Automated replacement of old computer by new computer in network environment
First Claim
1. For an organization in which multiple computers are connected to a private network, an article of manufacture, comprising:
- a) a computer-readable storage medium;
b) software means, physically configured in the storage medium, for connecting a new computer to the network, without human intervention apart from log-in and verification procedures.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for replacing an existing networked computer with a new computer, as in an organization wherein an employee receives a new computer and must transfer programs and data from an existing computer to the new computer. The new computer, upon arrival, is equipped with an operating system. The invention applies a set of patches to the operating system, to correct known existing issues. The invention (1) installs a set of application programs in the new computer, (2) copies a predetermined set of files from the existing computer to the new computer, (3) establishes default configurations in the new computer, and (4) sets up an electronic mail program in the new computer, which includes correspondence and the address book from the existing computer, and (5) connects the new computer with the network. These processes are undertaken largely without human involvement. Thus, a large fraction of the functionality of the existing computer is replicated on the new computer.
25 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. For an organization in which multiple computers are connected to a private network, an article of manufacture, comprising:
-
a) a computer-readable storage medium;
b) software means, physically configured in the storage medium, for connecting a new computer to the network, without human intervention apart from log-in and verification procedures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. For an organization in which multiple computers are connected to a private network, and each computer is used by a respective user to perform a set of tasks, wherein some tasks involve the network and other tasks do not, an article of manufacture, comprising:
-
a) a computer-readable storage medium;
b) software means, physically configured in the storage medium, for i) connecting a new computer to the network and ii) enabling a user of an existing computer to perform the user'"'"'s set of tasks using the new computer. - View Dependent Claims (9)
-
-
10. For an organization in which multiple existing computers are connected to a network, and all existing computers contain the following core program set:
-
1) a common operating system, 2) an application program A, 3) a common set of configuration parameters for program A, 4) an application program B, and 5) a common set of configuration parameters for program B, an article of manufacture, comprising;
a) a computer-readable storage medium; and
b) software means, physically configured in the storage medium, for establishing the core program set in a new computer, without human intervention apart from possible log-in and verification procedures. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. An article of manufacture, for use with an existing computer connected to a network, comprising:
-
a) a computer-readable storage medium;
b) software means, physically configured in the storage medium, for i) obtaining, from the existing computer, data needed to set up a network account for a second computer; and
ii) setting up a network account for the second computer, using the data. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. An article of manufacture, for use in replacing an existing computer connected to a network with a replacement computer, comprising:
-
a) a computer-readable storage medium;
b) software means, physically configured in the storage medium, for copying i) contents of at least one predetermined directory from the existing computer to a comparable directory in the replacement computer; and
ii) predetermined data from the existing computer to the replacement computer.
-
-
22. An article of manufacture, comprising:
-
a) a computer-readable storage medium;
b) software means, physically configured in the storage medium, for;
i) causing a first computer to transfer predetermined data from the first computer to a storage location remote from the first computer; and
ii) causing a second computer to A) retrieve the predetermined data from the storage location, and B) use the predetermined data to set up a network connection for the second computer.
-
-
23. An article of manufacture, comprising:
-
a) a computer-readable storage medium;
b) software means, physically configured in the storage medium, for;
i) transferring predetermined data from a first computer, which is connected to a network, to a storage location remote from the first computer;
ii) setting up an operating system in a second computer;
iii) setting up a predetermined collection of programs in the second computer, which utilize the operating system; and
iv) retrieving the predetermined data from the storage location, and using the predetermined data to set up a network connection for the second computer.
-
-
24. For an organization in which multiple computers are connected to a private network, wherein one of said computers is used by a person to accomplish a collection of tasks, a method, comprising:
a) running one or more programs which i) enable the person to connect to the network using a new computer; and
ii) enable the new computer to perform the collection of tasks. - View Dependent Claims (25)
-
26. A method for use with an existing computer connected to a network, comprising:
-
a) running first processes on the existing computer;
b) running second processes on a new computer;
wherein the first and second processesi) replicate, in the new computer, functionality of a set of programs contained in the existing computer, ii) replicate, in the new computer, a set of files contained in the existing computer, iii) establish configuration defaults in the new computer, and iv) connect the new computer to the network, without intervention of a human, apart from possibly obtaining the following from a human;
(1) identity information about the human, (2) identity information about the existing and new computers.
-
Specification