Method and apparatus for managing client computers in a distributed data processing system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method in a computer for maintaining a system image for the computer, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:
- identifying an initial state of the system image;
responsive to an event, determining whether a present state of the system image has changed from the initial state of the system image; and
responsive to a change between the initial state of the system image and the current state of the system image, sending an update of the system image to a remote computer for storage.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for maintaining a system image for the computer. An initial state of the system image is identified. Responsive to an event, a determination is made as to whether a present state of the system image has changed from the initial state of the system image. Responsive to a change between the initial state of the system image and the current state of the system image, an update of the system image is sent for storage.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A method in a computer for maintaining a system image for the computer, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:
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identifying an initial state of the system image;
responsive to an event, determining whether a present state of the system image has changed from the initial state of the system image; and
responsive to a change between the initial state of the system image and the current state of the system image, sending an update of the system image to a remote computer for storage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method in a host computer for maintaining system images for a plurality of users at a plurality of client computers in a distributed data processing system, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:
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maintaining a plurality of system images for the plurality of users within the host computer, wherein each system image within the plurality of system images is associated with a user within the plurality of users;
monitoring for a reception of an update to a system image from a client computer within the plurality of client computers;
responsive to detecting the reception of the update to a system image, identifying a system image within the plurality of system images that is associated with the update; and
responsive to identifying the system image associated with the update, changing the system image to reflect the update. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. The method of 15, wherein the client computer is a portable computer and wherein the user logs off the portable computer at a first location and performs the logon at a second location.
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19. A method for computing in a distributed data processing system, the method comprising:
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creating a snapshot image of a first client computer within the distributed data processing system according to a policy;
storing the snapshot image on a server computer within the distributed data processing system in association with a user;
responsive to a log on by the user to a second client computer within the distributed data processing system, determining whether the snapshot image is available; and
responsive to determining that the snapshot image is available, loading the snapshot image onto the second client computer. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A distributed data processing system comprising:
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a network;
a plurality of client computers connected to the network, wherein each of the plurality of computers has a system image and sends updates of the system image for storage in response to a selected event;
a server computer connected to the network, wherein the server computer maintains a copy of each system image as a stored system image, receives an update to a stored system image, and changes the stored system image to reflect the update. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A data processing system for maintaining a system image for the data processing system, the data processing system comprising:
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identifying means for identifying an initial state of the system image;
determining means, responsive to an event, for determining whether a present state of the system image has changed from the initial state of the system image; and
sending means, responsive to a change between the initial state of the system image and the current state of the system image, for sending an update of the system image to a remote computer for storage. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A computer for maintaining system images for a plurality of users at a plurality of client computers in a distributed data processing system, the computer comprising:
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maintaining means for maintaining a plurality of system images for the plurality of users within the computer, wherein each system image within the plurality of system images is associated with a user within the plurality of users;
monitoring means for monitoring for a reception of an update to a system image from a client computer within the plurality of client computers;
identifying means, responsive to detecting the reception of the update to a system image, for identifying a system image within the plurality of system images that is associated with the update; and
changing means, responsive to identifying the system image associated with the update, for changing the system image to reflect the update. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A data processing system for computing in a distributed data processing system, the data processing system comprising:
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creating means for creating a snapshot image of a first client computer within the distributed data processing system on a periodic basis;
storing means for storing the snapshot image on a server computer within the distributed data processing system in association with a user;
determining means, responsive to the user logging on to a second client computer within the distributed data processing system, for determining whether the snapshot image is available; and
loading means, responsive to determining that the snapshot image is available, for loading the snapshot image onto the second client computer. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47)
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48. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for maintaining a system image for the computer, the computer program product comprising:
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first instructions for identifying an initial state of the system image;
second instructions, responsive to an event, for determining whether a present state of the system image has changed from the initial state of the system image; and
third instructions, responsive to a change between the initial state of the system image and the current state of the system image, for sending an update of the system image to a remote computer for storage.
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49. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for maintaining system images on a host computer for a plurality of users at a plurality of client computers in a distributed data processing system, the computer program product comprising:
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first instructions for maintaining a plurality of system images for the plurality of users within the host computer, wherein each system image within the plurality of system images is associated with a user within the plurality of users;
second instructions for monitoring for a reception of an update to a system image from a client computer within the plurality of client computers;
third instructions, responsive to detecting the reception of the update to a system image, for identifying a system image within the plurality of system images that is associated with the update; and
fourth instructions, responsive to identifying the system image associated with the update, for changing the system image to reflect the update.
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50. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for computing in a distributed data processing system, the computer program product comprising:
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first instructions for creating a snapshot image of a first client computer within the distributed data processing system on a periodic basis;
second instructions for storing the snapshot image on a server computer within the distributed data processing system in association with a user;
third instructions, responsive to the user logging on to a second client computer within the distributed data processing system, for determining whether the snapshot image is available; and
fourth instructions, responsive to determining that the snapshot image is available, for loading the snapshot image onto the second client computer.
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Specification