System and method for accessing operating system and hypervisors via a service processor of a server

• US 9,553,776 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2012
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vertiv IT Systems, Inc. (Vertiv Holdings Co.)
• Original Assignee: Avocent Huntsville, LLC (Vertiv Holdings Co.)
• Inventors: Geffin, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino, Joseph E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Book, Phyllis A
• Application Number:
  US14/117,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20140082142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3055 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the status of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring if the computing system is on, off, available, not available error or fault processing without redundancy G06F11/0703; error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation G06F11/08; error detection or correction by redundancy in operation G06F11/14; error detection or correction by redundancy in hardware G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/32 Specific management aspects for broadband networks

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a server that makes use of a host central processing unit (CPU) which accesses a production network to enable communications with a remotely located subsystem using the production network. A USB host system may be operably associated with the host CPU. A service processor may also be incorporated in the server, which is configured to communicate with an out of band network. A service processor USB system may be operably associated with the service processor and may communicate with the USB host system. This enables access to either an operating system or a hypervisor running on the host CPU via the out of band network, using an Ethernet-over-USB protocol.

Claims

1. A server comprising:

a host central processing unit (CPU), the host CPU configured to communicate with a production network to enable communications with a remotely located subsystem using the production network;

a USB host subsystem operably associated with the host CPU;

a service processor configured to communicate with an out of band network; and

the service processor including a service processor USB subsystem having an Ethernet-over-USB driver; and

the service processor USB subsystem coupled via a cable for direct communication between the service processor Ethernet-over-USB driver and the USB host subsystem, to enable access to at least one of an operating system or a hypervisor running on the host CPU, via the out of band network, using an Ethernet-over-USB protocol.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the USB host subsystem includes an Ethernet-over-USB driver.

3. The server of claim 1, wherein:

the USB host subsystem includes a first Ethernet-over-USB driver;

the service processor USB subsystem includes a second Ethernet-over-USB driver; and

the cable couples the USB host subsystem for bidirectional communications with the service processor USB subsystem.

4. The server of claim 1, further comprising an analytics engine operably associated with the service processor for analyzing information received by the service processor.

5. The server of claim 1, further comprising a motherboard, and wherein the USB host subsystem and the service processor USB system are both located on the motherboard.

6. The server of claim 1, further comprising a network interface circuit (NIC) for interfacing the service processor to the out of band network.

7. The server of claim 1, wherein the service processor includes:

an application layer;

a platform layer;

an interface layer for interfacing the service processor to the out of band network; and

a real time operating system layer.

8. The server of claim 1, further comprising a central data center management system in communication with the production network and the out of band network.

9. The server of claim 1, further comprising at least a plurality of:

a temperature sensor in communication with the service processor;

a fan controller in communication with the service processor; and

a voltage sensor in communication with the service processor.

10. A server comprising:

a host central processing unit (CPU), the host CPU configured to communicate with a production network to enable communications with a remotely located subsystem using the production network;

a USB host subsystem including a first Ethernet-over-USB driver, operably associated with the host CPU;

a service processor configured to communicate with an out of band network; and

the service processor including a service processor USB subsystem including a second Ethernet-over-USB driver, the USB subsystem communicating directly with the USB host subsystem via a cable coupled directly between the USB host subsystem and the service processor USB subsystem, to enable the first and second Ethernet-over-USB drivers to implement bidirectional communications, via the out of band network, with at least one of an operating system or a hypervisor running on the host CPU.

11. The server of claim 10, wherein the service processor further comprises a network interface circuit for interfacing the service processor with the out of band network.

12. The server of claim 10, wherein the service processor further comprises a real time analytics engine for analyzing information received by the service processor.

13. The server of claim 10, further including:

a real time analytics engine;

a fan controller;

at least one temperature sensor; and

the fan controller and the at least one temperature sensor both being in real time communication with the service processor and providing information to the real time analytics engine.

14. The server of claim 10, wherein the host CPU and the service processor are both mounted on a motherboard.

15. The server of claim 10, wherein:

the service processor is in communication with the host CPU via a PCI connector.

16. A system for communicating with a host CPU of a computer controlled electronic component via either one of a first network or an independent second network, the system comprising:

a USB host subsystem in communication with the host CPU of the computer controlled electronic component, the host CPU being configured to communicate with the first network; and

a service processor in communication with the independent second network, the service processor having a service processor USB subsystem with an Ethernet-over-USB driver, the service processor USB subsystem being in direct communication with the USB host subsystem via a cable, the cable and the Ethernet-over-USB driver enabling the service processor to communicate with the host CPU via a Ethernet-over-USB protocol with the USB host subsystem, to thus enable communications with the host CPU via the service processor and the independent second network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first network is a production network and the independent second network is an out of band network.

18. A method for communicating with a computer controlled electronic component having a host CPU, the method including:

using a USB host subsystem having a first Ethernet-over-USB driver to communicate with the host CPU to enable Ethernet-over-USB communications with the host CPU;

using the host CPU to communicate with a first network;

using a service processor of the computer controlled electronic component to communicate with at least one sensor used for monitoring at least one of a health or performance of the computer controlled electronic component;

using a service processor USB subsystem having a second Ethernet-over-USB driver to communicate directly with the USB host subsystem via a cable, to thus enable access to one of an operating system or a hypervisor running on the host CPU via the service processor; and

using an independent second network in communication with the service processor to access the host CPU via the USB host subsystem and the service processor USB subsystem.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising using a real time analytics engine with the service processor to analyze information relating to the at least one of health or performance of the computer controlled electronic component.