WO2016067404A1

WO2016067404A1 - Computer system

Info

Publication number: WO2016067404A1
Application number: PCT/JP2014/078853
Authority: WO
Inventors: 悠輔山本
Original assignee: 株式会社日立製作所
Priority date: 2014-10-30
Filing date: 2014-10-30
Publication date: 2016-05-06

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to reduce the work burden of installing an OS on a computer that uses a device for which the OS image does not have a device driver. In the computer system according to the present invention, a management controller provided in each blade server detects the configuration of the devices provided in the blade server and notifies a service processor of the configuration, and the service processor adjusts the OS image according to the notification (see Fig. 1).

Description

Computer system

The present invention relates to a computer system.

In recent years, device configurations have been diversified in computer systems such as blade servers. Depending on the device, it is necessary to manually install a device driver when installing an OS (Operating System) on a computer system. In a blade server, the same OS may be installed on a plurality of blade servers.

The following Patent Document 1 describes a method for automatically installing a device driver. In the technology described in this document, when a peripheral device is connected to a PC (Personal Computer) body, a device driver is automatically installed on the PC.

JP 2007-280171 A

In the technique described in Patent Document 1, a process of initially installing an OS on a computer is assumed. In the same process, when a device driver (Outbox driver) not included in the OS image is installed in a computer, it is necessary to connect an external peripheral device to the computer. However, since the execution environment is limited while the OS is installed on the computer, the OS may not recognize the external peripheral device even if the external peripheral device is connected to the computer. is there. That is, the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 is considered to be based on the execution environment after installing the OS on the computer.

Therefore, in Patent Document 1, when installing an OS on a computer, it is necessary to manually install a device driver for the device for which the OS does not include a device driver. Depending on the device, it is necessary to read a device driver from an external device (for example, a USB memory). Further, when the device driver is manually installed, the user needs to obtain a device driver corresponding to the device from the device vendor. These operations increase the burden on the OS installation process for the user.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the work burden when installing an OS on a computer that uses a device whose OS image does not include a device driver. To do.

In the computer system according to the present invention, the management controller included in the blade server detects the configuration of the device included in the blade server and notifies the service processor, and the service processor changes the OS image according to the notification.

The computer system according to the present invention can automatically install an OS even in a computer system that requires an Outbox driver.

2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a computer system 1000. FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure and data example of the H / W structure table 230. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an OS installation screen 120. FIG. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of each device in the process of installing an OS in the computer system 100. It is a flowchart explaining the process which SVP200 produces each item of the H / W setting input column 122. FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining processing in which the SVP 200 creates each item in the OS setting input field 121. 12 is a flowchart for explaining processing in which the SVP 200 creates an OS automatic installation image 220. 12 is a flowchart for explaining processing in which the BMC 320 inserts an OS automatic installation image 220 (OS image 322) into the virtual USB CD-ROM device 321. 4 is a flowchart for explaining processing in which the BMC 320 automatically installs an OS in the blade server 300.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a computer system 1000 according to the present invention. The computer system 1000 includes a client PC 100, an SVP (Service Processor) 200, and one or more blade servers 300. The SVP 200 and the blade server 300 are housed in the chassis 500. The client PC 100, the SVP 200, and the blade server 300 are connected by a LAN 400 and can communicate with each other.

The client PC 100 is a terminal for a user to perform an operation for installing an OS on the blade server 300. The user starts up the Web browser 110 on the client PC 100 and performs an installation operation using the OS installation screen 120 displayed on the Web browser 110.

The SVP 200 is an arithmetic device that manages the chassis 500 and the blade server 300. The SVP 200 includes a storage device 210 that stores the SVP file system. On the SVP file system, an OS automatic installation image 220, an H / W configuration table 230, and an OS configuration table 240 are arranged as files.

The OS automatic installation image 220 is a binary image file used by the installer when the OS is automatically installed in the blade server 300, and includes an OS image 221, an Outbox driver 222, and an installer automatic execution file 223.

The OS image 221 is OS binary image data including a prescribed device driver. The Outbox driver 222 is a device driver that is not included in the OS image 221. The installer automatic execution file 223 is a single file containing answers to questions asked during OS installation. The file format of the installer automatic execution file 223 differs depending on the OS. For example, in Linux (registered trademark), the installer automatic execution file 223 is mounted by a mechanism called kickstart.

The hardware (H / W) configuration table 230 is a data table for storing configuration information of devices mounted on the blade server 300. The OS configuration table 240 is a data table for storing the initial setting parameters of the OS.

The blade server 300 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 310, a BMC (Baseboard Management Controller) 320, a mezzanine card 330, and an on-board device 340.

The CPU 310 executes an EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) 311 and an OS after installation (hereinafter referred to as a main system). The CPU 310, the mezzanine card 330, and the on-board device 340 are connected by a PCI Express 360. The EFI 311 is firmware that performs hardware initial settings and the like.

BMC 320 is an arithmetic device that manages the main system. The BMC 320, the mezzanine card 330, and the onboard device 340 are connected by an I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) 370. The BMC 320 has a function of emulating a USB device, and can present a virtual USB CD device 321 as a virtual CD drive to the main system. The CPU 310 and the BMC 320 are connected by a USB connection 350, and the main system can read the OS image 322 via the USB connection 350 by inserting the OS image 322 into the virtual USB CD device 321.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration and data example of the H / W configuration table 230. The H / W configuration table 230 includes an H / W setting parameter table 231 (FIG. 2A), an H / W detection result table 232 (FIG. 2B), and an input item table 233 (FIG. 2C). Have.

The H / W setting parameter table 231 is a data table in which the necessity of the Outbox driver is described in advance for each device type and interface type that may be mounted on the blade server 300. The H / W detection result table 232 is a data table describing a result of the BMC 320 detecting a device on the blade server 300. The BMC 320 collects configuration information of devices mounted on the blade server 300 according to a procedure described later, and stores it in the H / W detection result table 232. The input item table 233 will be described later.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the OS installation screen 120. The OS installation screen 120 has an OS setting input field 121 and an H / W setting input field 122. The OS setting input column 121 is a column for inputting the initial setting parameters of the OS to be installed in the blade server 300, and the OS type, license key, user name, password, partition setting, and the like can be input. The H / W setting input field 122 is a field for inputting an initial setting of a device included in the blade server 300, and various parameters can be input according to the type of the device.

The OS installation screen 120 is provided by the SVP 200. The SVP 200 generates an OS setting input column 121 and an H / W setting input column 122 according to the data items held in the OS configuration table 240 and the H / W configuration table 230, respectively. For items in the OS setting input field 121, for example, items illustrated in FIG. 3 can be stored in the OS configuration table 240 in advance. Items and initial setting values in the H / W setting input field 122 can be acquired from the blade server 300 by a procedure described later.

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of each device in the process of installing the OS in the computer system 100. Hereinafter, each step of FIG. 4 will be described.

(FIG. 4: Steps S401 to S403)
The SVP 200 checks whether the initialization of the BMC 320 is completed after the blade server 300 is connected to the power supply and before the main power switch of the blade server 300 is turned on (S401). When the SVP 200 confirms that the initialization of the BMC 320 has been completed, the SVP 200 requests the BMC 320 to transmit the configuration information of the device mounted on the blade server 300 (S402). The BMC 320 detects a device mounted on the blade server 300 by attempting to access a device (mezzanine card 330 in FIG. 4) connected to the BMC 320, and sends configuration information of the detected device to the SVP 200. It transmits to (S403).

(FIG. 4: Step S404)
The SVP 200 stores the device configuration information received from the BMC 320 in step S403 in the H / W configuration table 230. The SVP 200 creates each item of the H / W setting input field 122 according to the description of the H / W configuration table 230.

(FIG. 4: Steps S405 to S407)
The user accesses the OS installation screen 120 on the client PC 100 and selects an OS to be installed (S405). The client PC 100 notifies the SVP 200 of the selected OS. The SVP 200 reads the initial setting items corresponding to the OS selected on the OS installation screen 120 from the OS configuration table 240, creates each item in the OS setting input field 121 according to the item, and transmits it to the Web browser 110. (S406). At this time, the SVP 200 transmits the items input on the H / W setting input field 122 together. The web browser 110 displays the OS setting input field 121 and the H / W setting input field 122 on the screen according to the received item (S407).

(FIG. 4: Steps S405 to S407: Supplement)
The SVP 200 creates each item in the OS setting input field 121 and the H / W setting input field 122 according to the screen format of the OS installation screen 120. For example, when the OS installation screen 120 is created by HTML (HyperText Markup Language), each item can be created by HTML.

(FIG. 4: Steps S408 to S409)
The user inputs each setting parameter on the OS installation screen 120 (S408). The SVP 200 creates an OS automatic installation image 220 reflecting the input parameters, and notifies the Web browser 110 of the completion when the creation is completed (S409).

(FIG. 4: Steps S410 to S413)
The user selects an OS image to be installed on the OS installation screen 120 (S410). The SVP 200 instructs the BMC 320 to insert the selected OS image into the virtual USB CD device 321 (S411). In accordance with the instruction, the BMC 320 first mounts the SVP file system using the NFS (Network File System) protocol (S412), and emulates the OS automatic installation image 220 in the SVP file system as a virtual USB CD-ROM device 321 ( S413).

(FIG. 4: Steps S414 to S417)
The user instructs the blade server 300 from the client PC 100 to turn on the main power supply (S414). The BMC 320 turns on the main power supply of the blade server 300 according to the instruction (S415). When the main power supply of the blade server 300 is turned on, the EFI 311 is activated, and the EFI 311 boots the main system via the virtual USB CD-ROM device 321 (S417). As a result, the OS installer in the virtual USB CD-ROM device 321 is activated and OS automatic installation is performed.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining processing in which the SVP 200 creates each item in the H / W setting input field 122. This flowchart corresponds to the details of steps S401 to S404. Hereinafter, each step of FIG. 5 will be described.

(FIG. 5: Steps S501 to S502)
When the SVP 200 detects that the BMC 320 has completed initialization, the SVP 200 starts this flowchart (S501). The SVP 200 requests the BMC 320 to transmit information describing the configuration of the device mounted on the blade server 300 (S502).

(FIG. 5: Step S503)
The BMC 320 detects a device mounted on the blade server 300 by attempting to access a device mounted on the blade server 300 via the I2C 370. Information about the detected device type, name, parameters that can be initialized, and the like can be obtained by reading these parameters from a nonvolatile memory such as a register included in each device. The BMC 320 transmits the detected device configuration information to the SVP 200.

(FIG. 5: Step S504)
The SVP 200 creates the H / W configuration table 230 based on the device configuration information received from the BMC 320. The necessity of the Outbox driver and its type can be determined by referring to the H / W setting parameter table 231 using the device type of the blade server 300 and the OS type selected by the user. The OS type is used because the necessity of the Outbox driver may differ depending on the OS type. When each device holds the initial value together with the setting parameter, it can be acquired together. The SVP 200 records these parameters in the input item table 233. When there are a plurality of blade servers 300, an input item table 233 is provided for each blade server 300.

(FIG. 5: Step S505)
The SVP 200 creates each item of the H / W setting input field 122 corresponding to the blade server 300 according to the description of the input item table 233.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining processing in which the SVP 200 creates each item in the OS setting input field 121. This flowchart corresponds to the details of steps S405 to S406. Hereinafter, each step of FIG. 6 will be described.

(FIG. 6: Steps S601 to S602)
When the user selects an OS to be installed on the blade server 300 on the OS installation screen 120 and the SVP 200 receives the selection result, the SVP 200 starts this flowchart (S601). The SVP 200 reads initial setting items corresponding to the selected OS from the OS configuration table 240, and creates each item in the OS setting input field 121 according to the item (S602).

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining processing in which the SVP 200 creates the OS automatic installation image 220. This flowchart corresponds to the details of steps S408 to S409. Hereinafter, each step of FIG. 7 will be described.

(FIG. 7: Step S701)
When the user inputs each setting parameter necessary for OS automatic installation to the OS setting input field 121 and the SVP 200 receives the parameter, the SVP 200 starts this flowchart. The SVP 200 stores the received setting parameter in the OS configuration table 240.

(FIG. 7: Step S702)
The SVP 200 creates an installer automatic execution file 223 according to the description of the OS configuration table 240, and incorporates the created installer automatic execution file 223 into the OS automatic installation image 220. Specifically, the installer automatic execution file 223 is configured so that the setting parameters input by the user to the OS setting input field 121 and the H / W setting input field 122 are reflected as an answer to the question in the installation process.

(FIG. 7: Step S703)
The SVP 200 checks whether or not the OS automatic installation image 220 has been created. If it has been created, the process proceeds to step S704, and if it has not been created, the process proceeds to step S705.

(FIG. 7: Step S704)
The SVP 200 checks whether or not the input item table 233 referred to when creating the OS automatic installation image 220 in step S702 is the same as the input item table 233 of another OS automatic installation image 220 already created. If they are the same, the existing OS automatic installation image 220 can be used, and the following steps S705 to S707 are skipped. If not, the process proceeds to step S705.

(FIG. 7: Step S704: Supplement 1)
Even if the input item table 233 is not completely the same, if the existing OS automatic installation image 220 includes the new OS automatic installation image 220, steps S705 to S707 can be skipped. For example, when the input item table 233 corresponding to the new OS automatic installation image 220 has one device less than the existing input item table 233, the new input item table 233 is included in the existing input item table 233. (There is no shortage of device drivers), so the existing OS automatic installation image 220 can be used.

(FIG. 7: Step S704: Supplement 2)
In consideration of the convenience when the user selects an OS image in the flowchart of FIG. 8 to be described later, when the SVP 200 skips Steps S705 to S707, for example, the number of the OS automatic installation image to be used and the number of the blade server 300 are used. You may associate. Accordingly, when the user selects an OS image, the SVP 200 can present the number of the blade server 300 corresponding to the OS image together with the OS image.

(FIG. 7: Steps S705 to S707)
The SVP 200 refers to the input item table 233 (S705), and determines whether the Outbox driver 222 is necessary (S706). If the Outbox driver 222 is necessary, the Outbox driver 222 is incorporated into the OS automatic installation image 220 (S707).

(FIG. 7: Step S708)
The SVP 200 checks whether an input item table 233 having a device configuration different from that of the OS automatic installation image 220 created so far remains. If it remains, the process returns to step S703 to repeat the same processing, and if it does not remain, this flowchart ends.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining processing in which the BMC 320 inserts the OS automatic installation image 220 (OS image 322) into the virtual USB CD-ROM device 321. This flowchart corresponds to the details of steps S410 to S413. Hereinafter, each step of FIG. 8 will be described.

(FIG. 8: Step S801)
When the user selects the blade server 300 on which the OS automatic installation image 220 is installed, the BMC 320 starts this flowchart. In this step, the user can select a plurality of blade servers 300.

(FIG. 8: Step S802)
In the flowchart described with reference to FIG. 7, the SVP 200 creates different OS images for each blade server 300 having a different device configuration. The user selects, on the OS installation screen 120, an OS image to be installed on each blade server 300.

(FIG. 8: Steps S803 to S804)
The SVP 200 sequentially instructs the BMC 320 of each blade server 300 to insert the selected OS image into the virtual USB CD device 321 (S803). The BMC 320 mounts the SVP file system by the NFS protocol (S804).

(FIG. 8: Steps S805 to S806)
The BMC 320 creates a virtual USB CD device 321 (S805), acquires the OS automatic installation image 200 from the SVP 200, and inserts it into the virtual USB CD device 321 as an OS image 322 (S806).

(FIG. 8: Step S807)
If there remains a blade server 300 that has not been instructed to insert an OS image, the process returns to step S803 and the same processing is repeated. If no blade server 300 remains, this flowchart ends. The SVP 200 can also issue the instruction in step S803 to each blade server 300 in parallel. In this case, steps S804 to S806 are performed in parallel in each blade server 300, and step S807 is not necessary.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining processing in which the BMC 320 automatically installs an OS on the blade server 300. This flowchart corresponds to the details of steps S414 to S417. Hereinafter, each step of FIG. 9 will be described.

(FIG. 9: Steps S901 to S902)
When the user instructs the blade server 300 to turn on the main power switch, the BMC 320 starts this flowchart (S901). The BMC 320 turns on the main power supply of the blade server 300 (S902).

(FIG. 9: Steps S903 to S904)
When the main power supply of the blade server 300 is turned on, the EFI 311 is activated. The EFI 311 reads the CD-ROM from the virtual USB CD device 321 and activates the OS automatic installer stored in the CD-ROM (S903). The CPU 310 installs the OS in the blade server 300 by executing the OS automatic installer (S904).

(FIG. 9: Step S904: Supplement)
The OS automatic installer (OS automatic installation image 220 created by the SVP 200) executed in this step already includes the necessary Outbox driver 222 according to the device configuration acquired by the BMC 320 in step S503. Therefore, the user does not need to manually install the Outlook driver 222. In addition, since the initial setting parameters of the OS are incorporated in the installer automatic execution file 223 in step S702, the user does not need to input them one by one. Therefore, after the OS automatic installer is activated, the OS installation process is automatically executed.

<Summary of the present invention>
As described above, in the computer system 1000 according to the present invention, the BMC 320 detects the device configuration of the blade server 300, and the SVP 200 incorporates the necessary Outlook driver 222 into the OS automatic installation image 220 in advance according to the device configuration. . As a result, when the blade server 300 starts OS installation using the OS automatic installation image 220, all device drivers required by the blade server 300 are already incorporated in the OS image. The user does not need to manually install the Outlook driver 222.

In the computer system 1000 according to the present invention, the SVP 200 incorporates the installer automatic execution file 223 reflecting the OS initial setting parameters in the OS automatic installation image 220 in advance. Thus, when the blade server 300 starts OS installation using the OS automatic installation image 220, questions regarding the OS initial setting parameters are automatically answered, and the user needs to answer these questions one by one. There is no.

<Modification of the present invention>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes various modifications. The above embodiment has been described in detail for easy understanding of the present invention, and is not necessarily limited to the one having all the configurations described.

In the above embodiment, the mezzanine card 330 and the on-board device 340 are illustrated as devices included in the blade server 300. However, other devices are similarly connected to the BMC 320 through an appropriate interface, and the BMC 320 is connected via the interface. By attempting to access the device, it is possible to detect these device configurations.

In the above embodiment, the I2C 370 is exemplified as an interface for connecting the BMC 320 and each device, but other interfaces may be used. Since the BMC 320 can generally operate even when the main power switch of the blade server 300 is not turned on, any interface that can be accessed from the BMC 320 in that state may be used.

In the above embodiment, it has been described that the BMC 320 mounts the storage unit 210 included in the SVP 200 using the NFS protocol. This is because copying the OS automatic installation image 220 to the BMC 320 is not practical because the size of the OS automatic installation image 220 is generally much larger than the storage capacity of the BMC 320. When the storage unit 210 is remotely mounted by the BMC 320, the entity of the OS automatic installation image 220 can be read from the BMC 320 while remaining on the SVP 200 side. Furthermore, even when a plurality of blade servers 300 access the OS automatic installation image 220, it is not necessary to copy the OS automatic installation image 220 to each blade server 300 one by one. Share access to the OS automatic installation image 220 is possible. As long as the same operation can be realized, the storage unit 210 may be accessed using other protocols.

The above components, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be realized in hardware by designing some or all of them, for example, with an integrated circuit. Each of the above-described configurations, functions, and the like may be realized by software by interpreting and executing a program that realizes each function by the processor. Information such as programs, tables, and files for realizing each function can be stored in a recording device such as a memory, a hard disk, an SSD (Solid State Drive), or a recording medium such as an IC card, an SD card, or a DVD.

100: Client PC, 200: SVP, 210: Storage device, 220: OS initial setting automatic installation image, 230: H / W configuration table, 240: OS configuration table, 300: Blade server, 310: CPU, 311: EFI, 320: BMC, 321: Virtual USB CD device.

Claims

A service processor including a storage unit for storing an OS image;
A blade server that reads the OS image from the storage unit of the service processor;
With
The blade server
A management controller that detects a configuration of a device included in the blade server;
The service processor is
Obtaining configuration information describing the configuration of the device provided in the blade server from the management controller,
Changing the OS image to match the configuration information;
The blade server
The computer system, wherein the service processor reads the OS image changed so as to conform to the configuration information, and installs it on the blade server.
The storage unit
A device configuration table that describes whether or not an Outlook driver that is a device driver other than the device driver included in the OS image is required for each device type;
The management controller
Detecting the type of device provided in the blade server and notifying the service processor;
The service processor is
When receiving the type of the device from the management controller, it is determined whether or not the device needs the Outbox driver by referring to the device configuration table using the type.
2. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein when the device requires the Outbox driver, the OS image is changed so that the OS image includes the Outbox driver corresponding to the device.
The management controller
An emulation function for emulating a drive device for reading a storage medium, and using the emulation function, mounting the OS image stored in the storage unit as a virtual drive device;
The blade server
A firmware that reads an OS image from a drive device that reads a storage medium and installs it on the blade server;
The firmware is
The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the OS image is read from the virtual drive device and installed on the blade server.
The service processor is
Generate a setting screen for inputting initial setting parameters for each of the devices described in the configuration information,
When receiving an instruction from the client terminal to instruct the blade server to install the OS image, the setting screen is transmitted to the client terminal,
Reflecting the initial setting parameters for each device input via the setting screen on the OS image,
The blade server
The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the OS image reflecting the initial setting parameters for each device is installed on the blade server.
The service processor is
Changing the OS image so that the OS image includes an answer file describing the initial setting parameters for each device input via the setting screen;
Create an installer execution file that reflects the initial setting parameters for each device described in the answer file on the OS,
The blade server
5. The computer system according to claim 4, wherein an OS reflecting an initial setting parameter for each device is installed on the blade server by executing the installer execution file.
The service processor is
On the setting screen, an item for inputting an initial setting parameter of the OS constructed by the OS image is generated and transmitted to the client terminal.
The blade server
The computer system according to claim 4, wherein the OS image is installed on the blade server after reflecting the initial setting parameters of the OS input via the setting screen on the OS image.
The service processor is
Changing the OS image so that the OS image includes an answer file describing the initial setting parameters of the OS input via the setting screen;
Create an installer execution file that reflects the initial setting parameters of the OS described in the answer file on the OS,
The blade server
The computer system according to claim 4, wherein an OS reflecting the initial setting parameters of the OS is installed on the blade server by executing the installer execution file.
The management controller and the device included in the blade server are connected in advance via an interface that can access the device even if the main power switch of the blade server is not turned on. ,
The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the management controller detects a configuration of a device included in the blade server by attempting to access the device via the predetermined interface.
The management controller detects a configuration of a device included in the blade server via the interface in a state where the main power switch of the blade server is not turned on,
The service processor instructs the management controller to turn on the main power of the blade server and start installing the OS image after the management controller detects the configuration of the device. The computer system according to claim 8.
The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the management controller acquires the OS image from the service processor by remotely mounting the storage unit included in the service processor.
The computer system includes a plurality of the blade servers,
The management controller included in each blade server shares the OS image stored in the storage unit among the blade servers by remotely mounting the storage unit. Item 11. The computer system according to Item 10.
The service processor is
If the OS image created or changed previously exists, is the configuration information newly acquired from the management controller the same as the configuration information previously acquired from the management controller for the existing OS image? Check whether or not
The computer system according to claim 1, wherein, if they are the same, the existing OS image is used without changing the OS image.