Techniques for computer system recovery

• US 9,697,011 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobres, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US14/973,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20160103741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 707609, 707640
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1417 Boot up procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/805 Real-time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]

Abstract

Techniques for computer system recovery which remotely restore a default partition to a recent state even when an operating system is functioning abnormally. In an example embodiment, a service center computer establishes a first network connection to a monitored computer system. The service center computer configures the monitored computer system to boot from a bootable image file in the monitored computer system and reboots the monitored computer system into an alternate operating system environment of the bootable image file. The service center computer establishes a second network connection to the monitored computer system to restore a recent backup image of the default partition from a diagnostic partition to a default partition. The service center computer establishes a third network connection to the monitored computer system and reboots the monitored computer system to the default partition.

Claims

1. A computer system recovery method comprising:

establishing a first network connection to a monitored computer system configured to operate in a default operating system environment by a service center computer system, wherein the monitored computer system includes a storage drive containing a first partition with the default operating system environment and a second partition containing a backup image of the first partition and a bootable image file;

configuring the monitored computer system to boot from the bootable image file into an alternate operation system environment during the first network connection by the service center computer system;

establishing a second network connection to the monitored computer system when the monitored computer system is operating in the alternate operating system environment by the service center computer system;

restoring the backup image to the first partition during the second network connection by the service center computer system;

establishing a third network connection to the monitored computer system by the service center computer system;

configuring the monitored computer system to boot into the default operating system environment during the third network connection by the service center computer system; and

rebooting the monitored computer system into the default operating system environment during the third network connection by the service center computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and third network connections comprise out of band connections.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and third network connections comprise Serial over Local Area Network (SOL) connections.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving login credentials for the second network connection via the first SOL connection by the service center computer system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring steps comprise using Integrated Drive Electronics redirection (IDEr).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second network connection comprises a remote access connection.