PXE server with multiple provider model

• US 20070198652A1
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Yaqoob, Asad, Syed, Saad, Dickens, Christopher, Azzarello, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 7,631,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]

Abstract

Multiple providers of application logic are used to deploy and install an operating system image to a client. Each provider configured with application logic designed to deploy and install an operating system image to a distinct class of clients. When a server receives a request associated with deploying and installing the operating system image from the client, the server sends the request to the provider configured with application logic designed to deploy and install an operating system to the client.

Claims

1. A system for installing an operating system boot image on a client in a networked environment, comprising:

a network component, said network component receiving a first packet from the client via the networked environment, said first packet relating to selecting and installing the operating system boot image; and

an application component, said application component receiving the first packet from the network component, said application component parsing the first packet and formulating a response to the parsed packet, said application component transmitting the response to the network component,

wherein the network component formats the transmitted application response into a second packet and transmits said second packet to the client via the networked environment, said second packet relating to selecting and installing the operating system boot image.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the network component determines if the client is authorized, the network component sending the packet to the application component only if the client is authorized.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the application component comprises a plurality of application components, each of said application components configured with application logic to install the operating system boot image for a particular class of clients.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the class of clients include personal computers, server-class computers, personal digital assistants (PDA), digital entertainment computers and point-of-sale devices.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the network component selects an application component from the plurality of the application components and routes the received first packet to the selected application component.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the application component returns a status code to the network component.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the status code indicates at least one of the following:

the application component will not service the client, the application component has completed servicing the client, and the application component is in the process of servicing the client.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the application component is required to register a callback function.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the required callback function includes one or more of the following functions:

a function to shutdown the application component and a function to receive the packet from the server.

10. A system for installing an operating system boot image on a client Pre-Boot Execution Environment (PXE) in a networked environment, comprising:

one or more computer-readable media for storing a PXE packet containing communications relating to selecting and installing the operating system boot image, said PXE packet being transmitted via the networked environment;

a PXE server receiving a first PXE packet from the PXE client via the networked environment; and

a plurality of PXE providers, each of said PXE providers configured with application logic to install the operating system boot image for a particular class of PXE clients, one of said plurality of PXE providers;

receiving the first PXE packet from the server, parsing the first PXE packet, formulating a response to the parsed first PXE packet, and sending the formulated response to the PXE server,

wherein the PXE server formats the received response into a second PXE packet and transmits the second PXE packet to the PXE client via the networked environment, said second PXE packet relating to selecting and installing the operating system boot image.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the class of PXE clients include personal computers, server-class computers, personal digital assistants (PDA), digital entertainment computers and point-of-sale devices.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the PXE provider returns a status code to the PXE server in response to receiving the first PXE packet.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the status code indicates at least one of the following:

the PXE provider will not service the PXE client, the PXE provider has completed servicing the PXE client, and the PXE provider is in the process of servicing the PXE client.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of PXE providers are required to register a callback function.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the required callback function includes one or more of the following functions:

a function to shutdown the PXE provider and a function to receive the PXE packet from the PXE server.

16. A method for installing an operating system boot image on a client in a networked environment, comprising:

transmitting a first packet from the client to a server via the networked environment;

receiving, by the server, the transmitted first packet;

receiving, by a provider, the first packet from the server;

parsing, by the provider, the received first packet;

generating, by the provider, a response to the parsed first packet;

sending, by the provider, the response to the server;

formatting, by the server, the response received from the client into a second packet; and

transmitting, by the server, the second packet to the client via the networked environment.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining, by the server, if the client is authorized; and

sending, by the server, sending the received packet to the provider only if the client is authorized.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating, by the provider, a status code;

returning, by the provider, the status code to the server.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the provider comprises a plurality of providers, each of said providers configured with application logic to install the operating system boot image for a particular class of clients.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

selecting, by the server, one of the plurality of providers; and

sending, by the server, the packet to the selected provider.