Key management for a rack server system
AssigneeQuanta Computer Inc.
InventorsTsung-Wei Lin, Wei-Yu Chien
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for providing security key exchange and management prior to the operating system of the server and also provides for executing various security functions to prevent a virus or malicious software from propagating through the server and the network. The system and method utilize the BIOS firmware and baseboard management controller (BMC), which are more secure since they do not rely on open source code for software plug-ins from the user layer. As a result, a secure code can be created for key management with a globally unique identifier (GUID). The system and method provides for a network manager to easily and flexibly manage multiple security keys for a rack server system.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a processor;
- a baseboard management controller;
- a unified extensible firmware interface BIOS firmware;
- and
- a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, causing the processor to perform operations prior to loading of an operating system (OS) of the system, comprising:
- determining, via the unified extensible interface BIOS firmware, a status of a key management server;
- determining that the key management server is operational based upon the status;
- transmitting, via the unified extensible interface BIOS firmware, a command to the baseboard management controller to request a security key from the key management server;
- requesting, by the baseboard management controller, the security key from the key management server;
- receiving, by the baseboard management controller, the security key from the key management server;
- and
- transmitting the security key from the baseboard management controller to the unified extensible interface BIOS firmware.
A method of managing a security key for a rack server system, the method comprising steps comprising:
- determining, via a unified extensible interface BIOS firmware, a status of a key management server;
- determining that the key management server is operational based upon the status;
- transmitting, via the unified extensible interface BIOS firmware, a command to a baseboard management controller of a server of the rack server system to request the security key from the key management server;
- requesting, by the baseboard management controller, the security key from the key management server;
- receiving, by the baseboard management controller, the security key from the key management server;
- and
- transmitting the security key from the baseboard management controller to the unified extensible interface BIOS firmware,
- wherein the steps are prior to loading of an operating system (OS) of the server.
A method of managing a security key for a rack server system, the method comprising steps comprising:
- requesting the security key through a unified extensible interface BIOS firmware;
- sending the security key request to a baseboard management controller of a server of the rack server system;
- causing the baseboard management controller to communicate to a key management server;
- causing the baseboard management controller to determine (a) whether the security key request is valid and (b) whether the security key is available;
- causing the key management server to send, in response to the determining, the security key to the baseboard management controller via the network when the security key request is valid and available;
- and
- receiving, by the unified extensible interface BIOS firmware, the security key from the baseboard management controller,
- wherein the steps are prior to loading of an operating system (OS) of the server.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.