Embedded Hypervisor Boot Failover Using Dual NVM Cards
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Solution Overview
Problem
Information handling systems with embedded hypervisors lack failover support for booting, leading to adverse impacts on system uptime and user satisfaction due to the lack of redundancy in storage resources, particularly when the SD card fails or becomes corrupted.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method for installing a mass storage device driver service on both a primary and backup internal non-volatile memory (NVM) card, allowing for failover support during boot by determining the status of each card and redirecting operations from a failed primary card to a backup card, utilizing an interrupt handler interface and operating system drivers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single SD card is used to store the hypervisor image, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to lack of redundancy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a backup SD card containing a copied hypervisor image identical to the primary card. This copying approach provides redundancy without significantly increasing system complexity, as the backup card is a direct replicate that can immediately take over if the primary card fails.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring a backup SD card with the hypervisor image before any failure occurs. The boot process includes preliminary detection of the primary card's status and automatic switching to the backup card if failure is detected, eliminating the need for manual intervention.
2Device complexity
If no redundancy is provided for the SD card, then device complexity is minimized, but loss of time increases due to manual reimaging requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by automatically detecting SD card failures and switching to the backup card without requiring user intervention. The error handling code autonomously manages the failover process, including detecting read failures, attempting backup card boot, and handling the transition seamlessly.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms to monitor the primary SD card's operational status through read operations. When failure feedback is detected (read errors or corruption), the system automatically triggers the failover process to the backup card, creating a closed-loop error handling system.
3Reliability
If automatic failover is implemented, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional error handling code
Solution Approach 1:
The error handling complexity is localized to specific functions rather than distributed throughout the entire system. The failover logic is concentrated in the boot process and interrupt handling routines, while the rest of the hypervisor operates with simple, unchanged code. This localization minimizes the overall complexity increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer in the form of a USB driver that mediates between the hypervisor and the SD card. This intermediary handles the complex error detection and failover logic, shielding the rest of the system from complexity while providing reliable automatic switching capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure further relates to information handling systems with failover support for booting an embedded hypervisor, the information handling system. For example, an information handling system with failover support may comprise a processor; one or more applications configured to be executed, at least in part, by the processor; a memory communicatively coupled to the processor and comprising a basic input/output system (BIOS), the BIOS comprising a BIOS universal serial bus (USB) driver, the BIOS USB driver comprising a mass storage device driver; a primary internal embedded hypervisor non-volatile memory (NVM) card communicatively coupled to the memory, the first NVM card comprising a first bootable hypervisor image; and a back up internal embedded hypervisor NVM card communicatively coupled to the memory, the second NVM card comprising a second bootable hypervisor image.