.

18. The BMC of claim 13, wherein the communications link comprises an internet connection.

19. The BMC of claim 13, wherein the at least one service comprises at least one of keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) console redirection, text console redirection, mass storage redirection, floppy drive redirection, USB flash drive redirection, and CD/DVD redirection.