Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Multiple computer communication using cryptography – Protection at a particular protocol layer
Utility Patent
1998-07-10
2001-01-02
Iqbal, Nadeem (Department: 2785)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Multiple computer communication using cryptography
Protection at a particular protocol layer
Utility Patent
active
06170059
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to computer systems assets tracking and protection and more particularly to electronic tracking and protection of memory modules.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
Personal computer and workstation systems (computers) are well known in the art. Computers include components such as hard disk drives, dual in line memories (DIMMs), single in-line memories (SIMMs), monitors, central processing units (CPUs), and other components. Computers and their respective components, are highly valuable assets. At the same time, computers and computer components are easily portable and easily reconfigured. The more compact the computers and the computer components the easier it is to transport them. Moreover, the more conforming the computers and computer components are to industry standards the easier it is to reconfigure the computers with exchanged or stolen components.
Thus, assets management, misplacement and theft of computers and computer components present a major problem. As a result, there exists an ever increasing need for improved computer assets management and protection such as security for computers against the unauthorized removal or theft of their components.
In addition, today, computer networks (networks) are employed to provide increased computing power and efficiency to a plurality of computers which are located throughout a large area. Through the network, the plurality of computers are generally interlinked with each other and with a server system or a central processing center. However, the dissemination of the computers throughout the large area compounds the computer assets tracking and protection problem.
Computers provided by IBM Corporation currently carry a tamper detection switch, which can detect when a computer cover has been removed and causes the computers to be functionally disabled on subsequent boots until the user successfully enters an appropriate password. This and other similar mechanisms adequately protects the overall computer system but does not deter theft of the components within the computer, nor does it provide means for tracking computer assets.
Accordingly, a number of methods have been developed for guarding against the unauthorized removal of computer assets. One such method is the use of Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) tags which are widely used in commercial markets for everything from clothing to Compact Disks. When an item with an EAS tag is carried through a portal, the portal sounds an audible alarm to notify security of a tamper event. The EAS tags are attached or embedded in computer systems to provide a notification of when an asset is removed.
Although useful for retail applications, EAS technology is less effective for protecting corporate assets such as computers and computer components. Opportunities may exist for employees to defeat the technology by removing the tags, transferring components through a mail service, or reusing components in other computers within the building.
A second method for guarding against unauthorized removal of computer assets is attaching to them bar code labels which are then readable by bar code readers. However, to read the bar code labels, a direct unobstructed sight line to each of the bar code labels is required. Since computer assets inside a computer will have to be extracted or exposed in order to allow viewing of their bar code labels, this method is ineffective for electronically tracking and protecting computer assets including memory modules.
It is therefore desirable to provide a system and method that provide electronic tracking and protection of computer assets including memory modules. The tracking and protection of computer assets should be automated and easily implemented in various computer systems environments. The present invention addresses such a need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed toward a method, system and computer readable medium (the present invention) for tracking memory modules in a computer system. The present invention includes identifying each of the memory modules based upon identification information added to each of the memory modules by their manufacturer to provide a unique serial number by each of the memory modules; and providing the unique serial number to a display via a browser. The identification information comprises electronically readable information which is preferably stored in an electronically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) and from which the unique serial numbers are generated for identifying the memory modules.
One aspect of the present invention further includes comparing the unique serial numbers with corresponding last known serial numbers, wherein a mismatch in the serial numbers indicates that the corresponding memory modules have been replaced. Another aspect of the present invention further includes copying the unique serial numbers to a radio frequency (RF) enabled memory, wherein the unique serial numbers can be logged utilizing an RF reader means.
The RF reader may be included in an RF gate and/or a hand held device. Computer systems with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology configured in accordance with the present invention enable automated electronic tracking of computer assets such as the memory modules as they pass through the RF gate in or out of a portal. Computer systems with the RFID technology also enable the automated electronic tracking of the hard disk drives or other computer assets via the hand held device. In either case, no direct contact with the memory module is needed for the tracking and reporting.
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Kilmer Gregory W.
Pruett Gregory B.
Ward James Peter
Grosser George E.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Iqbal Nadeem
Sawyer, Jr. Joseph A.
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