System and method for custom installation of an operating system on a remote client

• US 20030195995A1
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Tabbara, Bassam
• Granted Patent: US 7,379,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• 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: H04L 67/303 Terminal 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

A platform for remotely installing an operating system on a client machine includes a builder engine, for instance running on a support server. The builder engine may interrogate a remote client, for instance a diskless thin client or a machine having a disk but malfunctioning, and receive a machine state image from that machine. The builder engine may then assemble a customized image or kernel of an operating system such as Microsoft Windows™ for transmission to the client. A file system may be initialized in electronic memory, or otherwise and the machine may commence operation, without having executed an operating system setup process. In embodiments, the client machine may then link to a complete image of an operating system to reinstall a comprehensive version of that system, or perform other tasks.

Claims

1. A system for generating an operating system image for transmission to a remote client, comprising:

a first interface to a client;

at least one product store, the at least one product store comprising operating system elements; and

a builder engine, the builder engine communicating with the client via the first interface and with the at least one product store, the builder engine building a customized image of an operating system from the operating system elements based on a request from the client.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first interface comprises a network.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the network comprises at least one of a local area network and the Internet.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one product store comprises version data.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the builder engine communicates the customized image of the operating system to the client.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the customized image of the operating system comprises an operating system kernel.

7. A system according to claim 5, wherein the customized image of the operating system comprises a complete operating system.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the request from the client comprises hardware profile data.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the hardware profile data comprises at least one of processor information, memory information, plug and play information, and peripheral component interconnection information.

10. A system according to claim 5, further comprising an operating system image store, wherein the builder engine selectively retrieves the customized operating system image from the operating system image store based on the hardware profile data.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the client comprises a diskless client.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the client comprises a client in a fault state.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein the client comprises at least one of a personal computer and a wireless network-enabled device.

60. A client according to claim 1, wherein the request from the client comprises hardware profile data.

61. A client according to claim 60, wherein the hardware profile data comprises at least one of processor information, memory information, plug and play information, and peripheral component interconnection information.

14. A method for generating an operating system image for transmission to a remote client, comprising:

receiving a request from a client to generate an operating system image;

accessing at least one product store, the at least one product store comprising operating system elements; and

building a customized image of an operating system from the operating system elements based on the request from the client.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the step of receiving comprises receiving the request via a network.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the network comprises at least one of a local area network and the Internet.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein the at least one product store comprises version data.

18. A method according to claim 14, further comprising communicating the customized image of the operating system to the client.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the customized image of the operating system comprises an operating system kernel.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the customized image of the operating system comprises a complete operating system.

21. A method according to claim 14, wherein the request from the client comprises hardware profile data.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the hardware profile data comprises at least one of processor information, memory information, plug and play information, and peripheral component interconnection information.

23. A method according to claim 21, further comprising an operating system image store, further comprising selectively retrieving the customized operating system image from the operating system image store based on the hardware profile data.

24. A method according to claim 14, wherein the client comprises a diskless client.

25. A method according to claim 14, wherein the client comprises a client in a fault state.

26. A method according to claim 14, wherein the client comprises at least one of a personal computer and a wireless network-enabled device.

27. A system for generating an operating system image for transmission to a remote client, comprising:

first interface means, for communicating with a client;

at least one product store means, the at least one product store means comprising operating system elements; and

builder engine means, the builder engine means communicating with the client via the first interface means and with the at least one product store means, the builder engine means being for building a customized image of an operating system from the operating system elements based on a request from the client.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein the first interface means comprises a network.

29. A system according to claim 27, wherein the request from the client comprises hardware profile data.

30. A system according to claim 29, wherein the hardware profile data comprises at least one of processor information, memory information, plug and play information, and peripheral component interconnection information.

31. A system according to claim 29, further comprising operating system image store means, wherein the builder engine means selectively retrieves the customized operating system image from the operating system image store means based on the hardware profile data.

32. A system according to claim 27, wherein the client comprises a diskless client.

33. A system according to claim 27, wherein the client comprises a client in a fault state.

34. A system according to claim 27, wherein the client comprises at least one of a personal computer and a wireless network-enabled device.

35. A computer readable medium, the computer readable medium being readable to execute a method for generating an operating system image for transmission to a remote client, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client to generate an operating system image;

accessing at least one product store, the at least one product store comprising operating system elements; and

building a customized image of an operating system from the operating system elements based on the request from the client.

36. A computer readable medium according to claim 35, wherein the request from the client is received via a network.

37. A computer readable medium according to claim 35, wherein the request from the client comprises hardware profile data.

38. A computer readable medium according to claim 37, wherein the hardware profile data comprises at least one of processor information, memory information, plug and play information, and peripheral component interconnection information.

39. A computer readable medium according to claim 37, wherein the building comprises selectively retrieving the customized operating system image from an operating system image store based on the hardware profile data.

40. A computer readable medium according to claim 35, wherein the client comprises a diskless client.

41. A computer readable medium according to claim 35, wherein the client comprises a client in a fault state.

42. A computer readable medium according to claim 35, wherein the client comprises at least one of a personal computer and a wireless network-enabled device.

43. A transmissible operating system image, the transmissible operating system image being generated according to a method comprising:

receiving a request from a client to generate an operating system image;

accessing at least one product store, the at least one product store comprising operating system elements; and

building a customized image of an operating system from the operating system elements based on the request from the client.

44. A transmissible operating system image according to claim 43, wherein the request from the client is received via a network.

45. A transmissible operating system image according to claim 43, wherein the request from the client comprises hardware profile data.

46. A transmissible operating system image according to claim 45, wherein the hardware profile data comprises at least one of processor information, memory information, plug and play information, and peripheral component interconnection information.

47. A transmissible operating system image according to claim 43, wherein the building comprises selectively retrieving the customized operating system image from an operating system image store based on the hardware profile data.

48. A transmissible operating system image according to claim 43, wherein the client comprises a diskless client.

49. A transmissible operating system image according to claim 43, wherein the client comprises a client in a fault state.

50. A transmissible operating system image according to claim 43, wherein the client comprises at least one of a personal computer and a wireless network-enabled device.

51. A client for receiving an operating system image, comprising:

a client, the client generating a request for the generation of a customized operating system image; and

a first interface to a support server, the support server having

at least one product store, the at least one product store comprising operating system elements, and

a builder engine, the builder engine communicating with the client via the first interface and with the at least one product store, the builder engine building a customized image of an operating system from the operating system elements based on the request from the client.

52. A client according to claim 51, wherein the first interface comprises a network.

53. A client according to claim 52, wherein the network comprises at least one of a local area network and the Internet.

54. A client according to claim 51, wherein the client generates the request using at least BIOS code.

55. A client according to claim 51, wherein the client generates the request using at least an operating system resource.

56. A client according to claim 51, wherein the at least one product store comprises version data.

57. A client according to claim 51, wherein the client receives the customized image of the operating system from the builder engine.

58. A client according to claim 51, wherein the customized image of the operating system comprises an operating system kernel.

59. A client according to claim 51, wherein the customized image of the operating system comprises a complete operating system.

62. A client according to claim 51, wherein the support server further comprises an operating system image store, and the builder engine selectively retrieves the customized operating system image from the operating system image store based on the hardware profile data.

63. A client according to claim 51, wherein the client comprises a diskless client.

64. A client according to claim 51, wherein the client comprises a client in a fault state.

65. A client according to claim 51, wherein the client comprises at least one of a personal computer and a wireless network-enabled device.

66. A method for receiving an operating system image on a client, comprising:

generating a request in a client for the generation of a customized operating system image; and

communicating the request to a support server via a first interface, the support server having at least one product store, the at least one product store comprising operating system elements; and

building a customized image of an operating system from the operating system elements based on the request from the client.

67. A method according to claim 66, wherein the first interface comprises a network.

68. A method according to claim 67, wherein the network comprises at least one of a local area network and the Internet.

69. A method according to claim 66, wherein the client generates the request using at least BIOS code.

70. A method according to claim 66, wherein the client generates the request using at least an operating system resource.

71. A method according to claim 66, wherein the at least one product store comprises version data.

72. A method according to claim 66, further comprising receiving the customized image of the operating system in the client.

73. A method according to claim 66, wherein the customized image of the operating system comprises an operating system kernel.

74. A method according to claim 66, wherein the customized image of the operating system comprises a complete operating system.

75. A method according to claim 66, wherein the request from the client comprises hardware profile data.

76. A method according to claim 75, wherein the hardware profile data comprises at least one of processor information, memory information, plug and play information, and peripheral component interconnection information.

77. A method according to claim 75, further comprising selectively retrieving the customized operating system image from an operating system image store based on the hardware profile data.

78. A method according to claim 66, wherein the client comprises a diskless client.

79. A method according to claim 66, wherein the client comprises a client in a fault state.

80. A method according to claim 66, wherein the client comprises at least one of a personal computer and a wireless network-enabled device.