Power-manager configuration upload and download method and system for network managers

• US 20020002582A1
• Filed: 06/26/2001
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Server Technology Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Server Technology Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Cleveland, Andrew J., Auclair, Brian P., Maskaly, James P., Ewing, Carrel W., Bigler, Mark J., Williams, Jay Henley
• Granted Patent: US 7,774,443 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3246 by software initiated power-off

Abstract

A power management system embodiment of the present invention comprises a power manager with a network agent in communication over a network with a network manager. The power manager is connected to control the operating power flowing to various pieces of computer network equipment at a single site. A user is able to assign names to each control port, and the power manager maintains a list of enrolled users who have access. Many operational mode choices are possible, and each can be configured by the user while remote from the power manager. The power manager can be commanded to upload a user configuration list, and it can be commanded to accept a downloaded user configuration list.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable network-equipment power-management system, comprising:

a power-controller device having a serial interface for communicating with a user, and a plurality of power-control ports that are able to interrupt operating power to a corresponding plurality of co-located computer data network appliances;

a user configuration file for affecting said plurality of power-control ports;

a memory disposed in the power-controller device and providing for storage of the user configuration file; and

a file transfer mechanism for importing and exporting the user configuration file to said user via said serial interface.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a computer data network interfaced to support the file transfer mechanism and communication with a user at a remote location.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a command mechanism for recognizing a user command to upload the user configuration file from the memory to a destination.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a command mechanism for recognizing a user command to download a substitute user configuration file to the memory from a source.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a transfer mechanism for checking the integrity of a substitute user configuration file downloaded to the memory, and for rejecting a corrupted file transfer.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a transfer mechanism for checking the integrity of a substitute user configuration file downloaded to the memory, and for adopting for use an acceptable file transfer.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an editor for constructing a substitute user configuration file for downloading to the memory.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an editor for modifying said user configuration file into a substitute user configuration file for downloading to the memory and eventual use to control said plurality of power-control ports.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a computer data network interfaced to support the file transfer mechanism and communication with a user at a remote location;

a command mechanism for recognizing a first user command to upload the user configuration file from the memory to a destination, and for recognizing a second user command to download a substitute user configuration file to the memory from a source;

a transfer mechanism for checking the integrity of said substitute user configuration file downloaded to the memory, and for rejecting a corrupted file transfer, and further for checking the integrity of said substitute user configuration file downloaded to the memory, and for adopting for use an acceptable file transfer; and

an editor for modifying said user configuration file into a substitute user configuration file for downloading to the memory and eventual use to control said plurality of power-control ports.

10. A method for managing user configuration data in a reconfigurable network-equipment power-management system, the method comprising the steps of:

operating a plurality of power-control ports such that they are dependent on a user configuration file;

uploading a copy of said user configuration file over a data communication channel; and

downloading a substitute user configuration file over said data communication channel to replace said user configuration file.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

checking the integrity of said user configuration file and aborting if corrupted.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

checking the integrity of said user configuration file and adopting it for use if not corrupted.