Information processing apparatus for changing firmware data

An information processing apparatus including a main storage unit for storing an operating system and firmware compatible with the operating system, and a processing apparatus for performing data processing by allowing the operating system and the firmware to operate, the information processing apparatus comprising:

• a processing apparatus for firmware data management, which includes a storage unit for storing a plurality of pieces of firmware, each of which is compatible with each of a plurality of operating systems of different kinds;
• a plurality of central processing apparatuses which are connected to the processing apparatus for firmware data management through a communication channel, and can be operated by the operating systems;
• auxiliary storage apparatuses, each of which is provided while corresponding to each of the plurality of central processing apparatuses, and stores one of the operating systems;
• determination means which determines the kind of operating system to boot when the operating system stored in the auxiliary storage apparatus is booted in the central processing apparatus;
• selection means which selects one of the plurality of pieces of firmware, which is compatible with the operating system to boot, from the storage unit of the processing apparatus for firmware data management on the basis of a result obtained by the determination means;
• and
• auxiliary processing apparatuses which include replacing means for obtaining the firmware selected by the selection means from the processing apparatus for firmware data management to replace the firmware stored in the main storage unit of the central processing apparatus, each of the auxiliary processing apparatuses being provided while corresponding to each of the plurality of central processing apparatuses.

A method of changing firmware in an information processing apparatus which stores firmware compatible with an operating system in storage means, and performs data processing by allowing the operating system and the firmware to operate in a central processing apparatus, comprising:

• storing a plurality of pieces of firmware, each of which is compatible with each of a plurality of operating systems of different kinds, in a storage unit in advance;
• determining the kind of operating system to boot in the processing apparatus;
• selecting the firmware compatible with the operating system to boot from the storage unit on the basis of a determination result;
• and
• storing the selected firmware in the storage means to run on the operating system.