Method and system for deploying a software image

• US 20070046791A1
• Filed: 08/26/2005
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Microelectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Xpoint Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Maldaner, Juliano, Wang, Frank, Goldflam, Michael, Aiken, Scott, Kelly, Dennis
• Granted Patent: US 8,336,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.600
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order

Abstract

A method and system for efficiently deploying (also sometimes referred to as distributing and/or installing) a computer device'"'"'s software image using a single portable image using an alternate partition for loading the image on the storage (hard drive) along with selected patches chosen for the configuration of the computer. The single image is processed using delta image patching technology to allow the single image to be customized and operable (work on) the particular computer, where the single portable image is adapted to operate on a large number of diverse computer device platforms.

Claims

1. A method of using a single image to load a customized image including an operating system on different device types where the single image includes a base image portion suitable for any of the different device types and a plurality of different patches, at least one of which is suitable for one of the device types, the steps of the method comprising:

using a temporary operating system onto one target device onto which the image is to be loaded and operated;

determining at least one characteristic of the device onto which the image is to be loaded, using the temporary operating system;

selecting at least one patch from the plurality of patches based on the determined characteristic of the device;

configuring the image to at least one determined characteristic of the device onto which the image is to be loaded by adding the selected at least one patch to the base image portion; and

loading the configured image on the target device and operating the target device with the image which has been configured for that device.

2. A method of loading a customized image onto a target device including the steps of claim 1 wherein the step of using a temporary operating system includes the step of using the operating system previously installed on the target device, where the target device includes a previously-installed and operational operating system and the method includes the step of providing another operating system in a different partition as a result of the method.

3. A method of loading a customized image onto a target device including the steps of claim 1 wherein the step of using a temporary operating system includes the step of providing a temporary operating system as a part of the image.

4. A method of loading a customized image onto a target device including the steps of claim 1 wherein the step of using a temporary operating system includes the step of downloading a temporary operating system from a network to which the target device is attached.

5. A method of loading a customized image onto a target device including the steps of claim 1 wherein the step of determining at least one characteristic includes the step of running a detection script on the target device.

6. A method of loading a customized image onto a target device including the steps of claim 1 wherein the step of determining at least one characteristic of the target device includes the step of obtaining an input from a user of the target device including at least one characteristic of the target device.

7. A method of loading a customized image onto a target device including the steps of claim 1 wherein the step of configuring the image is performed at the target device operating under the control of the temporary operating system.

8. A method of loading a customized image onto a target device including the steps of claim 1 wherein the step of configuring the image is performed remote from the target device based on the determined characteristic and the customized image is supplied to the target device and loaded thereon.

9. A method of loading a customized image onto a target device including the steps of claim 9 wherein the step of configuring the image is performed in a system remote from the target device and the configured image is transmitted via a network to the target device, then loaded into the target device using a temporary operating system.

10. A method of using a single common image for operating at least two different types of machines having different configurations, the steps of the method comprising:

providing in the single common image a base image including an operating system for the machine on which it is to be installed and a plurality of patches, each of which is associated with a particular machine configuration;

storing a plurality of patches for the base image to customize the base image for one of at least two different machine configurations;

providing a temporary operating system for a first target machine onto which the image is to be installed;

determining the configuration of the first target machine;

selecting at least one of the plurality of patches from the single common image based on the determined type of machine for the first target machine and including the selected patch with the base image to form a customized image for the be installed on the first target machine;

loading the customized image onto the first target machine and using the customized image for operating the first target machine;

providing a temporary operating system for a second target machine, where the second target machine has a different configuration from the from the first target machine;

determining the configuration of the second target machine;

selecting at least one of the plurality of patches from the single common image based on the determined type of machine for the second target machine and using the selected patches together with the same single common base image to form a customized image for the second target machine, where, since the second target machine has a different configuration from the first target machine, the customized image may include at least one patch which differs from the patch chosen for the first target machine, in which case the customized images for the two target machines will be different even though they are formed from the same single common image; and

loading the customized image for the second target machine onto the second target machine and operating the second target machine using the customized image.

11. A method of using a common image to install an image on two different kinds of machines as set forth in claim 10 wherein the step of determining the configuration of at least one of the target machines includes the step of running a program to determine the configuration of that one target machine.

12. A method of using a common image to install an image on two different kinds of machines as set forth in claim 10 wherein the step of determining the configuration of the target machine includes the step of receiving a user input regarding at least one aspect of the configuration of the target machine, and wherein the step of selecting one of more patch is based on user input of the configuration.

13. A method of using a common image to install an image on two different kinds of machines as set forth in claim 12 wherein the method further includes the step of verifying the accuracy of the user input.

14. A method of using a common image to install an image on two different kinds of machines as set forth in claim 10 wherein one of the machines is a blade system with a display and the step of providing an image includes the step of storing the image on the blade device.

15. A method of using a common image to install an image on two different kinds of machines as set forth in claim 10 wherein the step of determining the configuration of at least one of the target machines includes the step of using the operating system previously installed on the target device of at least one of the target machines, where the target device includes a previously-installed and operational operating system and the method includes the step of providing another operating system in a different partition as a result of the method.

16. A method of using a common image to install an image on two different kinds of machines as set forth in claim 10 wherein the step of using a temporary operating system includes the step of providing a temporary operating system as a part of the image to at least one of the target devices.

17. A method of using a common image to install an image on two different kinds of machines as set forth in claim 10 wherein the step of using a temporary operating system includes the step of downloading a temporary operating system from a network to which the at least one of the target devices is attached.

18. A method of using a common image to install an image on two different kinds of machines as set forth in claim 10 wherein the step of determining at least one characteristic of at least one of the target devices includes the step of obtaining an input from a user of the target device including at least one characteristic of the target device.

19. A method of using a common image to install an image on two different kinds of machines as set forth in claim 10 wherein the step of configuring the image is performed at the target device of at least one of the devices operating under the control of the temporary operating system.

20. A method of using a common image to install an image on two different kinds of machines as set forth in claim 10 wherein the step of configuring the image is performed remote from at least one of the target devices based on the determined characteristic and the customized image is supplied to the target device and loaded thereon.

21. A method of using a common image to install an image on two different kinds of machines as set forth in claim 10 wherein the step of configuring the image is performed in a system remote from at least one of the target devices and the configured image is transmitted via a network to the target device, then loaded into the target device using a temporary operating system.

22. A program stored on media which comprises the following components

a first module which includes a temporary operating system;

a second module which includes a common image;

a third module which includes a plurality of patches for the common image, each of which patches is associated with at least one configuration of a target machine;

a fourth module which includes a mechanism for determining the configuration of a target machine;

a fifth module which is responsive to the fourth module and the determined configuration of the target machine and the third module which includes the plurality of patches based on the configuration of the target machine, whereby at least one patch may be selected based on the determined configuration of the target machine; and

a sixth module for using the selected at least one patch and the common image to create a customized image and for installing the customized image on a primary partition of the target machine for operating the target machine after the customized image is installed on the target machine.

23. A system for deploying a software image onto a target personal computer, the system comprising:

a device which stores a common image which is useful for various types of personal computers and a plurality of patches, each of which is suitable for customizing the common image for a particular configuration of the personal computer;

a configuration determining system which determines the configuration of the target personal computer;

a table which correlates one or more patches with an identified configuration of the target personal computer and allows selection of one or more patch(es) which are combined with the common image to form a customized image for the target personal computer based on its configuration;

a temporary operating system which can be loaded onto the target personal computer for the purpose of determining the configuration of the target personal computer and for loading the customized image onto the target personal computer; and

a loader for loading the customized image onto the primary partition of the target personal computer and thereafter operating the target personal computer from the customized image in the primary partition.

24. A system for deploying a software image including the elements of claim 23 wherein the system further includes a system for determining whether the target personal computer contains an operational operating system, and if an operational operating system is found, prevents the loading of the temporary operating system.