System and method for expedited loading of an image onto a storage device

• US 9,417,863 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2013
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Ahmadi-Ardakani, Arya
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Adam
• Application Number:
  US14/085,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20150095904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order

Abstract

Embodiments of an image loading system are disclosed for installing testing software on a storage device. In one embodiment, the system includes a network storage that stores testing software for storage devices, a software loader operating on a storage device, and a testing manager. In an embodiment, the testing manager is configured to broadcast at least one packet containing a specific code on a network, wherein receipt of the specific code causes the software loader to request a location of the testing software and transmit a location of the network storage to the software loader, thereby causing the software loader to obtain the testing software from the network storage and load the testing software on the storage device.

Claims

1. A system for installing testing software on a storage device, the system comprising:

a network storage that stores testing software for storage devices, the network storage located on a network;

a software loader operating on a storage device, the software loader configured to request and obtain testing software from the network storage in response to receiving and successfully validating a specific code from the network; and

a computing device configured to;

broadcast at least one packet containing the specific code on the network, wherein receipt of the specific code by the software loader causes the software loader to validate the specific code and to request a location of the testing software responsive to successful validation; and

transmit a location of the network storage to the software loader responsive to the request, thereby causing the software loader to locate the network storage, obtain the testing software from the network storage and load the testing software on the storage device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

receive testing results from the storage device; and

initiate loading of a release image on the storage device based on the testing results, the release image being of greater size than the testing software;

wherein the release image overwrites the testing software on the storage device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the testing software is configured to render the storage device operative.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein broadcasting at least one packet comprises broadcasting at least one Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) packet.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the testing software comprises a bootable image for rendering hardware of the storage device operational.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein loading the testing software comprises booting up the storage device from the bootable image.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage device comprises a network attached storage (NAS) controller board.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the storage device comprises at least one of a hard disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD) or a solid-state hybrid drive (SSHD).

9. A method for installing a bootable image on a storage device that is connected to a network, said method comprising:

broadcasting, on the network, at least one packet containing a code, wherein receiving the code by the storage device causes the storage device to identify and validate the code and, upon successful validation, to send a request for a location of the bootable image to be loaded on to the storage device;

receiving, from the storage device, the request; and

providing, to the storage device, the location of the bootable image, wherein receiving, by the storage device, the location of the bootable image causes the storage device to locate the bootable image, obtain the bootable image, and load the bootable image onto the storage device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein broadcasting at least one packet comprises broadcasting at least one Internet Control Message Protocol Packet.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one packet is encrypted.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the code further causes the storage device to enter a boot mode.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the location of the bootable image further causes the storage device to load the bootable image on to the storage device responsive to a script.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the bootable image comprises a bootable image for rendering hardware of the storage device operational.

15. A method of testing a storage device that is connected to a network, said method comprising:

receiving by the storage device, a packet from the network, wherein the packet contains a code;

validating, by the storage device, the code; and

in response to successful validation;

initiating, by the storage device, a boot mode;

requesting, by the storage device, a location of an image;

receiving, by the storage device, the location of the image;

loading, by the storage device while in the boot mode, the image from the location, wherein the image renders hardware of the storage device operational;

testing the hardware of the storage device; and

testing a storage medium of the storage device after testing of the hardware.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising installing an operating system on the storage device after testing of the storage medium.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the hardware comprises a controller board.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the storage device comprises a network attached storage (NAS).

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the storage medium comprises at least one of a hard disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD) or a solid-state hybrid drive (SSHD).