US 7,734,818 B2 · Method to add IPV6 and DHCP support to the network support package

Abstract

A mechanism is added to a network support package to enable/allow the specification of additional boot discovery protocols and additional network address formats. The mechanism defines qualifier keywords that are added to the boot arguments and processed by the network support package. The qualifier keywords modify the boot arguments associated with a bootstrap method by specifying a way to acquire the arguments (i.e., a specific boot discovery protocol), the format of the arguments, and other parameters associated with the arguments. Multiple qualifier keywords may be added to the boot arguments at a time, and the keywords can be applied in their order within the arguments.

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Claims16

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

receiving at a network support package a set of extended boot arguments;
determining whether the set of extended boot arguments contains a first keyword indicating use of a first address format among multiple supported address formats;
and
when the first keyword is contained within the set of extended boot arguments, processing all addresses in the first address format and performing addressing functions using addresses in the first address format;
wherein the first keyword is ipv6 and the first address format is Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6);
and
the ipv6 keyword is optionally specified within the set of extended boot arguments to indicate that all network addresses provided within the set of extended boot arguments are expressed using the IPv6 format.

4 more elements

A device comprising:

a processor;
a network support package executed by said processor and which is modified to enable processing of addresses in Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) address format and utilization of a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) to obtain boot parameters from DHCP servers;
means for communicatively accessing one or more information servers, including a DHCP server and a bootstrap protocol (BOOTP) server;
and
means for communicatively accessing a boot server from which a boot file may be loaded for booting a computer system across a network;
means for receiving a set of boot arguments;
means for determining whether the set of boot arguments contains a first keyword indicating use of a first address format among multiple supported address formats;
and
when the first keyword is contained within the set of boot arguments, means for processing all addresses in the first address format and performing addressing functions using addresses in the first address format;
wherein the first keyword is ipv6 and the first address format is Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6);
and
the ipv6 keyword is specified to indicate that all network addresses provided within the set of boot arguments are expressed using the IPv6 format.

9 more elements

A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;
and
program code on the computer readable medium that when executed provides the functions of:
receiving a set of boot arguments;
evaluating the set of boot arguments;
and
completing a boot process by which a boot file is returned to a computer system from a boot server across a network, said completing the boot process comprising:
(a) determining whether the set of boot arguments contains a first keyword indicating use of a first address format among multiple supported address formats;
and
when the first keyword is contained within the set of boot arguments, processing all addresses in the first address format and performing addressing functions using addresses in the first address format;
(b) determining whether the set of boot arguments contains a second keyword indicating selection of a first boot discovery protocol and corresponding first information server;
and
when the second keyword is contained within the set of boot arguments, initiating the first boot discovery protocol to retrieve boot parameters from the first information server;
(c) determining whether the second keyword has an associated first argument indicating a network address of a specific information server from which the boot parameters are retrieved via the first boot discovery protocol;
when the first argument is present, directing a retrieval of the boot parameters to the network address indicated by the first argument;
and
when the first argument is not present or does not identify an existing information server, issuing a broadcast across a connected network to find the specific information server;
and
(d) when the second keyword is not included within the set of boot arguments, initiating a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) bootstrap process, wherein said boot parameters are retrieved from a bootstrap protocol (BOOTP) server if the BOOTP discovery protocol is specified;
generating a boot string of boot arguments and boot parameters for accessing a boot server;
and
initiating a process for loading a boot file from the boot server via TFTP, wherein the computer system receives the boot file and completes the boot process at the computer system, and wherein the computer readable medium is a recordable type medium;
wherein the first keyword is ipv6 and the first address format is Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6):
the ipv6 keyword is optionally specified within the set of boot arguments to indicate that all network addresses provided within the set of extended boot arguments are expressed using the IPv6 format;
said second keyword is dhcp and said first boot discovery protocol is a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) which retrieves the boot parameters from a DHCP server;
and
said DHCP server provides one or more of a client address (ciaddr), a server address (siaddr), and a filename for TFTP bootstrap.

24 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description4,198 words

Summary807 words

#The present application is related to the subject matter of commonly assigned, patent application Ser. No. 11/678,116. Relevant content of that co-pending patent application is incorporated herein by reference.

#1. Technical Field

#The present invention generally relates to computer network systems and in particular to use of network support packages within computer network systems. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to enhanced methods for utilizing a network support package to load a computer system's boot image from a boot server.

Brief description of the drawings3 figures

#The invention itself, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objects, and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example computer system (client) coupled to an Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI) device (boot server or target) via a network, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

#FIG. 2 illustrates an example process flow by which system firmware of computer system communicates boot arguments extended with specific keywords to a modified network support package, which ultimately accesses a DHCP server to obtain boot parameters, according to one illustrative embodiment of the invention; and

Detailed description3,218 words

#The present invention provides a method and system that extends the network support package of a computer network system to accept network addresses in IPv6 format and allow the use of other boot discovery protocols, such as DHCP, to acquire the information needed to boot a system using a boot file stored on a remote server.

#In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, architectural, programmatic, mechanical, electrical and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.

#Within the descriptions of the figures, similar elements are provided similar names and reference numerals as those of the previous figure(s). Where a later figure utilizes the element in a different context or with different functionality, the element is provided a different leading numeral representative of the figure number (e.g, 1xx for FIG. 1 and 2xx for FIG. 2). The specific numerals assigned to the elements are provided solely to aid in the description and not meant to imply any limitations (structural or functional) on the invention.

Facts

Application

11/678,132Filed 23 Feb 2007

Published

US 2008/0209197 A128 Aug 2008

Granted

8 Jun 2010

Term ends

24 Apr 2028

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 426 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification8 codes

G06F 9/4406
Bootstrapping: loading of operating system
G06F 9/445
Arrangements for executing specific programs: program loading or initiating
G06F 9/4416
Bootstrapping: network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]
H04L 12/56
Store-and-forward switching systems: packet switching systems

Timeline

23 Feb 2007Application filedUS 11/678,132
23 Feb 2007Assigned to International Business Machines Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
28 Aug 2008PublishedUS 2008/0209197 A1
8 Jun 2010GrantedUS 7,734,818 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
24 Apr 2028Term endsEstimated, includes 426 days of adjustment

Method to add IPV6 and DHCP support to the network support package

Life of this patent

Method to add IPV6 and DHCP support to the network support package

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims16

Description4,198 words

Drawings

Classification8 codes

Life of this patent

Description4,198 words