Authentication-free configuration for service controllers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016182484-A1
Application number	US-201514686325-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 14, 2015
Priority date	Dec 17, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments generally relate to out-of-band management of a computing system. The present technology discloses enable a primary service controller to provide a centralized configuration of multiple secondary service controllers so that they can share a same configuration. It can utilize an authentication-free protocol to modify and manage credentials for a large number of service controllers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
establishing, at a primary service controller, data transmission with a remote node management device using an authentication protocol, the primary service controller being associated with a plurality of secondary service controllers; receiving, using the authentication protocol, a new credential associated with each of the plurality of secondary service controllers, the plurality of secondary service controllers configured to manage node data of a plurality of nodes; and transmitting, using an authentication-free protocol, the new credential to the plurality of secondary service controllers, the plurality of secondary service controllers configured to substitute a respective credential using the new credential, wherein the node management device is configured to communicate with the plurality of secondary controllers using the new credential.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a plurality of secondary service controllers associated with the new credential based at least in part on segmentation data.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the segmentation data comprises at least one of node ownership data, previous user activity data, or node usage data.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the authentication protocol is Ethernet, and the authentication-free protocol is I2C.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the node management device is further configured to transmit at least a portion of node data associated with the plurality of secondary service controllers.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the node management device is further configured to manage the plurality of nodes by communicating with the plurality of secondary service controllers.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the respective credential associated with the each one of a plurality of secondary controllers is different from each other.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the respective credential includes a default user name and a default password, and wherein the new credential includes a customized user name and a customized password provided.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the primary service controller comprises one of a Rack Management Controller, a Chassis Management Controller or a Data Center Management Controller, and wherein the secondary service controller comprises a Baseboard Management Controller.

10 . A system, comprising:
a processor; and a memory device including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to: receive, at a secondary controller, a new credential transmitted from a primary controller using an authentication-free protocol, the secondary controller configured to manage node data of a node; substitute a default credential with the new credential; receive a verification request to access the node data by a node management device, the verification request including information associated with the new credential; confirm an access right of the node management device based at least in part on the new credential; and transmit at least part of the node data to the node management device.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the primary controller is configured to transmit the new credential to a plurality of secondary controllers that include the secondary controller, the plurality of secondary controllers are configured to manage node data of a plurality of nodes.

12 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
receive the node data associated with the node, the node data being generated by at least one sensor associated with the node.

13 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
receive a node management command from the node management device.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the primary controller is further configured to determine the plurality of secondary service controllers based at least in part on segmentation data.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the primary controller comprises one of a Rack Management Controller, a Chassis Management Controller or a Data Center Management Controller, and wherein the secondary controller comprises a Baseboard Management Controller.

16 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, the instructions when executed by a processor causing the processor to:
establish, at a first service controller, data transmission with a remote node management device using an authentication protocol, the first service controller being associated with a second service controller; receive, using the authentication protocol, a new configuration associated with the second service controller, the second service controller configured to manage node data of a node; and transmit, using an authentication-free protocol, the new configuration to the second service controller, the second service controller configured to substitute a respective configuration with the new configuration.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the authentication protocol is Ethernet, and the authentication-free protocol is I2C.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the node management device is configured to transmit at least a portion of node data associated with the second service controller, and wherein the node management device is further configured to manage the node by communicating with the second service controller.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the new configuration comprises at least one of a user name and a password, a network configuration, or a general controller configuration.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the second controller is configured to manage node data of the node.

Assignees

• Quanta Comp Inc

Inventors

• Shih Ching-Chih

Classifications

• G06F21/41 Primary

  where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers · CPC title

• H04L63/083 Primary

  using passwords (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226) · CPC title

• G06F21/71

  to assure secure computing or processing of information · CPC title

• H04L67/14

  Session management (for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066) · CPC title

• H04L63/18

  using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215) · CPC title