Abstract: A method and system whereby new devices may be introduced for use with a particular device driver without necessitating a change to the device driver binary is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an option ROM is provided within the hardware device. Program code contained in the option ROM executes during the system boot process and reads the vendor ID, device ID, subsystem vendor ID, and subsystem device ID from the device. This option ROM code then determines, based on the vendor ID, device ID, subsystem vendor ID, and subsystem device ID, whether to write a signature to a scratch pad register of the device. When the operating system is booted, the driver reads the signature written by the option ROM code. If the signature matches the signature programmed into the driver, the driver claims the device as its own and continues to load.

Abstract: An apparatus, computer program product, and method for preventing piracy in combined hardware/software products, and specifically in RAID storage systems is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when a hardware device (a disk controller, in a preferred embodiment) is initialized, the device executes firmware that directs it to write a signature to a storage location (scratchpad register) in the device, where the signature corresponds to a set of product features authorized for use with the hardware device. When application code executing on the host computer system attempts to access a feature (e.g., through device driver code), the stored signature is read from the hardware device. The code implementing the feature is allowed to execute only if the signature that is read from the hardware device matches a feature level of the product in which that feature is authorized.