Server Firmware Update via Fingerprint Grouping and Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Updating large sets of servers is time-consuming and can create network bottlenecks due to the need for extensive planning and simultaneous deployment of firmware updates across numerous servers.
Innovation Solution
A centralized management system uses server fingerprints to group servers, generate common and unique firmware install sets, and deploy updates via containers, strategically managing the update process to prevent bottlenecks by considering location, firmware components, and deployment requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If firmware updates are deployed simultaneously to a large number of servers, then update speed is improved, but network bandwidth is exhausted creating bottlenecks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments servers into groups based on common fingerprints (shared hardware configurations) and deploys updates in batches rather than simultaneously to all servers. This segmentation allows parallel update operations across multiple server groups while distributing network load, preventing bandwidth exhaustion while maintaining efficient update speed.
2Manufacturing precision
If inventory and install sets are determined for each individual server, then update accuracy is improved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges servers with identical hardware configurations into a single group represented by a common fingerprint. Instead of determining inventory and install sets for each individual server, the system determines these parameters once for the common fingerprint and applies them to all servers in the group. This merging maintains update accuracy for each server while dramatically reducing the time required for inventory determination.
3Reliability
If detailed inventory is taken for each server component, then update completeness is improved, but planning time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal inventory determination method based on common fingerprints that applies to multiple servers simultaneously. By determining inventory at the fingerprint level rather than individual server level, the system achieves complete update information for all servers in a group while reducing planning time through reuse of common inventory data across multiple servers.
Data Source
AI summary
A method disclosed herein relates to determining an inventory of a plurality of servers based on unique fingerprints and common fingerprints; creating a common set of installed firmware and a plurality of unique sets of installed firmware based on the inventory of the plurality of servers; creating subcategory sets of installed firmware based on the common set of installed firmware and categories of components included in the plurality of servers; obtaining updated versions of firmware corresponding to the subcategory sets of installed firmware and the unique sets of installed firmware; in response to an update request, creating containers for the updated versions of firmware corresponding to the subcategory sets of the installed firmware and the unique sets of installed firmware; and sending update messages to the plurality of servers including links to the respective containers.