Preventing modifications to code or data based on the states of a master latch and one or more hardware latches in a hosting architecture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9411980-B2
Application number	US-201514866733-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2015
Priority date	Jun 28, 2012
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A service provider can maintain one or more host computing devices that can be accessed as host computing device resources by customers. A hosting platform includes components arranged in a manner to limit modifications to software or firmware on hardware components. In some aspects, the hosting platform may include a master latch that indicates whether the components may be configured, and the master latch may be set once and only reset upon completion of a power cycle. In another aspect, the hosting platform can implement management functions for establishing control plane functions between the host computing device and the service provider that is independent of the customer. Additionally, the management functions can also be utilized to present different hardware or software attributes of the host computing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hardware device comprising:
one or more computing components;
one or more hardware latches configured to prevent modifications to code or data utilized with the one or more computing components based on individual states of the one or more hardware latches;
a master latch component configured to control manipulation of the one or more hardware latches based, at least in part, on a master latch state; and
a controller configured to detect the master latch state of the master latch component and manipulate the one or more hardware latches based, at least in part, on the master latch state.

2. The hardware device of claim 1 , wherein after the one or more hardware latches are manipulated to prevent modifications to the code or data, the controller cannot manipulate one or more hardware latches to permit modifications to the code or data until the hardware device performs a power cycle.

3. The hardware device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to periodically access the master latch state.

4. The hardware device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware latches are initially configured to prevent modifications to the code or data.

5. The hardware device of claim 1 further comprising an offload engine component configured to establish a management control communication channel between the hardware device and an external management service.

6. The hardware device of claim 5 , wherein the master latch state is set by the external management service.

7. The hardware device of claim 5 , wherein the external management service provides control plane instructions for configuring at least one attribute of individual computing components.

8. The hardware device of claim 1 , wherein the master latch cannot be remapped by an input/output memory management unit.

9. The hardware device of claim 1 , wherein the master latch state is accessed through an intermediary device.

10. The hardware device of claim 1 , wherein after the master latch state has been changed to provide an indication that prevents manipulation of the one or more hardware latches, the master latch state is fixed in the same state until after a power cycle.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:
as implemented by one or more computing devices configured with specific executable instructions,
accessing a master latch for a first indication to determine whether to manipulate one or more hardware latches to permit modifications to code or data associated with the one or more computing components;
manipulating the one or more hardware latches based at least in part on the first indication;
executing a management function for at least one computing component associated with the manipulated one or more hardware latches;
after executing the management function, accessing the master latch for a second indication to determine whether to manipulate one or more hardware latches to prevent modifications to the code or data associated with the one or more computing devices; and
manipulating the one or more hardware latches based at least in part on the second indication.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 further comprising changing a state of the master latch to prevent manipulation of the one or more hardware latches after the manipulating the one or more hardware latches based at least in part on the second indication.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 further comprising establishing a management control communication channel between the hardware device and an external management service.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 further comprising receiving control plane instructions from the external management service, and setting the master latch state based, at least in part, on the control plane instructions received from the external management service.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 further comprising receiving control plane instructions from the external management service, and configuring at least one attribute of individual computing components based, at least in part, on the control plane instructions received from the external management service prior to manipulating the one or more hardware latches based at least in part on the second indication.

16. An apparatus comprising:
a host computing device comprising:
one or more computing components;
one or more hardware latches, configured to permit or prevent modifications to code or data utilized with the one or more computing components; and
a master latch component configured to control manipulation of the one or more hardware latches based, at least in part, on a master latch state;

a baseboard management controller for initiating a power cycle of the host computing device; and
an offload engine component, implemented using an embedded microprocessor, wherein the offload engine component is configured to set the master latch state of the master latch to prevent or permit manipulation of the one or more hardware latches.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the offload engine component is further configured to establish a management control communication channel with an external management service.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the offload engine component is further configured to receive instructions to set the master latch state from the external management service.

19. The hosting platform of claim 17 , wherein the offload engine component is further configured to receive instructions to instructions for configuring at least one attribute of individual computing components from the external management service.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Klein Matthew D
• Mckelvie Samuel J
• Marr Michael David

Classifications

• G06F21/80 Primary

  in storage media based on magnetic or optical technology, e.g. disks with sectors (preventing unauthorised reproduction or copying of disc-type recordable media G11B20/00) · CPC title

• G06F21/85

  interconnection devices, e.g. bus-connected or in-line devices · CPC title

• G06F21/71

  to assure secure computing or processing of information · CPC title

• G06F21/6218 Primary

  to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database · CPC title

• G06F1/00

  Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00 (architectures of general purpose stored program computers G06F15/76) · CPC title