Unified update tool for multi-protocol network adapter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10095502-B2
Application number	US-201615065135-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2016
Priority date	Oct 28, 2013
Publication date	Oct 9, 2018
Grant date	Oct 9, 2018

Abstract

A method and technique for updating firmware on a multi-protocol network adapter includes: reading parameter values for a firmware update to determine an update scope indicating one or more functions of the network adapter affected by the firmware update and a write scope indicating which of the one or more functions should receive a write request for writing the firmware update to the network adapter. The update tool is operable to: send a message indicating to the one or more functions based on the update scope that a firmware update process is beginning; send a write request to write the firmware update to the one or more functions based on the write scope; send a reset request to reset the one or more functions to activate the firmware update; and send a message indicating to the one or more functions that the firmware update process is completed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
reading, by an update tool executed by a processor unit of a host, parameter values for a firmware update of a multi-protocol network adapter, the parameter values specifying classes of behavior for conducting the firmware update of the multi-protocol network adapter, to:
determine an update scope indicating which of a plurality of different communication protocol functions of the network adapter are affected by the firmware update based on the parameter values; and
determine a write scope indicating which of the plurality of different communication protocol functions of the network adapter are to receive a write request for writing the firmware update to the network adapter based on the parameter values; and

wherein the update tool is operable to:
send a message to the network adapter indicating to the determined communication protocol functions based on the update scope that a firmware update process is beginning;
send a write request to the network adapter to write the firmware update to the determined communication protocol functions based on the write scope;
send a reset request to the network adapter to reset the determined communication protocol functions to activate the firmware update based on the parameter values; and
send a message to the network adapter indicating to the determined communication protocol functions that the firmware update process is complete.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein reading further comprises reading a parameter value indicating a type of reset request to issue to the determined communication protocol functions to activate the firmware update.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein reading further comprises reading a parameter value indicating which of the determined communication protocol functions are to receive the reset request.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein reading further comprises reading a parameter value indicating whether the firmware update is to be processed via a select one of the determined communication protocol functions.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, in response to the message indicating the beginning of the firmware update process, a message from the determined communication protocol functions indicating whether the respective communication protocol functions support processing of the firmware update.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, in response to the write request, a message from the determined communication protocol functions indicating a type of reset needed by the respective communication protocol functions for activating the firmware update.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein reading further comprises reading a parameter value indicating whether a device driver for managing the determined communication protocol functions is to be loaded for operation of the network adapter after the firmware update.

8. A system, comprising:
a multi-protocol network adapter; and
a host having an update tool stored in a memory and executable by a processor unit of the host to update firmware on the adapter, the update tool executable by the processor unit to:
read parameter values for a firmware update of the network adapter, the parameter values specifying classes of behavior for conducting the firmware update of the multi-protocol network adapter, to:
determine an update scope indicating which of a plurality of different communication protocol functions of the network adapter are affected by the firmware update based on the parameter values; and
determine a write scope indicating which of the determined communication protocol functions of the network adapter are to receive a write request for writing the firmware update to the network adapter based on the parameter values;
send a message to the network adapter indicating to the determined communication protocol functions based on the update scope that a firmware update process is beginning;
send a write request to the network adapter to write the firmware update to the determined communication protocol functions based on the write scope;
send a reset request to the network adapter to reset the determined communication protocol functions to activate the firmware update based on the parameter values; and
send a message to the network adapter indicating to the determined communication protocol functions that the firmware update process is complete.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the update tool is operable to read a parameter value indicating a type of reset request to issue to the determined communication protocol functions to activate the firmware update.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the update tool is operable to read a parameter value indicating which of the determined communication protocol functions are to receive the reset request.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the update tool is operable to read a parameter value indicating whether the firmware update is to be processed via a select one of the determined communication protocol functions.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the update tool is operable to receive, in response to the message indicating the beginning of the firmware update process, a message from the determined communication protocol functions indicating whether the respective communication protocol functions support processing of the firmware update.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the update tool is operable to receive, in response to the write request, a message from the determined communication protocol functions indicating a type of reset needed by the respective communication protocol functions for activating the firmware update.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the update tool is operable to read a parameter value indicating whether a device driver for managing the determined communication protocol functions is to be loaded for operation of the network adapter during the firmware update process.

15. A computer program product for updating firmware on a multi-protocol network adapter, the computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising computer readable program code configured to:
read parameter values for a firmware update of a network adapter, the parameter values specifying classes of behavior for conducting the firmware update of the multi-protocol network adapter, to:
determine an update scope indicating which of a plurality of different communication protocol functions of the network adapter affected by the firmware update based on the parameter values;
determine a write scope indicating which of the determined communication protocol functions of the network adapter are to receive a write request for writing the firmware update to the network adapter based on the parameter values;
send a message to the network adapter indicating to the determined communication protocol functions based on the update scope that a firmware update process is beginning;
send a write request to the network adapter to write the firmware update to the determined communication protocol functions based on the write scope;
send a reset request to the network adapter to reset the determined communication protocol functions to activate the firmware update based on the parameter values; and
send a message to the network adapter indicating to the determined communication protocol functions that the firmware update process is complete.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the computer readable program code is

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Chang Tai-Chien D
• De Leon Iii Baltazar
• Grande Marcus B
• Hart Brian W
• Nualart Jaime F
• Sethi Vikramjit

Classifications

• G06F8/65 Primary

  Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) · CPC title

• G06F8/665

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F8/654 Primary

  using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories · CPC title

• G06F8/66

  of program code stored in read-only memory [ROM] · CPC title