Patent ID: 7552217

Claim:
A method for automatic firmware image recovery, comprising: determining that a firmware image for server management operational code in a baseboard management controller (BMC) in a recipient system needs to be replaced; sending a message over a network by the recipient system, wherein the message requests a compatible replacement firmware image; negotiating with a donor system based on a received acknowledgement that the donor system has a compatible image, using a predetermined policy to select the donor system from a set of at least one donor system having a compatible image, wherein at least one donor server of the set of at least one donor system sends an acknowledgement to the recipient system in response to the sent message, and negotiating further comprises: receiving a message request by at least one donor system in the network; determining whether the donor system has a compatible image; and when the donor system has a compatible image, sending an acknowledgement and offer to the recipient system; uploading the compatible image sent by the donor system to the recipient system; and updating the recipient system server management firmware with the uploaded compatible image.