Managing headless computer systems

• US 20040267918A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Guarraci, Brian J., Ritz, Andrew J., DeMaio, Pasquale
• Granted Patent: US 7,424,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for remotely monitoring diverse computer systems in a similar manner over an out-of-band communication channel. Remote monitoring ordinarily is performed over an in-band communication channel. However, hardware and/or software problems may make the in-band communication channel unavailable for a time. While the in-band communication channel is unavailable, the management computer receives status information over the out-of-band communication channel. Based on received status information, the management computer identifies actions to take, such as controlling processes or otherwise configuring the remote computer system, and communicates the actions to the remote computer system over the out-of-band communication channel. The management computer is capable of communicating with any of several diverse computers and exchanges data in a format that is independent of any particular computer system. The format also separates status information from placement information used to display the status information, and may conform to an XML schema.

Claims

1. In a management computer system capable of communicating with a plurality of diverse headless computer systems, each comprising at least one in-band communication channel for monitoring operation of the corresponding headless computer system and at least one out-of-band communication channel typically for use when the at least one in-band communication channel is unavailable, a method of remotely monitoring one or more diverse headless computer systems, over one or more corresponding out-of-band communication channels, that allows each of the one or more diverse headless computer systems to be monitored in a similar manner, the method comprising acts of:

receiving status information over the one or more diverse headless computer systems'"'"' corresponding one or more out-of-band communication channels in an extensible status format that (i) is independent of the one or more diverse headless computer systems, and (ii) separates the status information from physical placement information for displaying the status information;

processing the status information against one or more rules to identify one or more commands to issue in response to the status information;

formatting the one or more commands in an extensible command format that is independent of the one or more diverse headless computer systems; and

sending the one or more commands to be remotely executed at the one or more diverse headless computer systems using the one or more diverse headless computer systems'"'"' corresponding one or more out-of-band communication channels.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising acts of:

formatting a request for the status information in an extensible request format that is independent of the one or more diverse headless computer systems; and

sending the request to the one or more diverse headless computer systems using the one or more out-of-band communication channels for the one or more diverse headless computer systems.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more diverse headless computer systems'"'"' corresponding one or more in-band communication channels are unavailable because the one or more diverse headless computer systems are booting.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more diverse headless computer systems'"'"' corresponding one or more in-band communication channels are unavailable due to a hardware or software malfunction at the one or more diverse headless computer systems.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the extensible status format and the extensible command format conform to one or more eXtensible Markup Language schemas.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the status information is received by a management computer system without having been requested.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more commands comprise at least one of a restart command, a shut down command, an identification information command, a list processes command, an end process command, a process priority command, a limit memory usage command, a create memory dump command, a view Internet Protocol address command, a set Internet Protocol address command, a view date/time command, a set date/time command, a command to manage an out-of-band communication channel, and a command to access a command shell.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the one or more rules are part of one or more automated management applications.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the one or more diverse headless computer systems comprises an operating system and a service processor that is capable of functioning without the operating system.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more out-of-band communication channels for the one or more diverse headless computer systems comprise a communication port of an uninterruptible power supply.

11. For a management computer system capable of communicating with a plurality of diverse headless computer systems, each comprising at least one in-band communication channel for monitoring operation of the corresponding headless computer system and at least one out-of-band communication channel typically for use when the at least one in-band communication channel is unavailable, a computer program product comprising one or more computer readable media carrying computer executable instruction that implement a method of remotely monitoring one or more diverse headless computer systems, over one or more corresponding out-of-band communication channels, that allows each of the one or more diverse headless computer systems to be monitored in a similar manner, the method comprising acts of:

receiving status information over the one or more diverse headless computer systems corresponding one or more out-of-band communication channels in an extensible status format that (i) is independent of the one or more diverse headless computer systems, and (ii) separates the status information from physical placement information for displaying the status information;

processing the status information against one or more rules to identify one or more commands to issue in response to the status information;

formatting the one or more commands in an extensible command format that is independent of the one or more diverse headless computer systems; and

sending the one or more commands to be remotely executed at the one or more diverse headless computer systems using the one or more diverse headless computer systems'"'"' corresponding one or more out-of-band communication channels.

12. A computer program product as recited in claim 11, the method further comprising acts of:

formatting a request for the status information in an extensible request format that is independent of the one or more diverse headless computer systems; and

sending the request to the one or more diverse headless computer systems using the one or more out-of-band communication channels for the one or more diverse headless computer systems.

13. A computer program product as recited in claim 12, wherein the extensible request format, the extensible status format, and the extensible command format conform to one or more extensible Markup Language schemas.

14. A computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the one or more diverse headless computer systems'"'"' corresponding one or more in-band communication channels are unavailable either because the one or more diverse headless computer systems are booting or due to a hardware or software malfunction at the one or more diverse headless computer systems.

15. A computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the status information is received by a management computer system without having been requested.

16. A computer program product as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more commands comprise at least one of a restart command, a shut down command, an identification information command, a list processes command, an end process command, a process priority command, a limit memory usage command, a create memory dump command, a view Internet Protocol address command, a set Internet Protocol address command, a view date/time command, a set date/time command, a command to manage an out-of-band communication channel, and a command to access a command shell.

17. A computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the one or more rules are part of one or more automated management applications.

18. A computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein each of the one or more diverse headless computer systems comprises an operating system and a service processor that is capable of functioning without the operating system.

19. A computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the one or more out-of-band communication channels for the one or more diverse headless computer systems comprise a communication port of an uninterruptible power supply.

20. In a management computer system capable of communicating with a plurality of diverse remote computer systems, each comprising at least one in-band communication channel for monitoring operation of the corresponding remote computer system and at least one out-of-band communication channel typically for use when the at least one in-band communication channel is unavailable, a method of remotely monitoring one or more diverse computer systems, over one or more corresponding out-of-band communication channels, that allows each of the one or more diverse computer systems to be monitored in a similar manner, the method comprising steps for:

requesting status information over the one or more diverse computer systems'"'"' corresponding one or more out-of-band communication channels using an extensible request format that is independent of any particular one of the one or more diverse computer systems;

identifying one or more actions to take based on status information that is received from the one or more diverse computer systems in an extensible status format that separates presentation information from the received status information; and

communicating the identified one or more actions to the one or more diverse computer systems over the one or more diverse computer systems'"'"' corresponding one or more out-of-band communication channels in an extensible action format that is independent of any particular one of the one or more diverse computer systems.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the step for identifying one or more actions comprises an act of processing the status information against one or more rules to identify the one or more commands.

22. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the one or more diverse computer systems'"'"' corresponding one or more in-band communication channels are unavailable either because the one or more diverse computer systems are booting or due to a hardware or software malfunction at the one or more diverse computer systems.

23. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the extensible request format, the extensible status format, and the extensible action format conform to one or more eXtensible Markup Language schemas.

24. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the one or more actions comprise at least one of a restart command, a shut down command, an identification information command, a list processes command, an end process command, a process priority command, a limit memory usage command, a create memory dump command, a view Internet Protocol address command, a set Internet Protocol address command, a view date/time command, a set date/time command, a command to manage an out-of-band communication channel, and a command to access a command shell.

25. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the one or more actions are identified by one or more automated management applications.

26. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the one or more actions are identified by a user through one or more management applications with user interfaces.

27. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein each of the one or more diverse computer systems comprises an operating system and a service processor that is capable of functioning without the operating system.

28. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the one or more out-of-band communication channels for the one or more diverse computer systems comprise a communication port of an uninterruptible power supply.

29. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the one or more diverse computer systems comprise one or more headless computer systems.

30. For a management computer system capable of communicating with a plurality of diverse remote computer systems, each comprising at least one in-band communication channel for monitoring operation of the corresponding remote computer system and at least one out-of-band communication channel typically for use when the at least one in-band communication channel is unavailable, a computer program product comprising one or more computer readable media carrying computer executable instructions that implement a method of remotely monitoring one or more diverse computer systems, over one or more corresponding out-of-band communication channels, that allows each of the one or more diverse computer systems to be monitored and controlled in a similar manner, the method comprising steps for:

requesting status information over the one or more diverse computer systems'"'"' corresponding one or more out-of-band communication channels using an extensible request format that is independent of any particular one of the one or more diverse computer systems;

identifying one or more actions to take based on status information that is received from the one or more diverse computer systems in an extensible status format that separates presentation information from the received status information; and

communicating the identified one or more actions to the one or more diverse computer systems over the one or more diverse computer systems'"'"' corresponding one or more out-of-band communication channels in an extensible action format that is independent of any particular one of the one or more diverse computer systems.

31. A computer program product as recited in claim 30, wherein the one or more actions are identified by one or more automated management applications.

32. A computer program product as recited in claim 30, wherein the step for communicating the identified one or more actions to the one or more diverse computer systems comprises acts of:

formatting the one or more actions in the extensible action format; and

sending the one or more actions to the one or more diverse computer systems using the one or more diverse computer systems'"'"' corresponding out-of-band communication channel.

33. A computer program product as recited in claim 30, wherein the one or more diverse computer systems'"'"' corresponding one or more in-band communication channels are unavailable because the one or more diverse computer systems are booting.

34. A computer program product as recited in claim 30, wherein the one or more diverse computer systems'"'"' corresponding one or more in-band communication channels are unavailable due to a hardware or software malfunction at the one or more diverse computer systems.

35. A computer program product as recited in claim 30, wherein the extensible request format, the extensible status format, and the extensible action format conform to one or more eXtensible Markup Language schemas.

36. A computer program product as recited in claim 30, wherein the one or more actions comprise at least one of a restart command, a shut down command, an identification information command, a list processes command, an end process command, a process priority command, a limit memory usage command, a create memory dump command, a view Internet Protocol address command, a set Internet Protocol address command, a view date/time command, a set date/time command, a command to manage an out-of-band communication channel, and a command to access a command shell.

37. A computer program product as recited in claim 30, wherein output for one or more components at the one or more diverse computer systems is redirected to a management computer, and wherein the one or more components comprise at least one of a setup loader component, a setup component, a recovery component, a remote installation component, an operating system loader component, and a stop error message component.

38. A computer program product as recited in claim 30, wherein each of the one or more diverse computer systems comprises an operating system and a service processor that is capable of functioning without the operating system.

39. A computer program product as recited in claim 30, wherein the one or more out-of-band communication channels for the one or more diverse computer systems comprise a communication port of an uninterruptible power supply.