Server information handling system NFC management sideband feedback

• US 9,780,836 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2014
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Varma, Yogesh, Ahmed, Syed S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US14/467,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20150311952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 413, 455423-425
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications

Abstract

Server information handling system deployment and maintenance is enhanced with automated trouble ticket generation at a mobile telephone through an NFC transaction with a management controller. NFC transactions coordinate authorization for replacement component installation and server information handling system replacement. In one embodiment, a bezel includes an NFC device that interfaces with a management controller and stores configuration information to aid installation of replacement server information handling systems in the event of a system failure. A back-up battery provides power to an NFC support circuit that stores fault codes detected by the management controller so that fault codes are available during management controller failures. In one embodiment, contact information provided from a mobile telephone through an NFC transaction is used by the management controller to notify the mobile telephone of the state of management functions initiated by the mobile telephone with the NFC transaction.

Claims

1. A system for managing a server information handling system, the system comprising:

a management controller integrated with the server information handling system and operable to perform management functions of the server information handling system;

a near field communication (NFC) device interfaced with the management controller and operable to support communication of management information between the management controller and an external information handling system with a NFC transaction;

a portable information handling system external to the server information handling system and operable to communicate with the NFC device by the NFC transaction, the portable information handling system having contact information stored in local memory of the portable information handling system, the contact information supporting communications through a network to the portable information handling system;

a management application running on the portable information handling system and operable to communicate management information to the management controller with the NFC transaction to command a management function at the server information handling system; and

a notification module associated with the management controller and the NFC device, the notification module operable to obtain the contact information from the memory of the portable information handling system during the NFC transaction and apply the contact information to send a notification from the management controller to the portable information handling system through the network based upon a predetermined state of the management function at the server information handling system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the contact information comprises a telephone number of the portable information handling system; and

the notification comprises a communication sent by the management controller to the telephone number including the predetermined state.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the notification further comprises a text message.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the text message includes an image having a map of the physical location of the server information handling system.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the notification further comprises a voicemail.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the contact information comprises an email address of an email account supported by the portable information handling system; and

the notification comprises an email sent by the management controller to the email address number including the predetermined state.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the notification module applies the contact information to send the notification through an Internet interface with a push service.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the management application is further operable to accept a user selection of contact information and to send the user selected contact information in the NFC transaction.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the user selection of contact information includes contact information for one or more additional portable information handling systems to receive notifications, the contact information for the one or more additional portable information handling systems included with the NFC transaction.

10. A method for managing server information handling systems, the method comprising:

commanding a management function at a server information handling system with an NFC transaction sent by a portable information handling system to a NFC device interfaced with a management controller of the server information handling system, the NFC transaction including contact information of the portable information handling system, the contact information stored in memory locally on the portable information handling system to support network communications with the portable information handling system;

detecting a predetermined state of the management function with the management controller; and

in response to detecting, sending a notification directly from the management controller to the portable information handling system with the contact information communicated by the NFC transaction, the notification sent through a network communication with the portable information handling system.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein in response to detecting, sending a notification to the contact information further comprises sending a text to a telephone number of the portable information handling system.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein in response to detecting, sending a notification to the contact information further comprises sending a voice message to a telephone number of the portable information handling system.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein in response to detecting, sending a notification to the contact information further comprises sending an email to an email address of an email account supported by the portable information handling system.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein sending an email further comprises sending an image depicting a physical location of the server information handling system.

15. The method of claim 10 the predetermined state of the management function comprises a failure to complete the management function.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

selecting at the portable information handing system contact information of at least one additional portable information handling system;

including the contact information of the at least one additional portable information handling system with the NFC transaction; and

in response to detecting, sending a notification from the management controller to the contact information of the at least one additional portable information handling system.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein in response to detecting, sending a notification from the management controller to the contact information further comprises sending a notification from the management controller through the Internet to a push service, the push service pushing the notification to the portable information handling system.

18. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

completing the management function;

setting a timer at the management controller;

testing the management function after the timer completes; and

sending the notification if the testing the management function detects a failure.

19. A server information handling system comprising:

a processor operable to process information with instructions;

non-transitory memory operable to store the information and instructions;

a management controller operable to manage operations of the processor responsive to remote instructions receive through a network;

an NFC device interfaced with the management controller and operable to accept a command to perform a management function by an NFC transaction and to send the command to the management controller for execution; and

a notification module comprising instructions stored in the non-transitory memory and executable by the management controller, the notification module associated with the management controller and the NFC device, the notification module operable to obtain contact information from a portable information handling system interfacing through the NFC device, the contact information obtained by an NFC transaction between the portable information handling system and management controller through the NFC device, the contact information supporting a network communication directed to the portable information handling system, and to apply the contact information to send a notification to the portable information handling system using the contact information, the notification sent through a network based upon a predetermined state of the management function at the server information handling system.

20. The server information handling system of claim 19 wherein the notification comprises an email or text message sent directly from the management controller to a contact address, the email or text message including the management function state.