Abstract: Systems, methods, and software for guiding electronic connections between nodes of a computer system are disclosed. A system includes a plurality of servers, each having a plurality of connection ports and a service processor in electronic communication with the connection ports. A plurality of selectively-operable visual indicators are included, each associated with one of the connection ports. One of the service processors controls operation of the visual indicators according to a sequence of electronic connections to be made between the connection ports. Computer usable program code accessible by one of the service processors may be included for selectively operating visual indicators associated with the connection ports according to the sequence of connections to be made between the servers.

Abstract: Updating firmware on multiple systems or nodes within a merged networked environment includes providing firmware update code and a firmware update utility to a primary node. The firmware update utility determines the presence of a multi-node partition and detects the partition's configuration. The configuration determination includes determining the location of a remote service processor on each secondary node. The primary node creates an image of the firmware update code and distributes the created image to each of the secondary node service processors over a sideband link. Each of the remote service processors would then restart their respective systems. The node's BIOS detects the presence of the firmware update code on the service processor and forces the node to boot the update code directly. After the firmware update is complete, the firmware update code is deleted. When it subsequent restart occurs, the nodes will boot to the merged state.

Abstract: A method and system for allowing nodes in a multi-node computer to be appropriated by a master node in the multi-node computer. The node to be appropriated is suspended into an ACPI S3 Sleep State, causing current system operations state information to be stored in a backup memory in the appropriated node. The master node then populated a primary memory in the appropriated node with OS and other information required to join a partition that includes the master node. When the master node no longer wishes to use the appropriated node, the backup memory in the appropriated node is mirrored back into the primary memory. When the appropriated node “wakes up” from the S3 state, it continues executing software commands where it left off, without knowing anything that had happened after going into the S3 state.

Abstract: Updating firmware on multiple systems or nodes within a merged networked environment includes providing firmware update code and a firmware update utility to a primary node. The firmware update utility determines the presence of a multi-node partition and detects the partition's configuration. The configuration determination includes determining the location of a remote service processor on each secondary node. The primary node creates an image of the firmware update code and distributes the created image to each of the secondary node service processors over a sideband link. Each of the remote service processors would then restart their respective systems. The node's BIOS detects the presence of the firmware update code on the service processor and forces the node to boot the update code directly. After the firmware update is complete, the firmware update code is deleted. When it subsequent restart occurs, the nodes will boot to the merged state.

Abstract: A method and system for insure that code being loaded (flashed) into a flash memory card or other non-volatile storage device of a data processing system is authorized code. The system may include code comprising a kernel portion that transitions the system from a protected-mode to a real-mode and a user portion that includes the code to be loaded onto the flash card. In one embodiment, an asymmetric authentication scheme ensures that the code flashed into the flash card is verified as authorized while complying with the open-source requirements of the operating system. In this embodiment, the public key may become a part of the kernel portion, which is available for all to inspect, while the private key is known only to the user portion. The user portion may generate a signature that is encrypted using the private key. The signature may be generated algorithmically based upon characteristics of or information associated with the corresponding data processing system.