Method for remotely accessing component management information

Abstract

Remotely executing programs access hardware components and upload component management information from these hardware components bypassing the operating system otherwise controlling the hardware components. A web-based browser application executes on a personal computer that is coupled to the Internet and accesses the hardware component information. Another computer that is also connected to the Internet hosts the hardware components that the web-based browser application wishes to access. The operating system of the second computer controls the operation of the hardware components. An adapter routine executing on an intermediate server, to which the hardware components are coupled and are capable of transferring component information in a predetermined format, serves as an intermediary between the web-based browser application and the hardware components. The format that the data is being transferred from the hardware components to the adapter routine is not compatible with the web-based browser application. The adapter routine converts data from the hardware components to a format acceptable to the web-based browser application, such as, for example, XML over HTTP, or any other computer language acceptable to the web-based browser application. The adapter routine also converts commands from the web-based browser application to the predetermined format required by the hardware components, such as, for example, IPMI or DMI. The web-based browser application interacts with the hardware components in a way that was heretofore not possible.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.