System for Calculating minimum images to service customer orders

• US 20040210676A1
• Filed: 04/19/2003
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Noto, Gary Patrick
• Application Number:
  US10/419,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20040210676A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57

Abstract

A method for minimizing a number of images needed to install software parts. The method includes identifying a unique combination of software parts, determining a number of base part combinations to service the unique combination of software parts, and generating images stacks to correspond to the number of base part combinations.

Claims

1. A method for minimizing a number of images needed to install software parts, comprising:

identifying a unique combination of software parts;

determining a number of base part combinations to service the unique combination of software parts; and

,

generating images stacks to correspond to the number of base part combinations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the base part is at least one of an operating system, a language and an uninstallable application.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a take rate of the unique combination of software parts.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising

varying the image stack based upon the take rate of the unique combination of software parts .

5. The method of claim 1, wherein

a given order type includes software part order information and base part order information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the identifying a unique combination of software parts includes calculating a unique order information value includes applying a cyclical redundancy checking (CRC) algorithm to part information data to generate a CRC value corresponding to the part information data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the CRC value corresponding to the part information data is stored within a manufacturing database server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising

analyzing part number information to identify certain subsets of software parts having certain qualities.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising

the certain qualities include whether the software parts are installable.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising ‘

preconfiguring certain unique combinations of software parts based upon the analyzing.

11. An apparatus for minimizing a number of images needed to install software parts, comprising:

means for identifying a unique combination of software parts;

means for determining a number of base part combinations to service the unique combination of software parts; and

,

means for generating images stacks to correspond to the number of base part combinations.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the base part is at least one of an operating system, a language and an uninstallable application.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for calculating a take rate of the unique combination of software parts.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising

means for varying the image stack based upon the take rate of the unique combination of software parts.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein

a given order type includes software part order information and base part order information.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the means for identifying a unique combination of software parts includes means for calculating a unique order information value includes applying a cyclical redundancy checking (CRC) algorithm to part information data to generate a CRC value corresponding to the part information data.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the CRC value corresponding to the part information data is stored within a manufacturing database server.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising

means for analyzing part number information to identify certain subsets of software parts having certain qualities.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein

the certain qualities include whether the software parts are installable.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising

means for preconfiguring certain unique combinations of software parts based upon the analyzing.

21. An information handling system for minimizing a number of images needed to install software parts, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing modules for;

identifying a unique combination of software parts;

determining a number of base part combinations to service the unique combination of software parts; and

,

generating images stacks to correspond to the number of base part combinations.