Switching between network interface cards during different stages of operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9361127-B2
Application number	US-201313946932-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2013
Priority date	Jul 19, 2013
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

In one embodiment, a network boot program is received from a server via a first network interface controller associated with a first network identifier. The network boot program is executed. An operating system loader comprising an operating system driver is received from the server via the first network interface controller. The operating system driver identifies a second network interface controller associated with a second network identifier. The operating system driver associates the first network interface controller with the second network identifier and associates the second network interface controller with the first network identifier.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
by a computing device, receiving via a first network interface controller of the computing device a network boot program from a server, the first network interface controller associated with a first MAC address;
by the computing device, executing the network boot program;
by the computing device, receiving via the first network interface controller an operating system loader from the server, wherein the operating system loader comprises an operating system driver from the server;
by the computing device, loading the operating system loader;
by the operating system driver at the computing device, identifying a second network interface controller of the computing device, the second network interface controller associated with a second MAC address;
by the operating system driver at the computing device, associating the first network interface controller with the second MAC address; and
by the operating system driver at the computing device, associating the second network interface controller with the first MAC address.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises one or more of the following:
a laptop;
a tablet computer;
a desktop computer; or
a virtual machine.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network interface controller is operable for performance during a boot process of the computing device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network interface controller is virtual.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second network interface controller is operable for performance during runtime of the computing device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second network interface controller is virtual.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating system driver comprises a disk filter.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein associating the first network interface controller with the second MAC address comprises modifying a registry key associated with the first network interface controller.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein associating the second network interface controller with the first MAC address comprises modifying a registry key associated with the second network interface controller.

10. A method comprising:
by a computing device, receiving via a first network interface controller of the computing device a network boot program from a server, the first network interface controller associated with a first network identifier;
by the computing device, executing the network boot program;
by the computing device, receiving via the first network interface controller an operating system loader from the server, wherein the operating system loader comprises an operating system driver from the server;
by the computing device, loading the operating system loader;
by the operating system driver at the computing device, identifying a second network interface controller of the computing device, the second network interface controller associated with a second network identifier;
by the operating system driver at the computing device, associating the first network interface controller with the second network identifier; and
by the operating system driver at the computing device, associating the second network interface controller with the first network identifier.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the computing device comprises one or more of the following:
a laptop;
a tablet computer;
a desktop computer; or
a virtual machine.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first network interface controller is operable for performance during a boot process of the computing device.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first network interface controller is virtual.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second network interface controller is operable for performance during runtime of the computing device.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second network interface controller is virtual.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the operating system driver comprises a disk filter.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein associating the first network interface controller with the second network identifier comprises modifying a registry key associated with the first network interface controller.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein associating the second network interface controller with the first network identifier comprises modifying a registry key associated with the second network interface controller.

19. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:
receive via a first network interface controller of a computing device a network boot program from a server, the first network interface controller associated with a first network identifier;
execute the network boot program;
receive via the first network interface controller an operating system loader from the server, wherein the operating system loader comprises an operating system driver from the server;
load the operating system loader;
identify a second network interface controller of the computing device, the second network interface controller associated with a second network identifier;
associate the first network interface controller with the second network identifier; and
associate the second network interface controller with the first network identifier.

20. The media of claim 19 , the software further operable when executed to:
associate the first network interface controller with the second network identifier by modifying a registry key associated with the first network interface controller; and
associate the second network interface controller with the first network identifier by modifying a registry key associated with the second network interface controller.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Jiang Hua
• Bhaskar Manish
• Mylvara Satya
• Lam Sui

Classifications

• G06F9/445

  Program loading or initiating (bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57) · CPC title

• G06F8/60

  Software deployment · CPC title

• G06F9/4406

  Loading of operating system · CPC title

• G06F9/4416 Primary

  Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL] · CPC title

• G06F9/4401

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