Validation of flexible IHS hardware configurations

A method for validating hardware detected by an IHS (Information Handling System), the method comprising:

• retrieving, by a validation process of the IHS, a factory-provisioned inventory certificate that specifies factory-installed hardware components of the IHS, wherein the inventory certificate comprises a designation for each of the factory-installed hardware components as required or optional;
• identifying a plurality of hardware components of the IHS that have been detected;
• in response to determining that an optional hardware component designated as optional in the factory-provisioned inventory certificate is not present in the identified plurality of hardware components of the IHS, signaling validation of the IHS without the optional hardware component;
• and
• in response to determining that a factory-installed hardware component specified in the factory-provisioned inventory certificate as required is not present in the identified plurality of hardware components of the IHS, signaling a validation failure and prevent booting of the IHS.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage device having instructions stored thereon for validating hardware detected by an IHS (Information Handling System), wherein execution of the instructions by one or more processors of the IHS causes a validation process of the IHS to:

• retrieve a factory-provisioned inventory certificate that specifies factory-installed hardware components of the IHS, wherein the inventory certificate comprises a designation for each of the factory-installed hardware components as required or optional;
• identify a plurality of hardware components of the IHS that have been detected;
• in response to determining that an optional hardware component designated as optional in the factory-provisioned inventory certificate is not present in the identified plurality of hardware components of the IHS, signal validation of the IHS without the optional hardware component;
• and
• in response to determining that a factory-installed hardware component specified in the factory-provisioned inventory certificate as required is not present in the identified plurality of hardware components of the IHS, signal a validation failure and prevent booting of the IHS.