Computing device and method for wireless remote boot in a networked environment

Abstract

In some embodiments, a secure authenticated remote boot of computing device over a wireless network is performed in a pre-boot execution environment (PXE) using active management technology (AMT) for remote discovery. In these embodiments, a management engine (ME) may maintain full control of a wireless interface and a wireless connection as booting begins. The ME may relinquish control of the wireless interface after a PXE timeout, in response to a shutdown command, or once the device has booted. The ME controls the use of an operating system received from a remote location.

1 . A method for operating a computing device, the method comprising:
 detecting a wireless network for connection;   initiating a communicative connection between the computing device and the wireless network;   authenticating the computing device on the wireless network;   receiving code to run on the computing device from the wireless network; and   loading an operating system on the computing device using the code.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the code further comprises receiving a first system image from the wireless network. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 identifying computing device components;   testing the computing device components; and   initializing the computing device components.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein initiating the communicative connection between the computing device and the wireless network is performed in response to receiving an uplink event from the wireless network. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 detecting a failure of the communicative connection between the computing device and the wireless network;   detecting a network connection to a server;   receiving a uplink event for the server; and   receiving a second system image from the server.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising booting the operating system on the computing device using a first system image. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the code includes a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) set of instructions and data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is a wireless communication device includes a network interface controller. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a memory storage device to store a set of computer-readable instructions to load an operating system on the apparatus;   a communication module to receive data packet communications including the set of computer-readable instructions from a wireless communication network; and   a pre-boot execution unit including information for storing information used to load the operating system received from a remote source; and   a Management Engine (ME) to implement management functions for the apparatus within a network, the ME to control use of the operating system received from a remote location and as specified in the set of computer-readable instructions.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a processor to execute at least a portion of a set of computer-readable instructions. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the ME is further to implement an Active Management Technology (AMT) function. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a network interface unit; and   a Universal Network Device Interface (UNDI) communicatively coupled to the network interface.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a pre-boot execution unit including a set of computer-readable instructions for downloading the operating system. 
     
     
         14 . A method for performing a secure authenticated remote boot of a computing device over a wireless network in a pre-boot execution environment (PXE) using active management technology (AMT) for remote discovery, the method comprising:
 maintaining full control by a management engine (ME) of a wireless interface and a wireless connection as booting begins; and   relinquishing control of the wireless interface by the ME after a PXE timeout, in response to a shutdown command, or once the device has booted,   wherein the ME is to control use of an operating system received from a remote location.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising using a host embedded controller interface (HECI) application programming interface (API) to communicate with the ME for communicating over the wireless connection, the HECI API to serve as a proxy for the wireless interface when managed by the ME. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising using a universal network driver interface (UNDI) as a host embedded controller interface (HECI) wrapper, the PXE to use the UNDI to communicate with the ME for communicating network traffic over the wireless connection. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the computing device is a wireless communication device configured to communicate in accordance with an IEEE 802.11 standard. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the computing device is a wireless communication device configured to communicate in accordance with an IEEE 802.16 standard. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the computing device is a wireless communication device configured to communicate in accordance with a 3GPP standard for long-term evolution (LTE).