Management Computer Firmware Update Coordination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing integrated systems face challenges in firmware updates, as administrators must individually update and test firmware versions for computers, storage devices, and connecting devices to ensure compatibility, increasing administrative burden, especially in large-scale systems with diverse device types and generations.

Innovation Solution

An integrated system with a management computer that stores and manages information on operation-guaranteed firmware version combinations for each device, allowing collective firmware updates across devices while maintaining system operation, thereby reducing administrative workload.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If firmware of each device is updated individually to the latest version, then each device gets the latest firmware, but the integrated system may not operate appropriately due to compatibility issues between devices

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefirmware compatibilityVSAvoidfirmware update process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple firmware update operations into a single integrated update process. The management computer coordinates firmware updates across computer, storage device, and connecting device simultaneously, ensuring that all devices receive compatible firmware versions together rather than individually, thus maintaining system operation reliability while simplifying the update process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The management computer acts as an intermediary between the administrator and the multiple devices. It manages firmware version information for each device type and coordinates the collective update process, eliminating the need for administrators to manually update each device individually and verify compatibility, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If firmware versions are updated for each device type, then latest firmware is achieved, but administrators must perform operation tests on all devices to ensure compatibility

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem operation guaranteeVSAvoidfirmware update time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The management computer performs preliminary actions by storing and managing firmware version information for each device type before the actual firmware update occurs. This pre-organization of compatibility information allows the system to execute collective updates without requiring time-consuming operation tests during the update process itself, thus reducing the time loss while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the management computer monitors and coordinates firmware updates across all devices, using stored firmware version information to ensure compatibility. This feedback loop eliminates the need for manual operation tests by automatically verifying that updated firmware versions maintain system operation reliability, thereby reducing the time administrators would otherwise spend on testing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If collective firmware update is performed based on integrated system firmware version, then administrative burden is reduced, but individual device firmware compatibility must be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefirmware update processVSAvoidfirmware version management

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The management computer serves multiple functions: it stores firmware version information for each device type, coordinates collective firmware updates, and ensures compatibility across all devices. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single management system, the patent simplifies the firmware update process for administrators while internally managing the complexity of individual device firmware versions through a universal management interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9207929B2Integrated system and firmware update method

Publication Date: 2015.12.08 HITACHI VANTARA LTD

AI summary

Proposed are an integrated system and a firmware update method capable of facilitating the update of firmware and alleviating the burden of the administrator. In an integrated system comprising a computer, a storage device, a connecting device and a management computer, the management computer stores in a memory and manages, as a firmware version of the integrated system, information indicating a combination of operation-guaranteed firmware versions regarding firmware versions of each of the devices of the computer, the storage device and the connecting device, and, upon updating firmware of each of the devices of the computer, the storage device and the connecting device, collectively updates the firmware of each of the devices of the computer, the storage device and the connecting device based on the firmware version of the integrated system.