Systems and methods for discovering and downloading configuration files from peer nodes

• US 10,075,385 B1
• Filed: 07/16/2014
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ivanti, Inc. (Ivanti Software, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ivanti, Inc. (Ivanti Software, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thompson, Blake Alan, Olsen, Gregory Paul, McMillan, Rex
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B
• Application Number:
  US14/332,733
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 709220, 709226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45504 Abstract machines for programme code execution, e.g. Java virtual machine [JVM], interpreters, emulators

Abstract

A method for provisioning a managed node is described. The method includes obtaining data indicating a set of resources to be downloaded. The data corresponds to a designated configuration. The method also includes sending parallel resource existence requests to peer nodes for one or more resources in the set of resources. The resource existence requests are sent within a managed network. The method further includes determining if one or more responses from the peer nodes are received. The method additionally includes downloading at least one resource from at least one of the peer nodes if at least one response is received indicating that at least one peer node has a requested resource. The method also includes downloading any remaining resource from an administrative system.

Claims

1. A method for provisioning a managed node, the method comprising:

obtaining, at the managed node and from a management server, a list of configuration files to be downloaded to provision the managed node, wherein the list of configuration files is associated with a designated configuration of the managed node;

sending, from the managed node and to a plurality of peer nodes, a plurality of parallel resource existence requests for a plurality of configuration files having identifiers within the list of configuration files, wherein the plurality of parallel resource existence requests are sent within a managed network;

receiving, at the managed node and from a peer node from the plurality of peer nodes, a response to a parallel resource existence request from the plurality of parallel resource existence requests, the response indicating that the peer node includes a first configuration file from the plurality of configuration files;

downloading, at the managed node, the first configuration file from the peer node based on the response;

downloading, at the managed node, a second configuration file from the management server in response to not receiving an indication (1) in response to at least one parallel resource existence request from the plurality of parallel resource existence requests and (2) indicating that at least one peer node from the plurality of peer nodes includes the second configuration file; and

provisioning the managed node by executing the first configuration file and the second configuration file at the managed node,

wherein the downloading the first configuration file from the peer node improves one of a speed or an efficiency of the provisioning of the managed node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of configuration files to be downloaded is obtained in response to the managed node connecting to the managed network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the peer node is a first peer node from the plurality of peer nodes and the response is a first response to the parallel resource existence request, the method further comprising:

receiving from a second peer node from the plurality of peer nodes, a second response to the parallel resource existence request, the downloading the first configuration file from the first peer node being based on receiving the first response prior to the second response.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second configuration file is downloaded through an administrative link.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the designated configuration is generated by the management server, the management server executing a configuration utility.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of configuration files to be downloaded is generated by the management server, the method further comprising:

receiving, at the managed node, a periodic check for the designated configuration, the obtaining being based on the periodic check indicating that the managed node does not have the designated configuration.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of configuration files to be downloaded is obtained when the managed node is in a pre-boot configuration.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the peer node is a first peer node from the plurality of peer nodes and the parallel resource existence request is a first parallel resource existence request from the plurality of parallel resource existence requests, the method further comprising:

receiving, from a second peer node from the plurality of peer nodes, a response to a second parallel resource existence request from the plurality of parallel resource existence requests, the response to the second parallel resource existence request indicating that the second peer node includes a third configuration file from the plurality of configuration files; and

downloading, at the managed node, the third configuration file from the second peer node based on the response to the second parallel resource existence request.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the parallel resource existence request includes a hash value associated with the first configuration file, the receiving includes receiving the response to the parallel resource existence request based on the peer node identifying the first configuration file based on the hash value.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving includes receiving the response to the parallel resource existence request based on the peer node identifying that an identifier of the managed node is on a whitelist of peer nodes.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the downloading the first configuration file occurs prior to the downloading the second configuration file based on the first configuration file being prioritized over the second configuration file.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the downloading the first configuration file occurs prior to the downloading the second configuration file based on a function of the first configuration file and a function of the second configuration file.

13. A computing device, comprising:

a processor of a managed node; and

a memory of the managed node in electronic communication with the processor;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable to;

obtain, from a management server, a list of configuration files to be downloaded to provision the managed node, wherein the list of configuration files is associated with a designated configuration;

send, from the managed node and to a plurality of peer nodes, a plurality of parallel resource existence requests for a plurality of configuration files having identifiers within the list of configuration files, wherein the plurality of parallel resource existence requests are sent within a managed network;

receive, at the managed node and from a peer node from the plurality of peer nodes, a response to a parallel resource existence request from the plurality of parallel resource existence requests, the response indicating that the peer node includes a first configuration file from the plurality of configuration files;

download, at the managed node, the first configuration file from the peer node based on the response;

download, at the managed node, a second configuration file from the management server in response to not receiving an indication (1) in response to at least one parallel resource existence request from the plurality of parallel resource existence requests and (2) indicating that at least one peer node from the plurality of peer nodes includes the second configuration file; and

provision the managed node by executing the first configuration file and the second configuration file at the managed node,

wherein the download of the first configuration file from the peer node improves one of a speed or an efficiency of the provisioning of the managed node.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the list of configuration files to be downloaded is obtained in response to the computing device connecting to the managed network.

15. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the peer node is a first peer node from the plurality of peer nodes and the response is a first response to the parallel resource existence request, the instructions being further executable to:

receive from a second peer node from the plurality of peer nodes, a second response to the parallel resource existence request, the downloading the first configuration file from the first peer node being based on receiving the first response prior to the second response.

16. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the second configuration file is downloaded through an administrative link.

17. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the designated configuration is generated by the management server, the management server including a configuration utility.

18. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the list of configuration files to be downloaded is generated by the management server, the instructions being further executable to:

receive, at the managed node, a periodic check for the designated configuration, the obtaining being based on the periodic check indicating that the managed node does not have the designated configuration.

19. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the computing device is in a pre-boot configuration when obtaining the list of configuration files to be downloaded.

20. A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium for provisioning a managed node, comprising executable instructions for:

obtaining, at the managed node and from a management server, a list of configuration files to be downloaded to provision the managed node, wherein the list of configuration files is associated with a designated configuration of the managed node;

sending, from the managed node and to a plurality of peer nodes, a plurality of parallel resource existence requests for a plurality of configuration files having identifiers within the list of configuration files, wherein the plurality of parallel resource existence requests are sent within a managed network;

receiving, at the managed node and from a peer node from the plurality of peer nodes, a response to a parallel resource existence request from the plurality of parallel resource existence requests, the response indicating that the peer node includes a first configuration file from the plurality of configuration files;

downloading, at the managed node, the first configuration file from the peer node based on the response;

downloading, at the managed node, a second configuration file from the management server in response to not receiving an indication (1) in response to at least one parallel resource existence request from the plurality of parallel resource existence requests and (2) indicating that at least one node from the plurality of peer nodes includes the second configuration file; and

provisioning the managed node by executing the first configuration file and the second configuration file at the managed node,

wherein the downloading the first configuration file from the peer node improves one of a speed or an efficiency of the provisioning of the managed node.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the second configuration file is downloaded through an administrative link.