Abstract: A system for securely and reliably transferring startup script files over a network may include a unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI) network stack on a client server wherein the client server requests startup script over the network upon startup of the client server using a secure transfer network protocol and receives over the network the startup script. A computing device may comprise a unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI) shell to request a download of startup script, over a network, upon startup of the client server wherein the startup script is staged in a provisioned storage device within the client server to be mounted as local file systems in the client server. The UEFI shell.

Abstract: A baseboard management controller (BMC) installed in a server or other hardware device may perform operations to monitor and safeguard metering data for one or more hardware component of a server that includes the BMC. The BMC may periodically transmit a metering data message over a network to an event destination, where the metering data message includes the utilization levels of the hardware component during a period of operation. In response to detecting a loss of communication with the event destination, the BMC may perform lossy compression of the monitored utilization levels for the hardware component, wherein the lossy compression produces a utilization value that is representative of the monitored utilization levels, but uses less data storage capacity. The utilization value may be transmitted to the event destination instead of the monitored utilization levels in response to determining that communication with the event destination has been reestablished.

Abstract: A system tor securely and reliably transferring startup script files over a network may include a unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI) network stack on a client server wherein the client server requests startup script over the network upon startup of the client server using a secure transfer network protocol and receives over the network the startup script. A computing device may comprise a unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI) shell to request a download of startup script, over a network, upon startup of the client server wherein the startup script is staged in a provisioned storage device within the client server to be mounted as local file systems in the client server. The UEFI shell.

Abstract: A baseboard management controller (BMC) installed in a server or other hardware device may perform operations to monitor and safeguard metering data for one or more hardware component of a server that includes the BMC. The BMC may periodically transmit a metering data message over a network to an event destination, where the metering data message includes the utilization levels of the hardware component during a period of operation. In response to detecting a loss of communication with the event destination, the BMC may perform lossy compression of the monitored utilization levels for the hardware component, wherein the lossy compression produces a utilization value that is representative of the monitored utilization levels, but uses less data storage capacity. The utilization value may be transmitted to the event destination instead of the monitored utilization levels in response to determining that communication with the event destination has been reestablished.

Abstract: A system for securely and reliably transferring startup script files over a network may include a unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI) network stack on a client server wherein the client server requests startup script over the network upon startup of the client server using a secure transfer network protocol and receives over the network the startup script. A computing device may comprise a unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI) shell to request a download of startup script, over a network, upon startup of the client server wherein the startup script is staged in a provisioned storage device within the client server to be mounted as local file systems in the client server. The UEFI shell.

Abstract: A system for securely and reliably transferring startup script files over a network may include a unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI) network stack on a client server wherein the client server requests startup script over the network upon startup of the client server using a secure transfer network protocol and receives over the network the startup script. A computing device may comprise a unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI) shell to request a download of startup script, over a network, upon startup of the client server wherein the startup script is staged in a provisioned storage device within the client server to be mounted as local file systems in the client server. The UEFI shell.

Abstract: A computer implemented method includes identifying a first question that is associated with an object at an information handling system. The first question represents an opportunity to select a first configuration setting having a first value. A second question associated with the object is identified, the second question representing an opportunity to select a second configuration setting having a second value. The method further includes determining that relevance of the second question depends on the first value. A first dependency modifier is associated with the second question based on determining the relevance. The first dependency modifier identifies the first question, the first value, and an action keyword. The action keyword identifies a first action to be associated with a presentation of the second question.

Abstract: An information handling system includes a firmware management infrastructure. The firmware management infrastructure includes a database that identifies a correspondence between members of a set of device paths and members of a set of correlatable identifier strings. A device path represents a platform-specific reference to an object at the information handling system and a correlatable identifier string represents a platform independent reference to the object. Programs can access the database using an application programming interface.

Abstract: A first portion of a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) configuration language string is determined, the first portion identifying an Human Interface Infrastructure (HII) configuration attribute. A second portion of the string is determined and includes a first attribute modifier. The first attribute modifier includes a first name-value pair identifying a first name and a first value. The first name and the first value are individually parsable, and the meaning of the first value is determined based on the first name. The string is stored at a HII string package of an HII database. An HII string identifier uniquely references the string.

Abstract: A method includes detecting a storage device that has a boot file and a relative path name that corresponds to the boot file, determining a hardware path name corresponding to the storage device, obtaining from the storage device the relative path name, combining the hardware path name and the relative path name to generate a full path name to the boot file, and storing the full path name within a persistent memory.

Abstract: A method includes detecting a storage device that has a boot file and a relative path name that corresponds to the boot file, determining a hardware path name corresponding to the storage device, obtaining from the storage device the relative path name, combining the hardware path name and the relative path name to generate a full path name to the boot file, and storing the full path name within a persistent memory.

Abstract: An information handling system includes a firmware management infrastructure. The firmware management infrastructure includes a database that identifies a correspondence between members of a set of device paths and members of a set of correlatable identifier strings. A device path represents a platform-specific reference to an object at the information handling system and a correlatable identifier string represents a platform independent reference to the object. Programs can access the database using an application programming interface.

Abstract: A system for identifying peripheral devices in an information handling system uses a path-based signature for each peripheral component device. A static table is included for listing the path of each peripheral device and is accessible to the Basic Input-Output System (BIOS). The BIOS is configured to identify peripheral components associated and determine a path-base device signature for each peripheral component.

Abstract: A computer implemented method includes identifying a first question that is associated with an object at an information handling system. The first question represents an opportunity to select a first configuration setting having a first value. A second question associated with the object is identified, the second question representing an opportunity to select a second configuration setting having a second value. The method further includes determining that relevance of the second question depends on the first value. A first dependency modifier is associated with the second question based on determining the relevance. The first dependency modifier identifies the first question, the first value, and an action keyword. The action keyword identifies a first action to be associated with a presentation of the second question.

Abstract: A first portion of a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) configuration language string is determined, the first portion identifying an Human Interface Infrastructure (HII) configuration attribute. A second portion of the string is determined and includes a first attribute modifier. The first attribute modifier includes a first name-value pair identifying a first name and a first value. The first name and the first value are individually parsable, and the meaning of the first value is determined based on the first name. The string is stored at a HII string package of an HII database. An HII string identifier uniquely references the string.

Abstract: An information handling system and a method of using it can allow the information handling system to be started or restarted and have an operating system loaded, even if a boot variable within a persistent memory is currently invalid. The method can detect and determine a hardware path name to a new drive that has an operating system. The new drive can have a relative path name to boot entries that include a pointer to a boot file. The boot file can be executed to run a boot loader that loads the operating system. During loading of the operating system, other boot entries within the drive can provide boot parameters. The boot variable within persistent memory, and potentially the relative path name or boot parameter(s) can be updated on the new drive. In a particular embodiment, the information handling system can include a unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI).

Abstract: A method for writing bytes to flash memory is disclosed herein whereby the method comprising includes counting bytes from a data source, the bytes associated with a first value and a second value and comparing a number of bytes associated with the first value with a number of bytes associated with the second value. The method may further include inverting the bytes in the case where the number of bytes associated with the first value is greater than the number of bytes associated with the second value and transferring the bytes not associated with the second value to the flash memory.

Abstract: A method may for updating system configuration data is provided. A configuration change request may be received from a remote user at a local baseboard management controller (BMC) via a network while a processor associated with the BMC is offline. The configuration change request may be stored in a request log. After the processor comes online, the configuration data may be updated based on the configuration change request stored in the request log. A copy of the updated configuration data from the chipset may be stored in a storage device coupled to the BMC such that the copy of the updated configuration data is accessible when the processor is offline. The copy of the updated system configuration may be provided to a subsequent remote user for a subsequent system configuration update.

Abstract: A method can include, during a boot flow at an information handling system, receiving an initial device path related to a device that is integrated with or coupled to the information handling system. The method can also include identifying a system-specific device location table based on a node included in the initial device path and receiving a particular alternate location string associated with the node at the system-specific location table. Further, the method can include adding the particular alternate location string to an alternate device path string related to the device and outputting the alternate device path to a user after the alternate device path includes an alternate location string associated with each node of the initial device path.

Abstract: A method can include, during a boot flow at an information handling system, receiving an initial device path related to a device that is integrated with or coupled to the information handling system. The method can also include identifying a system-specific device location table based on a node included in the initial device path and receiving a particular alternate location string associated with the node at the system-specific location table. Further, the method can include adding the particular alternate location string to an alternate device path string related to the device and outputting the alternate device path to a user after the alternate device path includes an alternate location string associated with each node of the initial device path.