METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INTEGRATING A CLIENT COMPUTER INTO A COMPUTER NETWORK

• US 20010044839A1
• Filed: 09/15/1998
• Published: 11/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: JENKINS, GEORGE, LOGAN, KEITH, BOURKE-DUNPHY, ERIN MARIE, RAGHAVAN, KARTIK NADIPURAM, INGLE, BILL
• Granted Patent: US 6,449,642 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/222
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An improved method and system for integrating a client computer into a computer network is described. At the server, information is taken from a user'"'"'s account, user input, and the server registry and a series of application configuration files is generated for use by an installation program. A client set-up program automatically configures the client computer for communication with the server. An installation manager installs application programs from the server to the client computer, configuring them according to the application configuration files.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a client computer for communicating with a linked server computer comprising the steps of:

automatically collecting network parameters at the server computer in response to a first user-initiated command, wherein the network parameters comprise server data extracted from a file accessible by an operating system residing on the server computer;

storing the network parameters on a removable computer readable medium for transfer to the client computer; and

in response to a second user-initiated command, automatically installing the network parameters to a file accessible by an operating system residing on the client computer.

2. A computer readable medium having executable instructions for performing the steps recited in

claim 1

.

3. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of automatically collecting network parameters further comprises the step of receiving a client computer name as a user input.

4. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of collecting new network parameters at a server computer further comprises the step of receiving a user name as a user input.

5. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the network parameters include a server name and a domain name.

6. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of automatically installing the network parameters to a file accessible by an operating system residing on the client computer is automatically performed by instructions stored on the removable computer-readable medium.

7. The method of

claim 6

, wherein the instructions perform the step of installing the network parameters by passing the network parameters to an operating system function comprising instructions for editing the operating system-accessible file.

8. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of automatically installing the network parameters to a file accessible by an operating system residing of the client computer further comprises the step of installing a network protocol.

9. The method of

claim 8

, wherein the step of automatically installing the network parameters to a file accessible by an operating system residing of the client computer further comprises the step of binding the network protocol to an interface card associated with the client computer.

10. A method of creating configuration files for use in automatically installing an application program on a client computer from a server computer via network link comprising the steps of:

causing the server computer to collect user-specific data; and

causing the server computer to install the user-specific data into predetermined fields in a template, wherein the template comprises a plurality of data fields for use in configuring the application programs.

11. A computer-readable medium having executable instructions for performing the steps recited in

claim 10

.

12. The method of

claim 10

, wherein the step of causing the server computer to collect user-specific data includes the step of receiving a client computer name as a user input.

13. The method of

claim 10

, wherein the step of causing the server computer to collect user-specific data includes the step of receiving a user name as a user input.

14. The method of

claim 10

, wherein the step of causing the server computer to collect user-specific data includes the step of extracting data representative of server information from a file accessible by an operating system residing on the server computer.

15. The method of

claim 14

, wherein the extracted data includes the server name and domain name.

16. The method of

claim 10

, wherein the configuration file includes a path and a filename of the installation program for the application.

17. A method of installing a plurality of applications on a client computer linked for communication with a server computer comprising the steps of:

prompting a user at the server computer to select the plurality of applications;

storing the selection on the server computer;

accessing the selection in response to a user logon from the client computer; and

using the accessed selection to install the plurality of applications on the client computer.

18. A computer readable medium having executable instructions for performing the steps recited in

claim 17

.

19. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, comprising:

a plurality of data fields having variables automatically replaceable by data representing a configuration for an application program installable onto a client computer via network link.

20. The computer readable medium of

claim 19

, wherein the data comprises a user name and a server name.