Abstract: A multi-stage computing framework may allow development, in an unrestricted computing region, of one or more computing resources that are transferred to, and deployed in, a restricted computing region. The computing framework may include a development module and a transfer module. The development module may allow development of the computing resources in the unrestricted computing region, for example including stages such as a resource creation, linting, scanning, validation, packaging and requesting of the transfer. The transfer module may allow management of the transfer of the computing resources from the unrestricted computing region to the restricted computing region, for example including stages such as control, transfer request queueing, performance of the transfer, transfer notification and transfer visualization.

Abstract: Computer-readable storage media, methods and systems are provided for managing firmware on a plurality of field-replaceable units (“FRU”) (12). An aspect of installed firmware of the FRU (12) may be compared to an aspect of a firmware bundle. The firmware bundle may contain one or more images that are expected to be installed on the plurality of FRUs (10, 20) already or that are intended to be installed. A mismatch indication may be produced where the aspect of the installed firmware does not match the aspect of the firmware bundle.

Abstract: Computer-readable storage media, methods and systems are provided for managing firmware on a plurality of field-replaceable units (“FRU”) (12). An aspect of installed firmware of the FRU (12) may be compared to an aspect of a firmware bundle. The firmware bundle may contain one or more images that are expected to be installed on the plurality of FRUs (10, 20) already or that are intended to be installed. A mismatch indication may be produced where the aspect of the installed firmware does not match the aspect of the firmware bundle.

Abstract: In various embodiments of the present invention, a first software entity, such as a program, routine, library, or module, authenticates a second software entity by extracting an authentication block from memory, validating the extracted authentication block, and comparing a value stored in the authentication block with a computable or pre-computed authentication value in order to authenticate the second software entity. In certain alternative embodiments, a program can authenticate itself at run-time. Additional embodiments of the present invention include methods for constructing and inserting authentication blocks into software entities to facilitate authentication by the authentication methods that represent embodiments of the present invention.