Internet recovery of a windows configuration

• US 10,620,965 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2017
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnissa, LLC
• Original Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roszak, Jason, Newell, Craig, Shantharam, Shravan, Murthy, Varun, Regula, Kalyan, Watts, Blake
• Primary Examiner(s): Rahman, Fahmida
• Application Number:
  US15/466,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20180276003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1417 Boot up procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]

Abstract

Systems and methods are included for causing a computing device to assemble and boot from a managed operating system. When the computing device is powered on, it can execute firmware that specifies a server to contact. The server can identify a base operating system (OS) image to boot, and the location of a pre-enrollment installer for installing the base OS image. The pre-enrollment installer can download the base OS image in one or more pieces from multiple locations. This can include base OS images related to enterprise management and company-specific applications and drivers. Once the pre-enrollment OS has combined the base OS images, the computing device reboots using the combined image.

Claims

1. A computing device that performs Internet recovery, comprising:

a non-transitory, computer-readable medium containing instructions; and

at least one processor that executes the instructions to perform stages comprising;

executing firmware that detects the computing device is unable to load an operating system (OS);

based on detecting the computing device is unable to load the OS, contacting a server specified in the firmware, the server determining whether the computing device is to be a managed device;

downloading a pre-enrollment installer from a management server, the management server being identified to the computing device by the server or the firmware;

installing a first OS image selected by the management server based on ownership information of the computing device, wherein the pre-enrollment installer downloads the first OS image and the first OS image includes a management agent; and

rebooting based on at least the first OS image, wherein the management agent enrolls the computing device in a device management system during reboot, wherein the enrollment is performed using temporary credentials that are deleted by the management agent after the enrollment is complete.

2. The computing device of claim 1, the stages further comprising:

receiving, from the management server, a first address associated with a tenant server; and

receiving OS information regarding the first OS image from the tenant server, wherein the pre-enrollment installer downloads the first OS image using the OS information.

3. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the OS information identifies a version of an operating system.

4. The computing device of claim 1, the stages further comprising downloading a second OS image from the management server that includes a management agent, wherein rebooting is based on the first and second OS images.

5. The computing device of claim 4, wherein the second OS image is selected based on a version of the first OS image.

6. The computing device of claim 4, wherein rebooting causes the computing device to contact the management server to complete an enrollment process.

7. The computing device of claim 4, wherein the first and second OS images are WINDOWS OS images.

8. The computing device of claim 1, the stages further comprising locating the first OS image in a hidden partition of the computing device.

9. A method for Internet recovery of a computing device, comprising:

executing firmware that detects the computing device is unable to load an operating system (OS);

based on detecting the computing device is unable to load the OS, contacting a server specified in the firmware, the server determining whether the computing device is to be a managed device;

downloading a pre-enrollment installer from a management server identified by the server or the firmware;

installing a first OS image selected by the management server based on ownership information of the computing device, wherein the pre-enrollment installer downloads the first OS image and the first OS image includes a management agent; and

rebooting based on at least the first OS image, wherein the management agent enrolls the computing device in a device management system during reboot, wherein the enrollment is performed using temporary credentials that are deleted by the management agent after the enrollment is complete.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, from the management server, a first address associated with the ownership information; and

receiving OS information regarding the first OS image from the first address, wherein the pre-enrollment installer downloads the first OS image using the OS information.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the OS information identifies a version of an operating system.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising downloading a second OS image from the management server that includes a management agent, wherein rebooting is based on the first and second OS images.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second OS image is selected based on a version of the first OS image.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein rebooting causes the computing device to contact the management server to complete an enrollment process.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second OS images are WINDOWS OS images.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising locating the first OS image in a hidden partition of the computing device.

17. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium containing instructions for Internet recovery, the instructions being executed by a processor of a computing device to perform stages comprising:

executing firmware that detects the computing device is unable to load an operating system (OS);

based on detecting the computing device is unable to load the OS, contacting a server specified in the firmware, the server determining whether the computing device is to be a managed device;

downloading a pre-enrollment installer from a management server, the management server being identified to the computing device by the server or the firmware;

installing a first OS image selected by the management server based on ownership information of the computing device, wherein the pre-enrollment installer downloads the first OS image and the first OS image includes a management agent; and

rebooting based on at least the first OS image, wherein the management agent enrolls the computing device in a device management system during reboot, wherein the enrollment is performed using temporary credentials that are deleted by the management agent after the enrollment is complete.

18. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 17, the stages further comprising:

receiving, from the management server, a first address associated with the ownership information; and

receiving OS information regarding the first OS image from the first address, wherein the pre-enrollment installer downloads the first OS image using the OS information.

19. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the OS information identifies a version of an operating system.

20. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 17, the stages further comprising downloading a second OS image from the management server that includes a management agent, wherein rebooting is based on the first and second OS images.