System and method for the automatic installation and configuration of an operating system

• US 20030046682A1
• Filed: 08/29/2001
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gonzalez, Ignacio Fernandez, Crespo, Alejandro Agudo
• Granted Patent: US 6,854,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A system and a method for installing and configurating a package including an operating system, software products, and applications on end-user computers connected to server computers in a network. The method is based on a pull deployment model where installation is triggered and performed on site by the end-user, using tools provided by an administrator. Based on a predefined machine function, a generation process generates a source file having required parameters to make the installation, those parameters being stored in a centralized configuration database. Response files needed for the installation are generated in turn. The system allows tracking the installation process and reporting its success or failure to the central database.

Claims

1. A system for installing and configurating a package including an operating system, software products, and applications on at least one end-user computer connected to at least one server computer in a network, comprising:

means coupled to the at least one server computer for storing the package and an identification data of the at least one end-user computer;

means for sending the package from the storing means to the at least one server computer based on the identification data of the at least one end-user computer; and

means coupled to the sending means for creating on the at least one server computer an installation program and associated response files based on the identification data, to install said package on the least one end-user computer;

whereby said identification data comprises at least a location data where said at least one end-user computer is installed and a function data that said at least one end-user computer performs in the network.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for assigning to said package said at least one end-user computer location data and said at least one end-user computer function data.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said network further comprises a plurality of end-user computers to be installed with a plurality of packages, and wherein said function information is arranged into a plurality of function classes, each function class identifying a set of end-user computers among the plurality of end-user computers in the network having a common function in the network.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of function classes comprises a client function class and a server function class.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the identification data further comprises information on hardware and software configuration of the plurality of end-user computers in the network.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the storing means further comprises means for up-dating an installation status assigned to each of the plurality of end-user computers.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the storing means further comprises means for up-dating a package status assigned to each of the plurality of packages.

8. The system of claim 3, further comprising means for creating the packages and means for sending said created packages to the storing means.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for performing an initial load of the at least one end-user computer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for performing the initial load comprises a bootable device from which the end-user computer boots.

11. A method for installing and configurating a package including an operating system, software products, and applications on at least one end-user computer connected to at least one server computer in a network, comprising the steps of:

storing into a central repository the package and an identification data of the at least one end-user computer;

sending the package from the central repository to the at least one server computer based on the identification data;

creating on the at least one server computer an installation program and associated response files based on the identification data; and

installing said package on the least one end-user computer;

whereby said identification data comprises at least a location information where said at least one end-user computer is installed and a function information that said at least one end-user computer performs in the network.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of assigning the location information and the function information to the package.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said network further comprises a plurality of end-user computers to be installed with a plurality of packages, and wherein said function information is arranged into a plurality of function classes, each function class identifying a set of end-user computers among the plurality of end-user computers in the network having a common function in the network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of function classes comprises a client function class and a server function class.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the identification data further comprises information on hardware and software configuration of the plurality of end-user computers in the network.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of storing further comprises the step of up-dating an installation status assigned to each of the plurality of end-user computers.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of storing further comprises the step of up-dating a package status assigned to each of the plurality of packages.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of creating the packages and sending said created packages to the central repository.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of performing an initial load of the at least one end-user computer.