Patent ID: 8090871

Claim:
A method for providing an internet protocol (IP) address of at least one remote management processor to a management server, the method comprising: configuring an IP address issuing computer to include a plurality of IP addresses that are available and authorized to be assigned to at least one remote management processor which is coupled to a remote hardware server to perform management functions thereon, and to include Option data associated with the at least one remote management processor, such that the Option data comprises an IP address of the management server which is configured to communicate via a network with the at least one remote management processor to access information about hardware resources disposed within the remote hardware server coupled to the at least one remote management processor; sending a request from the at least one remote management processor to the address issuing computer for an IP address to be assigned to the at least one remote management processor; in response to the request, receiving from the IP issuing computer, at the at least one remote management processor, an acknowledgement packet which includes the requested IP address assigned to the at least one remote management processor and the Option data; in response to receiving the acknowledgment packet, executing a local code in the at least one remote management processor such that the local code searches the acknowledgement packet to detect the Option data, and storing in the remote management processor, as a destination address for sending an alert packet, the received IP address of the management server included in the Option data; and in response to the detecting of the Option data, automatically sending the alert packet to the destination address by the at least one remote management processor, such that the alert packet comprises the received requested IP address of the at least one remote management processor, and wherein the alert packet further comprises a shelf life of the received requested IP address.