Secure local boot using third party data store (3PDS) based ISO image

A computer implemented method for booting a host processor resident on a computing platform, the computing platform also having a second processor executing manageability engine firmware, the method comprising:

• commencing boot of the host processor on the computing platform;
• determining whether the host processor is provisioned to boot from a local IDE storage device utilizing the manageability engine firmware;
• sending integrated development environment (IDE) access commands by the host processor to access the IDE storage device;
• intercepting the sent IDE access commands by the manageability engine firmware;
• emulating, via an emulator, the IDE access commands, by the manageability engine firmware, wherein the emulator configured to emulate access protocols sent by the host firmware during host processor boot to transparently retrieve host processor boot information from the protected portion of the non-volatile memory;
• and
• returning boot information from a protected third party data store coupled to the computing platform, by the manageability engine firmware, wherein the protected third party data store is not directly accessible by the host processor, and
• wherein the emulator is further configured to locally emulate a remote IDE-Redirect server to communicate with a third-party data store (3PDS) flash memory to retrieve an international standard organization (ISO) boot image to serve as a local copy of the ISO boot image, wherein the emulator is further to read/write blocks from/to the local copy of the ISO boot image, wherein the host processor boot information includes the ISO boot image, and wherein the non-volatile memory includes the 3PDS flash memory.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored therein, the instructions when executed on a computing platform, cause the computing platform to:

• during boot of a host processor on the computing platform, determine whether the host processor is provisioned to boot from a local integrated development environment (IDE) storage device utilizing manageability engine firmware, the manageability engine firmware to execute on a second processor coupled to the computing platform;
• intercept IDE access commands sent by the host processor during boot to access the IDE storage device, by the manageability engine firmware;
• emulate, via an emulator, the IDE access commands by the manageability engine firmware, wherein the emulator configured to emulate access protocols sent by the host firmware during host processor boot to transparently retrieve host processor boot information from the protected portion of the non-volatile memory;
• and
• return boot information from a protected third party data store coupled to the computing platform, by the manageability engine firmware, wherein the protected third party data store is not directly accessible by the host processor, and
• wherein the emulator is further configured to locally emulate a remote IDE-Redirect server to communicate with a third-party data store (3PDS) flash memory to retrieve an international standard organization (ISO) boot image to serve as a local copy of the ISO boot image, wherein the emulator is further to read/write blocks from/to the local copy of the ISO boot image, wherein the host processor boot information includes the ISO boot image, and wherein the non-volatile memory includes the 3PDS flash memory.