Universal serial bus (USB) key functioning as multiple USB keys so as to efficiently configure different types of hardware

• US 9,720,852 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2013
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Law, Michael S., Sheard, Matthew J., Ashok, Rohith K., Burr, Michael J., Hockett, Hugh E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hassan, Aurangzeb
• Application Number:
  US13/853,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20140297894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,586 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/10 Program control for peripheral devices G06F13/14 - G06F13/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

A method, data storage device and computer program product for efficiently configuring different types of hardware components. A Universal Serial Bus (USB) key is preloaded with multiple profiles, where each profile contains a configuration file(s) associated with a particular type of hardware component. Upon plugging the USB key into a hardware component, the USB key recognizes the type of hardware component based on the properties of the hardware component available on the USB interface. The USB key identifies a profile containing the configuration file(s) associated with the recognized type of hardware component. The USB key then presents the configuration file(s) contained in the identified profile to the connected hardware component. Such a process may be repeated for configuring another type of hardware component. In this manner, the user is able to efficiently configure different types of hardware by having the USB key function as multiple USB keys.

Claims

1. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable storage medium for efficiently configuring different types of hardware components, the computer program product comprising the programming instructions for:

recognizing a first hardware component out of a plurality of hardware components in response to a data storage device being plugged into said first hardware component, wherein said data storage device is preloaded with a plurality of profiles, wherein each of said plurality of profiles contains a configuration file associated with a particular type of hardware component and rules for presenting said configuration file to said particular type of hardware component, wherein said data storage device comprises a flash memory with an integrated Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface;

identifying a first profile out of said plurality of profiles containing a first configuration file associated with said first hardware component in response to recognizing said first hardware component; and

presenting said first configuration file to said first hardware component based on said rules of said first profile.

2. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein said first hardware component is recognized based on one or more properties available on said USB interface.

3. The computer program product as recited in claim 2, wherein said properties comprise one or more of the following:

name, type and serial number.

4. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein other configuration files associated with other hardware components are hidden from said first hardware component.

7. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of hardware components comprises network switches, storage controllers and compute blades.

5. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable storage medium for efficiently configuring different types of hardware components, the computer program product comprising the programming instructions for:

recognizing a first hardware component out of a plurality of hardware components in response to a data storage device being plugged into said first hardware component, wherein said data storage device is preloaded with a plurality of profiles, wherein each of said plurality of profiles contains a configuration file associated with a particular type of hardware component and rules for presenting said configuration file to said particular type of hardware component, wherein said data storage device comprises a flash memory with an integrated Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface;

identifying a first profile out of said plurality of profiles containing a first configuration file associated with said first hardware component in response to recognizing said first hardware component;

presenting said first configuration file to said first hardware component based on said rules of said first profile;

recognizing a second hardware component out of said plurality of hardware components in response to said data storage device being plugged into said second hardware component;

identifying a second profile out of said plurality of profiles containing a second configuration file associated with said second hardware component in response to recognizing said second hardware component; and

presenting said second configuration file to said second hardware component based on said rules of said second profile.

6. The computer program product as recited in claim 5, wherein said first and second hardware components are part of a cloud computing environment.

8. A data storage device, comprising:

a memory section for storing a computer program for efficiently configuring different types of hardware components; and

a controller coupled to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface and to said memory section, wherein said controller, responsive to said computer program, comprises;

circuitry for recognizing a first hardware component out of a plurality of hardware components in response to said data storage device being plugged into said first hardware component, wherein said memory section of said data storage device is preloaded with a plurality of profiles, wherein each of said plurality of profiles contains a configuration file associated with a particular type of hardware component and rules for presenting said configuration file to said particular type of hardware component;

circuitry for identifying a first profile out of said plurality of profiles containing a first configuration file associated with said first hardware component in response to recognizing said first hardware component; and

circuitry for presenting said first configuration file to said first hardware component based on said rules of said first profile.

9. The data storage device as recited in claim 8, wherein said first hardware component is recognized based on one or more properties available on said USB interface.

10. The data storage device as recited in claim 9, wherein said properties comprise one or more of the following:

name, type and serial number.

11. The data storage device as recited in claim 8, wherein other configuration files associated with other hardware components are hidden from said first hardware component.

14. The data storage device as recited in claim 8, wherein said plurality of hardware components comprises network switches, storage controllers and compute blades.

15. The data storage device as recited in claim 8, wherein said memory section is a non-volatile semiconductor memory.

12. A data storage device, comprising:

a memory section for storing a computer program for efficiently configuring different types of hardware components; and

a controller coupled to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface and to said memory section, wherein said controller, responsive to said computer program, comprises;

circuitry for recognizing a first hardware component out of a plurality of hardware components in response to said data storage device being plugged into said first hardware component, wherein said memory section of said data storage device is preloaded with a plurality of profiles, wherein each of said plurality of profiles contains a configuration file associated with a particular type of hardware component and rules for presenting said configuration file to said particular type of hardware component;

circuitry for identifying a first profile out of said plurality of profiles containing a first configuration file associated with said first hardware component in response to recognizing said first hardware component;

circuitry for presenting said first configuration file to said first hardware component based on said rules of said first profile;

circuitry for recognizing a second hardware component out of said plurality of hardware components in response to said data storage device being plugged into said second hardware component;

circuitry for identifying a second profile out of said plurality of profiles containing a second configuration file associated with said second hardware component in response to recognizing said second hardware component; and

circuitry for presenting said second configuration file to said second hardware component based on said rules of said second profile.

13. The data storage device as recited in claim 12, wherein said first and second hardware components are part of a cloud computing environment.