System and methods for remote maintenance in an electronic network with multiple clients

• US 9,059,978 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2010
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Kotani, Seigo, Suzuki, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustin, Evens J
• Application Number:
  US12/879,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20110239210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 711/162, 709/220
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/4557 Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/068 using time-dependent keys, e.g. periodically changing keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for controlling usage of secret information H04L9/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0897 involving additional devices, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard or USB
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 : involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 : Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/61 : Time-dependent

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a client system supported by remote maintenance in an electronic network configured to serve a plurality of clients may include an electronic network, a plurality of storage resources, a first virtual machine, a second virtual machine, and a virtual machine manager. The electronic network may include a plurality of processing resources and a communication bus. The plurality of storage resources may be accessible by the plurality of processing resources. The plurality of storage resources may include a computer readable memory. The first virtual machine may handle a first data set associated with the client system. The first virtual machine may include an operating system and a reporting agent. The second virtual machine may handle a second data set associated with an external data center. The virtual machine manager may be configured to manage data transfer between the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine. The second virtual machine may be configured to assess a state of the first virtual machine and identify a software update for installation on the first virtual machine. The virtual machine manager may manage an attestation process for the first virtual machine prior to delivering or installing the software update on the client system using the first virtual machine.

Claims

1. A client system for remote maintenance in a network, the client system comprising:

a first virtual machine handling a first data set associated with the client system, the first virtual machine including an operating system and a reporting agent;

a second virtual machine handling a second data set associated with an external data center; and

the second virtual machine comprising software stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium and operable, when executed perform the steps of;

assessing a state of the first virtual machine; and

identifying a software update for installation on the first virtual machine based on a comparison of the first data set and the second data set;

a virtual machine manager comprising software stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium and operable, when executed perform the step of managing an attestation process for the first virtual machine prior to delivering or installing the software update on the client system using the first virtual machine.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising the client system associated with an automobile.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the client system includes a FlexRay system hosted by an automobile.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the virtual machine manager controls data transfer between the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine using a trusted platform module.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the attestation process includes one or more biometric indicators.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the software update is delivered wirelessly.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the second virtual machine operates to interrogate the first virtual machine.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the second virtual machine operates to interrogate the first virtual machine to verify the client system has received the software update.

9. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a log stored by the first virtual machine, the log identifying one or more software updates delivered to the client system.

10. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a log stored by the second virtual machine, the log identifying one or more software updates delivered to the client system.

11. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a log stored by the second virtual machine, the log identifying one or more software updates delivered to the client system and the log including a time-stamp associated with each software update.

12. An electronic network providing remote maintenance to a plurality of clients, the electronic network comprising:

a data center including at least one processor and at least one storage resource including software provided by a plurality of suppliers;

a client system including at least two virtual machines and a virtual machine manager;

the first virtual machine handling a first data set associated with the client system, the first virtual machine including an operating system and a reporting agent;

the second virtual machine handling a second data set associated with the data center; and

the virtual machine manager configured to manage data transfer between the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine;

the second virtual machine comprising software stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium and operable, when executed, to assess a state of the first virtual machine and identify a software update for installation from the data center to the first virtual machine based on a comparison of the first data set and the second data set;

the virtual machine manager comprising software stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium and operable, when executed, to manage an attestation process for the first virtual machine prior to delivering or installing the software update on the client system.

13. A network according to claim 12, further comprising the client system associated with an automobile.

14. A network according to claim 12, wherein the client system includes a FlexRay system associated with an automobile.

15. A network according to claim 12, wherein the virtual machine motor controls data transfer between the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine using a trusted platform module.

16. A network according to claim 12, wherein the attestation process includes one or more biometric indicators.

17. A network according to claim 12, wherein the software update is delivered wirelessly.

18. A network according to claim 12, wherein the second virtual machine operates to interrogate the first virtual machine.

19. A network according to claim 12, wherein the second virtual machine operates to interrogate the first virtual machine to verify the client system has received the software update.

20. A network according to claim 12, further comprising a log stored by the first virtual machine, the log identifying one or more software updates delivered to the client system.

21. A network according to claim 12, further comprising a log stored by the second virtual machine, the log identifying one or more software updates delivered to the client system.

22. A network according to claim 12, further comprising a log stored by the second virtual machine, the log identifying one or more software updates delivered to the client system and the log including a time-stamp associated with each software update.