Unified update tool for multi-protocol network adapter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11055082-B2
Application number	US-201816139368-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2018
Priority date	Oct 28, 2013
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A method and technique for updating firmware on a multi-protocol network adapter includes reading parameter values for a firmware update of a multi-protocol network adapter that specify classes of behavior for conducting the firmware update of the multi-protocol network adapter. An update tool determines a reset type defining a type of reset needed to activate the firmware update on the network adapter based on the parameter values, sends a message to the network adapter indicating that a firmware update process is beginning, sends a write request to the network adapter to write the firmware update to select communication protocol functions, and sends a reset request to select communication protocol functions to activate the firmware update using the reset type according to the parameter values.

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 update procedures to conduct for different protocol classes of adapters of the multi-protocol network adapter, the parameter values 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;
determining, by the update tool, a reset type defining a type of reset needed to activate the firmware update on the network adapter based on the parameter values;
sending, by the update tool, a message to the network adapter indicating that a firmware update process is beginning;
sending, by the update tool, a write request to the network adapter to write the firmware update to select communication protocol functions; and
sending, by the update tool, a reset request to select communication protocol functions to activate the firmware update using the reset type according to the parameter values.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein reading further comprises reading a parameter value indicating a reset scope defining select communication protocol functions to receive the reset request.

3. 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 communication protocol functions.

4. 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 select communication protocol functions indicating whether the respective communication protocol functions support processing of the firmware update.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending, by the update tool, a message to the network adapter indicating to the select communication protocol functions that the firmware update process is complete.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein reading further comprises reading a parameter value indicating whether the firmware update is to occur via a specific function number identifier of the network adapter.

7. 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 function-specific update procedures to conduct for different protocol classes of adapters of the multi-protocol network adapter;
determine a reset type defining a type of reset needed to activate the firmware update on the network adapter based on the parameter values;
send a message to the network adapter indicating that a firmware update process is beginning;
send a write request to the network adapter to write the firmware update to select communication protocol functions; and
send a reset request to select communication protocol functions to activate the firmware update using the reset type according to the parameter values.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the update tool is executable to read a parameter value indicating a reset scope defining select communication protocol functions to receive the reset request.

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

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the update tool is executable to read a parameter value indicating whether the firmware update is to be processed via a select one of the determined communication protocol functions.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the update tool is executable 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.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the update tool is executable to send a message to the network adapter indicating to the select communication protocol functions that the firmware update process is complete.

13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the update tool is executable to read a parameter value indicating whether the firmware update is to occur via a specific function number identifier of the network adapter.

14. 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 update procedures to conduct for different protocol classes of adapters of the multi-protocol network adapter, the parameter values defining an adapter-specific sequence of update messages to be sent to the network adapter during the update procedure;
determine a reset type defining a type of reset needed to activate the firmware update on the network adapter based on the parameter values;
send a message to the network adapter indicating that a firmware update process is beginning;
send a write request to the network adapter to write the firmware update to select communication protocol functions; and
send a reset request to select communication protocol functions to activate the firmware update using the reset type according to the parameter values.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the computer readable program code is configured to read a parameter value indicating a reset scope defining select communication protocol functions to receive the reset request.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the computer readable program code is configured to read a parameter value indicating whether the firmware update is to be processed via a select one of the communication protocol functions.

17. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the computer readable program code is configured to read a parameter value indicating whether the firmware update is to be processed via a select one of the determined communication protocol functions.

18. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the computer readable program code is configured 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.

19. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the computer readable program code is configured to send a message to the network adapter indicating to the select communication protocol functions that the firmware update process is complete.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

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

Classifications

• 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

• G06F8/65 Primary

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