Method and apparatus for centralization configuration of data processing systems

• US 20070067500A1
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Vallabhaneni, Vasu, Vo, Patrick, Reyes, Eduardo
• Granted Patent: US 7,447,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for configuring a remote data processing system. A configuration is identified for the remote data processing system to form an identified configuration. The hardware for the remote data processing system is configured. An installation application is sent to the remote data processing system across a communications link after the hardware in the remote data processing system has been configured, wherein the installation application executes on the remote data processing system to configure the remote data processing system. Installation files are sent across the communications link to the installation application executing on the remote data processing system. The installation program uses the installation files to configure install a set of operating systems, install applications, and configure software on the remote data processing system.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for configuring a remote data processing system, the computer implemented method comprising:

identifying a configuration for the remote data processing system to form an identified configuration;

configuring hardware for the remote data processing system;

sending an installation application to the remote data processing system across a communications link after the hardware in the remote data processing system has been configured, wherein the installation application executes on the remote data processing system to configure the remote data processing system; and

sending installation files across the communications link to the installation application executing on the remote data processing system, wherein the installation program uses the installation files to configure install a set of operating systems, install applications, and configure software on the remote data processing system.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sending steps are implemented in server data processing system.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step comprises:

receiving a selection of the configuration from a plurality of configurations.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the remote data processing system is reconfigured from a prior configuration to the configuration identified for the remote data processing system.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the installation files comprises operating system files, application files, and software configuration information.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the remote data processing system is configured as a logical partitioned data processing system.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the configuring step comprises:

identifying hardware configuration information based on the identified configuration to form an identified hardware configuration; and

sending the identified hardware configuration information across a communications link to a hardware configurations system, wherein the hardware configurations system configures the hardware for the remote data processing system using the identified hardware configuration information.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein the hardware configuration system is a computer assembly plant.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein the hardware configuration system comprises hardware and software used to assign hardware in the remote data processing system to a plurality of partitions.

10. A computer implemented method for configuring a remote data processing system, the computer implemented method comprising:

identifying a configuration for the remote data processing system to form an identified configuration;

selecting hardware configuration information based on the identified configuration to form selected hardware configuration information;

sending the selected hardware configuration information across a communications link to an installation application executing on the data processing system based on the identified configuration, wherein the installation application configures hardware resources on the data processing system to form a set of partitions using the selected hardware configuration information;

selecting operating system files for the remote data processing system based on the identified configuration to form selected operating system files;

sending the selected operating system files to the installation application executing on the data processing system, wherein the installation application configures a set of operating systems for a set of partitions on the data processing system using the selected operating system files;

selecting application files based on the identified configuration to form selected application files;

sending the selected application files to the installation application executing on the data processing system, wherein the installation application installs applications on the data processing system using the selected application files;

selecting software configuration information based on the identified configuration to form selected software configuration information; and

sending the selected software configuration information to the installation application, executing on the data processing system, wherein the installation application configures software on the data processing system using the selected software configuration information to form a configured data processing system.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 10 further comprising:

sending the installation application to the remote data processing system across the communications link.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 10, wherein the configured data processing system is configured as a logical partitioned data processing system.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving a request through the communications link for the installation application from an agent on the data processing system.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 10, wherein the computer implemented method is implemented in a server data processing system.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 10, wherein the identifying step comprises:

receiving a selection of the configuration from a plurality of configurations.

16. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable program code for configuring a remote data processing system, said computer program product including;

computer usable program code for identifying a configuration for the remote data processing system to form an identified configuration;

computer usable program code for sending an installation application to the remote data processing system across a communications link, wherein the installation application executes on the remote data processing system to configure the remote data processing system; and

computer usable program code for sending installation files across the communications link to the installation application executing on the remote data processing system, wherein the installation program uses the installation files to configure hardware resources, install a set of operating systems, install applications, and configure software on the remote data processing system for configuring the remote data processing system as a logical partitioned data processing system.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer usable program code for identifying a configuration for the remote data processing system to form an identified configuration comprises:

computer usable program code for receiving a selection of the configuration from a plurality of configurations.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the remote data processing system is reconfigured from a prior configuration to the configuration identified for the remote data processing system.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the installation files comprises hardware configuration information, operating system files, application files, and software configuration information.

20. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable program code for configuring a remote data processing system, said computer program product including;

computer usable program code for identifying a configuration for the remote data processing system to form an identified configuration;

computer usable program code for selecting hardware configuration information based on the identified configuration to form selected hardware configuration information;

computer usable program code for sending the selected hardware configuration information across a communications link to an installation application executing on the data processing system based on the identified configuration, wherein the installation application configures hardware resources on the data processing system to form a set of partitions using the selected hardware configuration information;

computer usable program code for selecting operating system files for the remote data processing system based on the identified configuration to form selected operating system files;

computer usable program code for sending the selected operating system files to the installation application executing on the data processing system, wherein the installation application configures a set of operating systems for a set of partitions on the data processing system using the selected operating system files;

computer usable program code for selecting application files based on the identified configuration to form selected application files;

computer usable program code for sending the selected application files to the installation application executing on the data processing system, wherein the installation application installs applications on the data processing system using the selected application files;

computer usable program code for selecting software configuration information based on the identified configuration to form selected software configuration information; and

computer usable program code for sending the selected software configuration information to the installation application, executing on the data processing system, wherein the installation application configures software on the data processing system using the selected software configuration information to form a configured data processing system.

21. The computer program product of claim 20 further comprising:

computer usable program code for sending the installation application to the remote data processing system across the communications link.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the configured data processing system is configured as a logical partitioned data processing system.

23. The computer program product of claim 20 further comprising:

computer usable program code for receiving a request through the communications link for the installation application from an agent on the data processing system.

24. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the computer usable program code for identifying a configuration for the remote data processing system to form an identified configuration comprises:

computer usable program code for receiving a selection of the configuration from a plurality of configurations.

25. A data processing system comprising:

a bus;

a communications unit connected to the bus;

a memory connected to the bus, wherein the storage device includes a set of computer usable program code; and

a processor unit connected to the bus, wherein the processor unit executes the set of computer usable program code to identify a configuration for the remote data processing system to form an identified configuration;

configuring hardware for the remote data processing system;

send an installation application to the remote data processing system across a communications link after the hardware in the remote data processing system has been configured, wherein the installation application executes on the remote data processing system to configure the remote data processing system; and

sending installation files across the communications link to the installation application executing on the remote data processing system, wherein the installation program uses the installation files to configure install a set of operating systems, install applications, and configure software on the remote data processing system.

26. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein the processor unit further executes the computer usable code to receive a selection of the configuration from a plurality of configurations.

27. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein the processor unit further executes the computer usable code, and wherein the remote data processing system is reconfigured from a prior configuration to the configuration identified for the remote data processing system.

28. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein the processor unit further executes the computer usable code, and wherein the installation files comprises operating system files, application files, and software configuration information.

29. A data processing system comprising:

a bus;

a communications unit connected to the bus;

a memory connected to the bus, wherein the storage device includes a set of computer usable program code; and

a processor unit connected to the bus, wherein the processor unit executes the set of computer usable program code to identify a configuration for the remote data processing system to form an identified configuration;

select hardware configuration information based on the identified configuration to form selected hardware configuration information;

send the selected hardware configuration information across a communications link to an installation application executing on the data processing system based on the identified configuration, wherein the installation application configures hardware resources on the data processing system to form a set of partitions using the selected hardware configuration information;

select operating system files for the remote data processing system based on the identified configuration to form selected operating system files;

send the selected operating system files to the installation application executing on the data processing system, wherein the installation application configures a set of operating systems for a set of partitions on the data processing system using the selected operating system files;

select application files based on the identified configuration to form selected application files;

send the selected application files to the installation application executing on the data processing system, wherein the installation application installs applications on the data processing system using the selected application files;

select software configuration information based on the identified configuration to form selected software configuration information; and

send the selected software configuration information to the installation application, executing on the data processing system, wherein the installation application configures software on the data processing system using the selected software configuration information to form a configured data processing system.

30. The data processing system of claim 29, wherein the processor unit further executes the computer usable code to

send the installation application to the remote data processing system across the communications link.

31. The data processing system of claim 29, wherein the processor unit further executes the computer usable code, and wherein the configured data processing system is configured as a logical partitioned data processing system.

32. The data processing system of claim 29, wherein the processor unit further executes the computer usable code to receive a request through the communications link for the installation application from an agent on the data processing system.

33. The data processing system of claim 29, wherein the processor unit further executes the computer usable code to receive a selection of the configuration from a plurality of configurations.

34. A service for configuring a client data processing system for a customer, the service comprising:

receiving a configuration for the client data processing system to form an identified configuration;

configuring hardware resources for the client data processing system form a complete client data processing system;

sending an installation application to the complete client data processing system across a communications link, wherein the installation application executes on the remote data processing system to configure the remote data processing system; and

sending installation files across the communications link to the installation application executing on the complete client data processing system, wherein the installation program uses the installation files to configure install a set of operating systems, install applications, and configure software on the remote data processing system.

35. The service of claim 34, wherein the receiving step comprises:

receiving one of a selection of the configuration from the customer or configuration data generated by the customer to form the identified configuration.

36. The service of claim 34, wherein the configuring step comprises:

sending the identified hardware configuration information across a communications link to a hardware configurations system, wherein the hardware configurations system configures the hardware for the client data processing system using the identified hardware configuration information.

37. The service of claim 36, wherein the hardware configuration system is a computer assembly plant.

38. The service of claim 34, wherein the configuring step comprises:

establishing a communications link with the client data processing system; and

assigning hardware in the client data processing system to a plurality of partitions for the client data processing system.