System and method for information handling system image network communication

• US 20060095755A1
• Filed: 11/02/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Kamalanathan, Chandar, Jarvis, Marc, Hanes, Kevin, Cox, Tim W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,972,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A system and method for information handling system manufacture analyzes an image to determine a traits definition that identifies the operating system, applications and unique information of the image, such as in a XML file. The image traits definition may be communicated to a manufacture site over a network and used to re-create the image for copying to a manufactured information handling system. Communication of the image traits definition consumes less network and storage resources than communication of the image, thus reducing the time and expense of image transfers to manufacture information handling systems.

Claims

1. A system for manufacture of information handling systems, the system comprising:

an image analyzer operable to accept an image and generate an image traits definition, the image traits definition having a manifest of the image'"'"'s software characteristics and customization settings; and

an image rebuilder distal to and interfaced with the image analyzer through a network, the image rebuilder operable to apply the image traits definition to an image components library to rebuild the image; and

an information handling system burn rack proximate to the image rebuilder and operable to copy the rebuilt image to a manufactured information handling system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the image analyzer comprises:

an image decompressor operable to decompress the image;

a settings engine operable to determine customization settings of the decompressed image and to store the settings in the image traits definition; and

an application engine operable to determine the software characteristics and to store the software characteristics in the image traits definition.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein customization settings comprise video resolution, network and power management settings.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein software characteristics comprise application names, application templates, application forms and application settings.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the image traits definition is an XML file having a schema with plural elements.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the elements comprise an operating system, application, operating system update, custom configuration and desktop setting elements.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the image analyzer is proximate an information handling system manufacturer order site operable to receive images from customers.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the image analyzer is proximate an information handling system customer order site operable to communicate an information handling system order to a manufacturer.

9. A method for manufacture of an information handling system having an image, the method comprising:

creating the image to have an operating system, plural applications and unique information;

analyzing the image to create an image traits definition that identifies the operating system, plural applications and unique information;

communicating the image traits definition over a network to an information handling system manufacture site;

re-creating the image from the image traits definition and a component library having the operating system and plural applications; and

copying the re-created image to a manufactured information handling system.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein creating the image further comprises creating the image at a customer site and analyzing the image further comprises analyzing the image at a manufacturer order site.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising shipping the manufactured information handling system to the customer site.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein creating the image further comprises creating the image at a customer site and analyzing the image further comprises analyzing the image at the customer site.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

communicating the image traits definition from the customer site to a manufacturer order site;

re-creating the image at the manufacturer order site; and

testing the re-created image before communicating the image traits definition to the manufacture site.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the image traits definition is an XML file.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the unique information comprises configuration settings and application templates and forms.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the configuration settings comprise hard disc drive partitions, the operating system, applications, user profile information, video resolution, power management and network settings.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the network comprises the Internet.

18. A method for manufacture of an information handling system with an image, the method comprising:

analyzing the image to create an image traits definition XML file, the image traits definition identifying the image operating system, applications and unique settings;

communicating the image traits definition over a network to a manufacture site;

re-creating the image at the manufacture site with the image traits definition; and

copying the re-created image to an information handling system.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the analyzing further comprises comparing a registry template with the registry of the image to determine at least some of the unique settings.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein analyzing further comprises determining templates and forms associated with at least one image application and storing the templates and forms as unique settings.