Method and system for dynamically purposing a computing device
First Claim
1. A method for preparing a computing device that is purposed to perform a first function to be purposed to perform a second function by operating with a new target system image, the computing device having a computer readable storage medium comprising a first target partition and a second target partition, wherein the first target partition is the active partition and the computing device is connected to a network, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a prompt to initiate a repurposing operation; and
transferring the new target system image to the second target partition, whereby the computing device continues to perform the first function while the steps of the method are performed.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for purposing a computing device is disclosed. The computing devices in a network are organized into groups referred to as Pods, each Pod of computing devices further comprising an aggregation node. The aggregation node monitors and controls the computing devices in the Pod. The aggregation node is used to copy a system image from the pristine partition of another computer device or from a library of system images to a target partition of the computer to be repurposed. Because the computing devices in the network are organized into Pods, with each Pod having an aggregation node, there is no single point of failure for the entire management and control of the network. The aggregation nodes for each Pod in the network can communicate with one another to most efficiently allocate resources among the various tasks to be performed by the computing resources in the network. Computing devices in the network can be repurposed and/or reassigned to different Pods based on the various criteria.
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Citations
53 Claims
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1. A method for preparing a computing device that is purposed to perform a first function to be purposed to perform a second function by operating with a new target system image, the computing device having a computer readable storage medium comprising a first target partition and a second target partition, wherein the first target partition is the active partition and the computing device is connected to a network, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a prompt to initiate a repurposing operation; and
transferring the new target system image to the second target partition, whereby the computing device continues to perform the first function while the steps of the method are performed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for dynamically repurposing computing devices in a network, wherein the network is comprised of at least a first Pod and a second Pod, at least a first computing device and at least a first aggregation node being associated with the first Pod, and at least a second computing device and at least a second aggregation node being associated with the second Pod, the at least first and second computing devices each having a computer readable storage medium comprising a default partition, a target partition and a pristine partition, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a prompt to perform a repurposing operation on the first computing device;
booting the first computing device from the default partition, the default partition having a default operating system;
installing a new target system image on the target partition of the first computing device; and
booting the first computing device from the target partition having the new target system image. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for dynamically repurposing at least one computing device in a network of computing devices, comprising:
- a first Pod of computing devices comprised of at least a first computing device purposed to perform a first task;
the at least first computing device including a computer readable storage medium comprising a default partition, a target partition and a pristine partition;
a second Pod of computing devices comprised of at least a second computing device purposed to perform a second task;
the at least second computing device including a computer readable storage medium comprising a pristine partition having a pristine copy of a target system image;
at least one aggregation node for monitoring the first Pod of computing devices and for managing the transfer of the pristine copy of the target system image from the pristine partition of the second computing device to the target partition of the first computing device; and
a communication infrastructure for linking the aggregation node and the first and second Pods of computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
- a first Pod of computing devices comprised of at least a first computing device purposed to perform a first task;
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30. A method for purposing a computing device having a computer readable storage medium comprising a default partition and a target partition, wherein the computing device is connected to a computing network and is a member of a Pod within the network comprised of at least one computing device, the Pod further comprising at least one aggregation node for monitoring and managing the computing devices that comprise the Pod, comprising the steps of:
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installing a default operating system image on the default partition, the default operating system image including a service for providing a status of the computing device to the aggregation node;
booting the computing device from the default partition having the default operating system;
installing a target system image on the target partition of the computer readable storage medium; and
booting the computing device from the target partition having the target system image. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for purposing computing devices in a network, wherein the network is comprised of at least a first Pod and a second Pod, at least a first computing device and at least a first aggregation node being associated with the first Pod, and at least a second computing device and at least a second aggregation node being associated with the second Pod, the at least first and second computing devices each having a computer readable storage medium having a default partition, a target partition and a pristine partition, which, when executed, comprise:
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booting the first computing device from the default partition having a default operating system;
installing a new target system image on the target partition of the first computing device; and
booting the first computing device from the target partition having the new target system image. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method for dynamically preparing an operating system for a computing device in a network based on a hardware profile of the computing device, the method comprising the steps of:
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adding the computing device as a node in the network;
running a program module to determine the hardware profile of the computing device;
providing a specific operating system based on the hardware profile of the computing device;
installing the specific operating system on the computing device. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53)
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Specification