A system has a memory programmed with multiple firmware images each having an associated distinct entry point, a processor, a writable hardware register, and a controller external to the processor that, prior to each reset of a sequence of resets of the processor, reads the entry point of a firmware image from the hardware register and causes the processor to begin fetching instructions at the entry point read from the hardware register. The firmware images include boot, mission mode, and at least one other firmware image. The memory may be writeable with a modifiable version of a post-production mission mode, debug, prototype, or patched ROM firmware image. A second controller writes a second entry point to the hardware register prior to an initial reset such that the external controller reads the second entry point and causes fetching instructions at the second entry point rather than the initial entry point.

A distributed processing system with multiple systems connected by an inter-system communication interface. Each system has a memory programmed with multiple firmware images each having a distinct entry point, a processor, a writable (by another system of the distributed processing system) hardware register initially seeded with an initial firmware image entry point, and a controller external to the processor that, prior to an initial reset, reads the entry point from the hardware register and causes the processor to begin fetching instructions at the initial entry point. Prior to a subsequent reset of the processor, the external controller facilitates a transition to another firmware image by reading its entry point from the hardware register and causing the processor to begin fetching instructions at the other entry point. Each system may have multiple processors and multiple associated hardware registers writeable by another processor of the system or a by host processor.

An improved board management controller provides a stable operating environment. The board management controller comprises a flash memory device and a microprocessor. The flash memory device is partitioned into a boot area, a first partition and a second partition in advance. The boot area stores a bootup firmware, the first partition is formatted as a first file system, the second partition is formatted as a second file system, and the first operating system image file and the first software application are stored in the first file system. The second operating system image file and the second software application are stored in the second file system. Multiple advantages are provided by the board management controller, comprising flexible space configuration, the ability to recover from damaged faults, and high data reliability. The efficiency of the operation has also been improved to speed up the startup of the board management controller.

A method including installing, by a VPN server on a volatile memory, an initial operating system to enable the VPN server to obtain a VPN operating system to enable the VPN server to provide VPN services; transmitting, by the VPN server based at least in part on installing the initial operating system, a request to an infrastructure device for the VPN operating system; receiving, by the VPN server based at least in part on transmitting the request, the VPN operating system from the infrastructure device; and installing, by the VPN server on the volatile memory, the VPN operating system to provide the VPN services. Various other aspects are contemplated.

The present invention relates to a method, to a computer program containing instructions and to an apparatus for performing a boot process for a system that supports redundant copies of boot images. In a first step, an active copy of the boot images is determined (S1). Then the active copy of the boot images is processed (S2). In response to a successful boot process, another copy of the boot images is then set (S3) as the active copy for a subsequent boot process.

Systems and methods of the disclosure provide for receiving, from a GUI on a client device, a request to download and install an OS image and integrated interactive service on a bootable resource; transmitting to the client device the OS image and the integrated interactive service to be installed on the bootable resource, wherein the bootable resource is configured to: on a restart of the client device, boot to the OS image and launch the interactive service; and deny access to any software, service, or resource not available on the bootable resource.

A programmable semiconductor system includes a programmable integrated circuit (“PIC”) and storage capable of facilitating a multi-boot with backup default configuration (“MBC”) process. The PIC, in one embodiment, includes configurable logic blocks (“LBs”), routing connections, and a configuration memory for performing logic functions. The storage includes a first and a second memory. While the first memory stores a user configuration data representing user-defined logic functions, the second memory stores a backup default page (“BDP”) containing default configuration data (“DCD”) for programming or booting PIC to its default setting when the user configuration data fails to boot or program PIC. In one aspect, the user configuration data contains the address of the second memory containing DCD.

Methods and systems for transferring a host image of a first machine to a second machine, such as during disaster recovery or migration, are disclosed. In one example, a first profile of a first machine of a first type is compared to a second profile of a second machine of a second type different from the first type, to which the host image is to be transferred. The first and second profiles each comprise at least one property of the first type of first machine and the second type of second machine, respectively. At least one property of a host image of the first machine is conformed to at least one corresponding property of the second machine. The conformed host image is provided to the second machine, via a network. The second machine is configured with at least one conformed property of the host image.

A system booting method for a computer system having a plurality of central processing units and a booting unit is disclosed. The system booting method includes determining, by the booting unit, a booting mode of the computer system; transmitting a booting signal, which is related to the booting mode, to the plurality of CPUs of the computer system; and entering a multi-CPU booting mode or entering an independent booting mode of the plurality CPUs according to the booting signal.

In example implementations, a computing device is provided. The computing device includes abasic input/output system (BIOS), a first storage device to store a first operating system (OS), a second storage device to store an alternate OS that is accessible by the BIOS, a volatile memory, and a processor. The processor is in communication with the BIOS, the first storage device, the second storage device, and the volatile memory. In response to a determination that the first OS is unavailable, the processor is to cause the IOS to load the alternate OS from the second storage device into the volatile memory, disable access to the first storage device, and cause the BIOS to execute the alternate OS from the volatile memory.