Dynamic generation of disk configuration from XML model

• US 20040122793A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Peterson, Nathan J., Mese, John C., Waltermann, Rod David
• Application Number:
  US10/324,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20040122793A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2003/0697 device management, e.g. handlers, drivers, I/O schedulers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A method and system is disclosed for configuring hardfiles of a computer system during original installation on a manufacturing line, reinstallation of the system, or any time a hardfile requires configuration. The method for configuring a hardfile for a computing system includes the steps of: a) abstracting drive configuration parameters into one or more text instructions using a standard generalized markup language; b) creating a model of a virtual hardfile in a memory from the one or more text instructions; and c) generating one or more physical drive configuration scripts to recreate the model in the hardfile.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a hardfile for a computing system, comprising the steps of:

a) abstracting drive configuration parameters into one or more text instructions using a standard generalized markup language;

b) creating a model of a virtual hardfile in a memory from the one or more text instructions; and

c) generating one or more physical drive configuration scripts to recreate the model in the hardfile.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the script generation step c) further comprises parsing the one or more text instructions to resolve dynamically hardware configuration of the hardfile.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the hardfile includes one or more partitions, and wherein the model creating step b) includes the step of b1) creating each virtual partition in the virtual hardfile.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the generated scripts create and destroy a temporary partition.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the temporary partition separates two installed partitions.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the temporary partition spaces a second partition at a desired location on the hardfile.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the generating step c) uses predefined libraries for an arbitrary hardfile imaging tool.

8. A system for configuring a hardfile for a computing system, comprising:

means for abstracting drive configuration parameters into one or more text instructions using a standard generalized markup language;

means for creating a model of a virtual hardfile in a memory from the one or more text instructions; and

means for generating one or more physical drive configuration scripts to recreate the model in the hardfile.