Pre-installation Environment for Remote Server Debugging
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Solution Overview
Problem
In computing systems, especially in data centers, maintenance and debugging of server machines with non-functional or inaccessible operating systems pose challenges due to the requirement of running debugging tools on an operational OS, which is not feasible when hardware or disk issues prevent OS access.
Innovation Solution
A pre-installation environment image with a pre-configured remote execution service is sent to the server machine, loaded into memory, and runs to expose an API, allowing management computing systems to execute debugging scripts and manage or maintain the server remotely without an accessible OS.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If debugging tools are executed on the operating system of the server under test, then debugging operations can be performed, but this approach fails when the operating system is not functional or inaccessible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a pre-installation environment as an intermediary system that runs independently of the server's operating system. This environment provides debugging tools and interfaces that allow maintenance computing systems to interact with and debug the server without requiring the server's OS to be functional. The pre-installation environment acts as a mediator between the maintenance system and the server hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the debugging functionality from the server's operating system by implementing a separate pre-installation environment. This environment contains its own debugging tools, interfaces, and execution capabilities, allowing debugging operations to be performed independently of the server's OS state. The segmentation enables debugging to proceed even when the server's OS is compromised or inaccessible.
2Productivity
If the server machine has hardware, firmware, or disk problems preventing OS function, then the server cannot be remotely debugged using traditional methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring the pre-installation environment with all necessary debugging tools, interfaces, and execution capabilities before the server's operating system becomes inaccessible. This environment is designed to function independently and provide full debugging capabilities without requiring the server's OS to be operational, thereby maintaining maintenance efficiency even when hardware, firmware, or disk problems occur.
3Adaptability or versatility
If new machines are delivered without a pre-loaded operating system, then they cannot be managed or maintained remotely
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-installation environment is designed with multi-functionality to serve multiple purposes: it provides debugging capabilities, enables remote management operations, and facilitates operating system installation. This universal environment can operate on servers regardless of their OS state, making it adaptable to both newly delivered machines without OS and existing servers with functional or non-functional OS instances.
Data Source
AI summary
remote server machine, without an accessible operating system, is identified. A management computing system sends, to the remote server machine to be tested, a pre-installation environment image that has a pre-configured remote execution service disposed thereon. The pre-installation environment image is loaded into memory on the remote server machine to be tested and the remote execution service automatically runs and exposes an application programming interface (API). A client application on the management computing system interacts with the API to execute a debugging script on the remote server machine, and receives the result of the executed scripts through the API.