Caching based operating system installation

• US 10,185,573 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2015
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vmware LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hiltgen, Daniel K., Cremel, Olivier A., Devine, Christopher P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berman, Stephen D
• Application Number:
  US14/876,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20160026474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0871 Allocation or management of cache space
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0875 with dedicated cache, e.g. instruction or stack
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/2146 being detachable, e.g.. USB memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/452 Instruction code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4408 Boot device selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]

Abstract

An image of system software is installed by loading an executable image of the system software using a boot loader, where the executable image includes a kernel and a plurality of files used by the kernel. The kernel of the system software is executed to generate the image of the system software that includes a copy of the kernel. Generating the image of the system software involves the steps of generating a plurality of pointers that each point to a different one of the files, retrieving the files using the pointers, and storing a copy of the kernel and the files in a storage device from which the system software is to be booted as the image of the system software.

Claims

1. A method of generating an image of system software from an executable image, comprising:

loading an executable image obtained from an external source into a memory, the executable image comprising a kernel, a plurality of files used by the kernel, and a copy of the kernel;

executing the kernel, the kernel being modified during execution;

partitioning a storage device from which the system software is to be booted as the image of the system software according to a partition table;

generating a plurality of pointers, each pointing to a different one of the plurality of files stored in the memory;

retrieving the plurality of files from the memory using the pointers;

compressing each of the plurality of files used by the kernel upon retrieving the files using the pointers;

writing each of the compressed files to a partition in the storage device specified by the partition table;

obtaining a kernel object from a first data object stored in the memory, the kernel object comprising the copy of the kernel included as a file of the executable image, the copy of kernel corresponding to an unmodified version of the kernel;

writing the kernel object to a kernel object partition of the storage device specified by the partition table;

obtaining a boot loader object from a second data object stored in the memory; and

writing the boot loader object to the storage device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the copy of the kernel is not in a compressed form.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the copy of the kernel is one of the plurality of files.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage device is partitioned according to a set of partition rules included in the executable image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of files include at least one directory object.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the executable image includes the partition table.

6. A system for generating an image of system software from an executable image, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to;

load the executable image obtained from an external source into the memory, the executable image comprising a kernel, a plurality of files used by the kernel, and a copy of the kernel;

execute the kernel, the kernel being modified during execution;

partition a storage device from which the system software is to be booted as the image of the system software according to a partition table;

generate a plurality of pointers, each pointing to a different one of the files stored in the memory;

retrieve the plurality of files from the memory using the pointers;

compress each of the plurality of files used by the kernel upon retrieving the plurality of files using the pointers;

write each of the compressed files to a partition in the storage device specified by the partition table;

obtain a kernel object from a first data object stored in the memory;

write the kernel object to a kernel object partition of the storage device specified by the partition table, the kernel object comprising the copy of the kernel included as a file of the executable image, the copy of the kernel corresponding to an unmodified version of the kernel;

obtain a boot loader object from a second data object stored in the memory; and

write the boot loader object to the storage device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the copy of the kernel is not in a compressed form.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the copy of the kernel is one of the plurality of files.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the storage device is partitioned according to a set of partition rules included in the executable image.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of files include at least one directory object.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to generate an install image of system software from an executable image, by performing the steps of:

loading the executable image obtained from an external source into a memory, the executable image comprising a kernel, a plurality of files used by the kernel, and a copy of the kernel;

executing the kernel, the kernel being modified during execution;

partitioning a storage device from which the system software is to be booted as the install image of the system software according to a partition table;

generating a plurality of pointers stored in the memory, each pointing to a different one of the files;

retrieving the plurality of files from the memory using the pointers;

compressing each of the plurality of files used by the kernel upon retrieving the files using the pointers;

writing each of the compressed files to a partition in the storage device specified by the partition table;

obtaining a kernel object from a first data object stored in the memory;

writing the kernel object to a kernel object partition of the storage device specified by the partition table, the kernel object comprising the copy of the kernel included as a file of the executable image, the copy of the kernel corresponding to an unmodified version of the kernel;

obtaining a boot loader object from a second data object stored in the memory; and

writing the boot loader object to the storage device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the copy of the kernel is not in a compressed form.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the copy of the kernel is one of the plurality of files.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the storage device is partitioned according to a set of partition rules included in the executable image.