Systems and methods for exporting diagnostic data and securing privileges in a service operating system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9959127-B2
Application number	US-201514727784-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2015
Priority date	Jun 1, 2015
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for exporting failure and diagnostic data and securing privileges in a service Operating System (OS). In some embodiments, an Information Handling System (IHS) includes a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by the processor, cause the IHS to: identify a malfunction; store malfunction data in a predefined location; detect the coupling of an external device to the IHS; and export the malfunction data from the predefined location to the external device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by the processor, cause the IHS to:
identify a malfunction as a no-video malfunction during a Power-On-Self-Test (POST) procedure carried out by a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) in a pre-Operating System (OS) environment;
launch an audio-only support system in response to the identification;
collect malfunction data associated with the no-video malfunction;
encrypt the malfunction data using a service tag assigned to the IHS by a manufacturer of the IHS prior to the IHS being shipped to a customer;
store the encrypted malfunction data in a predefined location;
detect a coupling of an external device to the IHS;
detect a marker file stored in the external device, wherein the marker file indicates that the external device belongs to an authorized service technician;
determine that the external device is authenticated based upon the marker file; and
export the encrypted malfunction data from the predefined location to the external device in response to the determination.

2. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the storage of the encrypted malfunction data, the detection of the coupling of the external device, and the exportation of the encrypted malfunction data are performed by the IHS in response to the no-video malfunction automatically and without manual input from any user.

3. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the external device includes a non-volatile memory (NVM) device with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface.

4. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution by the processor, further cause the IHS to encrypt the malfunction data using information distinct from the service tag.

5. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution by the processor, further cause the IHS to, prior to exporting the encrypted malfunction data, determine that the external device is authenticated by the manufacturer of the IHS, and export the encrypted malfunction data to the external device in response to the determination that the external device is authenticated by the manufacturer of the IHS.

6. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the predefined location includes a first encrypted partition, and wherein the first encrypted partition is distinct from a second encrypted partition where a main OS resides.

7. The IHS of claim 6 , wherein the first encrypted partition is accessible to a service OS when the second encrypted partition is inaccessible to the service OS.

8. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution by the processor, further cause the IHS to:
store a one-time password (OTP) seed in the predefined location at a time of manufacture of the IHS;
install the service OS in the IHS, wherein a service OS root password is established using the OTP seed; and
provide the OTP seed to a backend server, wherein the backend server is configured to associate the OTP seed with a service tag corresponding to the IHS.

9. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution by the processor, further cause the IHS to:
provide the authorized service technician with access to the predefined location in response to the authorized service technician having been authenticated by the backend server; and
update the service OS root password to a next generated OTP value.

10. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the predefined location is a Basic I/O System (BIOS)/Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) mailbox.

11. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
identifying a malfunction as a no-video malfunction during a Power-On-Self-Test (POST) procedure carried out by a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) in a pre-Operating System (OS) environment;
launching an audio-only support system in response to the identification;
collecting malfunction data associated with the no-video malfunction;
encrypting the malfunction data using a service tag assigned to an Information Handling System (IHS) by a manufacturer of the IHS prior to the IHS being shipped to a customer;
storing the encrypted malfunction data in a predefined location;
detecting a coupling of an external device;
detecting a marker file stored in the external device, wherein the marker file indicates that the external device belongs to an authorized service technician;
determining that the external device is authenticated based upon the marker file; and
in response to the determination, exporting the encrypted malfunction data from the predefined location to the external device.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the predefined location includes a first encrypted partition, and wherein the first encrypted partition is distinct from a second encrypted partition where a main OS resides.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the first encrypted partition is accessible to a service OS when the second encrypted partition is inaccessible to the service OS.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising:
creating a one-time password (OTP) for the service OS;
storing a seed in a non-volatile memory (NVM); and
transmitting the seed to a backend service configured to allow the authorized service technician to execute an application using the service OS without using a master password.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the NVM is a Basic I/O System (BIOS)/Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) mailbox.

16. A storage device having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by an Information Handling System (IHS), cause the IHS to:
identify a malfunction as a no-video malfunction during a Power-On-Self-Test (POST) procedure carried out by a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) in a pre-Operating System (OS) environment;
launch an audio-only support system in response to the identification;
collect malfunction data associated with the no-video malfunction;
encrypt the malfunction data using a service tag assigned to the IHS by a manufacturer of the IHS prior to the IHS being shipped to a customer;
store the encrypted malfunction data in a predefined location;
detect a coupling of an external device;
detect a marker file stored in the external device, wherein the marker file indicates that the external device belongs to an authorized service technician;
determine that the external device is authenticated based upon the marker file; and
in response to the determination, export the encrypted malfunction data from the predefined location to the external device.

17. The storage device of claim 16 , wherein the predefined location includes a first encrypted partition, wherein the first encrypted partition is distinct from a second encrypted partition where a main OS resides, and wherein the first encrypted partition is accessible to a service OS when the second encrypted partition is inaccessible to the service OS.

18. The storage device of claim 17 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution, further cause the IHS to:
create a one-time password (OTP) for the service OS;
store a seed in a non-volatile memory (NVM); and
transmit the seed to a backend service configured to allow the authorized service technician to execute an application using the service OS without using a master password.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Seibert Philip M
• Lo Yuan-Chang
• Andrews Carlton A
• Swierk Todd Erick
• George Kurian
• Herzi Dirie N
• Tan Danilo O

Classifications

• G06F21/31

  User authentication · CPC title

• G06F11/34

  Recording or statistical evaluation of computer activity, e.g. of down time, of input/output operation {; Recording or statistical evaluation of user activity, e.g. usability assessment} · CPC title

• G06F9/4406 Primary

  Loading of operating system · CPC title

• G06F2221/2105

  Dual mode as a secondary aspect · CPC title

• G06F11/2284

  by power-on test, e.g. power-on self test [POST] · CPC title