Method and system for loading a software platform onto a computer system

• US 20030041236A1
• Filed: 08/22/2001
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AirBNB Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Nestoryak, Philip C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,500,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]

Abstract

A method and system for loading a software platform onto a computer system is provided. The method and system allow a user to designate a target computer system by entering computer model and submodel identifiers, and to select a particular software platform. A control file pertaining to the selected software platform is then located and queried to identify an entry in the control file having computer model identifiers and submodel identifiers that match the entered identifiers. If a match is established, support data from the identified entry is displayed. Based upon the support data, a boot disk can be created and the selected software platform can loaded onto the designated computer system.

Claims

1. A method for loading a software platform onto a computer system, comprising the following steps.

providing a control file having entries of computer system identifiers;

designating a computer system and a software platform using an interface; and

querying the control file to identify an entry having computer system identifiers that pertain to the designated computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

creating a boot disk; and

loading the designated software platform onto the designated computer system using the boot disk.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the designating step comprises the steps of:

entering particular computer system identifiers into the interface; and

selecting a particular software platform using the interface.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the entering step comprises the steps of:

entering a particular computer model identifier into the interface; and

entering a particular computer submodel identifier into the interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the entries in the control file further comprise support data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the support data comprises licensing data and technical data.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of displaying the support data from the identified entry.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the designated software platform is loaded onto the computer system based upon the support data.

9. A method for loading a software platform onto a computer system, comprising the following steps:

providing a control file having entries, wherein each entry comprises computer system identifiers and support data;

entering particular computer system identifiers into an interface;

selecting a particular software platform using the interface;

querying the control file to identify an entry having computer system identifiers that match the entered computer system identifiers; and

loading the selected software platform onto a computer system having the entered computer system identifiers.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of displaying the support data corresponding to the identified entry.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the software platform is loaded based upon the displayed support data.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the support data comprises licensing data and technical data.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the computer system identifiers comprise a computer model identifier and a computer sub model identifier.

14. A method for loading a software platform onto a computer system, comprising the following steps:

entering a particular computer model identifier and a particular computer submodel identifier into an interface;

selecting a particular software platform using the interface;

locating a control file having entries, wherein each entry comprises computer model identifiers, computer submodel identifiers, and support data;

querying the located control file to identify an entry having a computer model identifier and a computer submodel identifier that match the entered computer model identifier and computer submodel identifier;

displaying the support data from the identified entry; and

loading the selected software platform onto a computer system having the entered identifiers based upon the displayed support data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the support data comprises licensing data and technical data.

16. A system for loading a software platform onto a computer system, comprising:

an interface for entering computer system identifiers and for selecting a software platform;

a query system for querying a control file to identify an entry in the control file having computer system identifiers that match the entered computer system identifiers; and

a boot system for creating a boot disk for the selected software platform to be loaded onto a computer system having the entered computer system identifiers.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the interface comprises:

an entry system for entering computer system identifiers; and

a selection system for selecting a software platform.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer system identifiers comprise a computer model identifier and a computer sub model identifier.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the control file comprises entries, and wherein each entry includes computer system identifiers and support data.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a display system for displaying the support data from the identified entry.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the selected software platform is loaded onto the computer system based upon the displayed support data.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the selected software platform is an operating system.

23. A system for loading a software platform onto a computer system, comprising:

an entry system for entering computer system identifiers;

a selection system for selecting a software platform;

a query system for querying a control file to identify an entry having computer system identifiers that match the entered computer system identifiers; and

a boot system for creating a boot disk for the selected software platform to be loaded onto a computer system having the entered computer system identifiers.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the entry system and the selection system comprise an interface.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the computer system identifiers comprise a computer model identifier and a computer submodel identifier.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the control file comprises entries, and wherein each entry includes a computer model identifier, a computer submodel identifier, and support data.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising a display system for displaying the support data from the identified entry.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the selected software platform is loaded onto the computer system based upon the displayed support data.

29. A system for loading a software platform onto a computer system, comprising:

an interface having;

an entry system for entering a computer model identifier and a computer submodel identifier; and

a selection system for selecting a software platform;

a query system for querying a control file to identify an entry in the control file having a computer model identifier and a computer submodel identifier that match the entered computer model identifier and computer submodel identifier;

a display system for displaying support data from the identified entry; and

a boot system for creating a boot disk for the selected software platform to be loaded onto a computer system having the entered computer model identifier and computer submodel identifier.

30. A program product stored on a recordable medium for loading a software platform onto a computer system, which when executed, comprises:

an interface for entering computer system identifiers and for selecting a software platform;

a query system for querying a control file to identify an entry in the control file having computer system identifiers that match the entered computer system identifiers; and

a boot system for creating a boot disk for the selected software platform to be loaded onto a computer system having the entered computer system identifiers.

31. The program product of claim 30, wherein the interface comprises:

an entry system for entering computer system identifiers; and

a selection system for selecting a software platform identifier.

32. The program product of claim 30, wherein the computer system identifiers comprise a computer model identifier and a computer sub model identifier.

33. The program product of claim 30, wherein the control file comprises entries, and wherein each entry includes computer system identifiers and support data.

34. The program product of claim 33, further comprising a display system for displaying the support data from the identified entry, wherein the software platform is loaded based upon the displayed support data.

35. A program product stored on a recordable medium for loading a software platform onto a computer system, which when executed, comprises:

an interface for entering computer system identifiers and for selecting a software platform;

program code configured to query a control file to identify an entry in the control file having computer system identifiers that match the entered computer system identifiers;

program code configured to display support data from the identified entry; and

program code configured to create a boot disk for the selected software platform to be loaded onto a computer system having the entered computer system identifiers.