Server information handling system configuration from an end state definition file

• US 9,690,593 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2013
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Iyer, Pushkala, Desai, Satyajit Dipakbhai, Subbiah, Selvaraju, Corn, Vance Edward, Jose, Cyril, Edwards, William C., Hass, Jon Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandey, Keshab
• Application Number:
  US13/783,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20140250292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: 713 2, 713300, 713310, 713320, 713321, 713322, 713323, 713324, 713330, 713340, 713345, 713375
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

One step server information handling system configuration reduces complexities associated with remote server maintenance through a management network. A configuration end state sent through the management network, such as an XML file, is parsed by a management processor to automatically initiate and complete configuration of the server to the end state without further commands through the management network.

Claims

1. A method for configuring server information handling system subsystems, the method comprising:

defining a configuration end state for the plural subsystems at an administration system interfaced with a management network;

communicating the configuration end state through the management network to a management processor of the server information handling system;

analyzing the configuration end state with the management processor to determine locally at the server information handling system plural configuration actions and an order to perform the configuration actions, at least one of the plural configuration actions having a reboot that takes place before another of the plural configuration actions can succeed; and

automatically performing by the management processor without additional instructions sent through the management network the configuration actions in the order to configure the plural subsystems to have the configuration end state, including reboot before the another of the plural configuration actions;

wherein defining a configuration end state further comprises;

performing subsystem configuration at a server information handling system;

tracking the subsystem configuration in an end state file with a management processor of the server information handling system; and

exporting the end state file.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuration end state is an XML file having a schema defining configurations for at least BIOS, RAID, NIC, and management firmware subsystems.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing the configuration end state with the management processor to determine plural configuration actions and an order to perform the configuration actions further comprises:

comparing a legacy configuration end state and the configuration end state to determine configuration changes;

determining an order for effecting the configuration changes;

staging the configuration actions to effect the configuration changes in the order.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically performing the configuration actions further comprises:

storing plural configuration actions in flash memory interfaced with the management processor, the configuration actions including at least plural re-boots; and

initiating the configuration actions in response to a command communicated through the management network; and

completing the configuration actions including the plural re-boots without additional commands provided through the management network.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the command comprises communication of the configuration end state.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the plural re-boots comprise at least a first re-boot to create a RAID volume as a bootable device and a second re-boot to arrange the created RAID volume in a BIOS boot list.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the management controller comprises a chassis management controller operable to manage plural information handling systems disposed in a common rack, the chassis management controller forwarding the configuration end state to plural server information handling system baseboard management controllers disposed in the rack for configuration of plural server information handling systems to the configuration end state.

8. A server information handling system comprising:

a chassis;

a processor disposed in the chassis, the processor operable to process information;

memory disposed in the chassis and interfaced with the processor to store the information;

one or more network devices interfaced with the processor, at least one network device operable to communicate the information with a primary network and at least one network device operable to communicate the information with a management network;

a management processor operable to manage operations of the processor including at least boot and re-boot operations;

a configuration engine stored in the memory and accessible for execution on the management processor, the configuration engine operable to read a configuration end state stored in the memory, to determine locally at the management processor plural configuration actions associated with establishing a configuration of the configuration end state and an order to perform the plural configuration actions, and to automatically perform the configuration actions to achieve the configuration end state without communication of commands through the management network to the management processor after the configuration actions begin, configuration actions including at least one reboot of the processor before at least one other configuration action is performed, the configuration engine determining the plural configuration actions by comparing a legacy configuration end state and the configuration end state to determine configuration changes, determining an order for effecting the configuration changes and staging the configuration actions to effect the changes in the order.

9. The server information handling system of claim 8 wherein the configuration engine automatically performs the configuration actions in response to receipt of the configuration end state through the management network.

10. The server information handling system of claim 8 wherein:

the configuration end state comprises an XML file; and

the configuration actions comprise plural re-boots of the server information handling system.

11. The server information handling system of claim 10 wherein the configuration actions further comprise a first reboot to create and establish a RAID drive as a bootable device and a second reboot to arrange the RAID drive as a first bootable device in a BIOS boot list.

12. The server information handling system of claim 8 further comprising:

a rack supporting the chassis; and

a chassis management controller associated with the rack and interfaced with the management controller through the management network;

wherein the chassis management controller is operable to coordinate communication of the configuration end state to plural server information handling systems supported in the rack so that the plural server information handling systems have a common configuration end state.

13. The server information handling system of claim 8 wherein the configuration end state includes a time at which the configuration engine initiates the configuration actions.

14. The server information handling system of claim 8 wherein the configuration engine performs the configuration actions in response to a single command.

15. A method for configuration of a server information handling system, the method comprising:

communicating a configuration end state XML file from an external location through a management network to a management processor of the server information handling system;

analyzing locally at the server information handling system the configuration end state XML file to identify plural configuration actions at plural subsystems of the information handling system and an order for performing the configuration actions, the plural configuration actions including at least one reboot required to perform a subsequent configuration action, the analyzing including comparing a legacy configuration end state and the configuration end state to determine configuration changes, the order for performing the configuration actions and staging the configuration actions to effect the changes in the order; and

executing the configuration actions in the order to configure the server information handling system to the configuration end state without sending any commands through the management network after the initiation of the configuration actions until the configuration end state is achieved.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the configuration actions comprise plural re-boots of the server information handling system initiated by the management processor.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the plural subsystems comprises a storage subsystem having a configuration action or establishing a RAID device and a BIOS subsystem having a configuration action of making the RAID device a bootable device.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein analyzing the configuration end state XML file further comprises:

comparing the configuration end state XML file with a legacy configuration end state XML file stored in the memory to determine configuration changes; and

arranging configuration actions to effect the configuration changes.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the configuration changes comprise export of legacy configuration information for a removed hardware device and import of replacement configuration information for a replacement hardware device.

20. A method for configuring server information handling system subsystems, the method comprising:

defining a configuration end state for the plural subsystems at an administration system interfaced with a management network;

communicating the configuration end state through the management network to a management processor of the server information handling system;

analyzing the configuration end state with the management processor to determine locally at the server information handling system plural configuration actions and an order to perform the configuration actions, at least one of the plural configuration actions having a reboot that takes place before another of the plural configuration actions can succeed; and

automatically performing by the management processor without additional instructions sent through the management network the configuration actions in the order to configure the plural subsystems to have the configuration end state, including reboot before the another of the plural configuration actions;

wherein analyzing the configuration end state with the management processor to determine plural configuration actions and an order to perform the configuration actions further comprises;

comparing a legacy configuration end state and the configuration end state to determine configuration changes;

determining an order for effecting the configuration changes;

staging the configuration actions to effect the configuration changes in the order.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the configuration end state is an XML file having a schema defining configurations for at least BIOS, RAID, NIC, and management firmware subsystems.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein defining a configuration end state further comprises:

performing subsystem configuration at a server information handling system;

tracking the subsystem configuration in an end state file with a management processor of the server information handling system; and

exporting the end state file.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein automatically performing the configuration actions further comprises:

storing plural configuration actions in flash memory interfaced with the management processor, the configuration actions including at least plural re-boots; and

initiating the configuration actions in response to a command communicated through the management network; and

completing the configuration actions including the plural re-boots without additional commands provided through the management network.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the command comprises communication of the configuration end state.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the plural re-boots comprise at least a first re-boot to create a RAID volume as a bootable device and a second re-boot to arrange the created RAID volume in a BIOS boot list.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the management controller comprises a chassis management controller operable to manage plural information handling systems disposed in a common rack, the chassis management controller forwarding the configuration end state to plural server information handling system baseboard management controllers disposed in the rack for configuration of plural server information handling systems to the configuration end state.