Task execution on a managed node based on compliance with execution policy

• US 9,747,111 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2013
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Teshome, Abeye, Merkin, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, James J
• Application Number:
  US13/911,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20130268939A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/501 Performance criteria
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5094 where the allocation takes into account power or heat criteria power management in computers in general G06F1/3203; thermal management in computers in general G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Systems and methods for executing tasks on a managed node remotely coupled to a management node are provided. A management controller of the management node may be configured to determine at least one execution policy for a task, schedule the task for execution, receive system information data from the managed node, based at least on the received system information, determine if the received system information complies with the at least one execution policy, and if the received information complies with the at least one execution policy, forward the task from the management controller to the managed node for execution.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for managing execution of a security patch on a managed node communicatively coupled over a network to a management controller, the instructions, when executed by the management controller configured to:

determine an estimated time needed to execute the security patch on the managed node;

determine an execution policy for the security patch to be executed on the managed node based on the estimated time, the execution policy comprising;

a minimum battery life of the managed node required for the execution of the security patch; and

a required residual battery life of the managed node following the execution of the security patch, wherein the required residual battery life of the managed node adjusts based on a criticality of the security patch;

receive system information data from the managed node, wherein the system information data comprises network connectivity information and estimated availability time of the managed node, wherein the network connectivity information indicates time or duration of network connectivity of the managed node to the network, and wherein the estimated availability time of the managed node is determined based on a remaining battery life of the managed node;

based on the received system information data, determine if the received system information complies with the execution policy by;

comparing the received system information data to the execution policy; and

determining if the received system information allows execution of the security patch based on the execution policy;

based on the estimated availability time and network connectivity information of the managed node allowing execution of the security patch based on the execution policy, schedule the security patch on the managed node for execution.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, the instructions, when executed by the management controller further configured to, based on whether the received system information allows execution of the security patch based on the execution policy, forward the security patch from the management controller to the managed node for execution.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the receiving the system information from the managed node includes receiving, at predetermined time intervals, battery life data of a battery of the managed node.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 3, wherein the management controller is configured to automatically communicate the security patch to the managed node for execution upon receiving the system information at the predetermined time intervals.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the execution policy includes an execution time for the security patch, and wherein the management controller is further configured to determine the execution time based on the estimated time for executing the security patch on the managed node.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the execution time for the security patch is further based on a time to communicate the security patch from the management controller to the managed node over the network.

7. A method for managing execution of a security patch on a managed node by a management controller communicatively coupled over a network to the managed node, the method comprising:

determining an estimated time needed to execute the security patch on the managed node;

determining an execution policy for the security patch to be executed on the managed node based on the estimated time, the execution policy comprising;

a minimum battery life of the managed node required for the execution of the security patch; and

a required residual battery life of the managed node following the execution of the security patch, wherein the required residual battery life of the managed node adjusts based on a criticality of the security patch;

receiving system information data from the managed node, wherein the system information data comprises network connectivity information and estimated availability time of the managed node, wherein the network connectivity information indicates time or duration of network connectivity of the managed node to the network, and wherein the estimated availability time of the managed node is determined based on a remaining battery life of the managed node;

based on the received system information data, determine if the received system information complies with the execution policy by;

comparing the received system information data to the execution policy; and

determining if the received system information allows execution of the security patch based on the execution policy;

based on the of estimated availability time and network connectivity information of the managed node allowing execution of the security patch based on the execution policy, scheduling the security patch on the managed node for execution.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, based on whether the received system information allows execution of the security patch based on the execution policy, forwarding the security patch from the management controller to the managed node for execution.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving the system information from the managed node comprises receiving, at a predetermined time interval, battery life data of a battery of the managed node.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising automatically communicating the security patch to the managed node for execution upon receiving the system information at the predetermined time interval.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the execution policy includes an execution time for the security patch, and wherein the method further comprises determining, by the management controller, the execution time based on the estimated time for executing the security patch on the managed node.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the execution time for the security patch is further based on a time to communicate the security patch from the management controller to the managed node over the network.

13. An information handling system, comprising:

a processor;

memory coupled to the processor; and

a management controller communicatively coupled to a managed node over a network and the management controller coupled to the processor and configured to;

determine an estimated time needed to execute the security patch on the managed node;

determine an execution policy for the security patch to be executed on the managed node based on the estimated time, the execution policy comprising;

a minimum battery life of the managed node required for the execution of the security patch; and

a required residual battery life of the managed node following the execution of the security patch, wherein the required residual battery life of the managed node adjusts based on a criticality of the security patch;

receive system information data from the managed node, wherein the system information data comprises network connectivity information and estimated availability time of the managed node, wherein the network connectivity information indicates time or duration of network connectivity of the managed node to the network, and wherein the estimated availability time of the managed node is determined based on a remaining battery life of the managed node;

based on the received system information data, determine if the received system information complies with the execution policy by;

comparing the received system information data to the execution policy; and

determining if the received system information allows execution of the security patch based on the execution policy;

based on the estimated availability time and network connectivity information of the managed node allowing execution of the security patch based on the execution policy, schedule the security patch on the managed node for execution.

14. The information handling system of claim 13, wherein the management controller is further configured to, based on whether the received system information allows execution of the security patch based on the execution policy, forward the security patch from the management controller to the managed node for execution.

15. The information handling system of claim 13, wherein receiving the system information from the managed node includes receiving, at a predetermined time interval, battery life data of a battery of the managed node.

16. The information handling system of claim 15, wherein the management controller is further configured to automatically communicate the security patch to the managed node for execution upon receiving the system information at the predetermined time intervals.

17. The information handling system of claim 13, wherein the execution policy includes an execution time for the security patch, and wherein the management controller is further configured to determine the execution time based on the estimated time for executing the security patch on the managed node.