Integrated computer server imaging

• US 20070234346A1
• Filed: 02/22/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Power, Brendan, Kramer, Michael, Watson, Eric, Linden, Lee
• Granted Patent: US 7,853,945 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order

Abstract

Computer server installation images can be created by installing and configuring software, such as an operating system and an application, on a computer server with deployment neutral settings and then imaging the server. A plurality of computer servers can be installed using a plurality of computer server installation images. A first server can be installed with a first image, and software installed from the image can be configured with deployment specific settings. A second server can be installed with a second image, and software installed from the image can be configured with deployment specific settings.

Claims

1. A method for installing a plurality of computer servers using a plurality of computer server installation images, the method comprising:

installing a first server of the plurality of computer servers with a first computer server installation image of the plurality of computer server installation images, wherein the first computer server installation image comprises an application, wherein the application has been configured with deployment neutral settings; and

installing a second server of the plurality of computer servers with a second computer server installation image of the plurality of computer server installation images, wherein the second computer server installation image comprises an application, wherein the application has been configured with deployment neutral settings;

wherein installing the first server and the second server comprises configuring the applications of the first server and the second server with deployment specific settings.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first computer server installation image comprises an operating system that has been configured with deployment neutral settings, wherein the second computer server installation image comprises an operating system that has been configured with deployment neutral settings, and wherein installing the first server and the second server comprises configuring the operating systems of the first server and the second server with deployment specific settings.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein configuring the operating system on the second server with deployment specific settings comprises receiving, from the first server over a network, the deployment specific settings for configuring the second server.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

installing a first component of a multi-server application on the first server from the first computer server installation image, wherein the first computer server installation image further comprises the first component of the multi-server application, wherein the first component of the multi-server application has been configured with deployment neutral settings; and

installing a second component of the multi-server application on the second server from the second computer server installation image, wherein the second computer server installation image further comprises the second component of the multi-server application, wherein the second component of the multi-server application has been configured with deployment neutral settings.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring the applications comprises presenting a user interface to a user configuring the applications and receiving the deployment specific settings for configuring the applications from the user via the user interface.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the application installed on the first server provides networking services.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the application installed on the second server provides email services.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

installing a third server of the plurality of computer servers with a third computer server installation image of the plurality of computer server installation images, wherein the third computer server installation image comprises an operating system and an application, wherein the operating system and the application have been configured with deployment neutral settings;

wherein installing the third server comprises configuring the operating system of the third server with deployment specific settings;

wherein installing the third server comprises configuring the application of the third server with deployment specific settings;

wherein the first server is operable to provide a networking service, wherein the second server is operable to provide an email service, and wherein the third server is operable to provide a firewall service.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

after configuring the application on the first server with deployment specific settings, migrating settings and data from a legacy server to the application on the first server.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein a hardware configuration of the first server is different from a hardware configuration of the second server.

11. A method for creating computer server installation images, the method comprising:

installing an application on a computer server, wherein installing the application comprises configuring the application with deployment neutral settings; and

after installing the application, creating a computer server installation image by imaging the computer server;

wherein the computer server installation image is one of a plurality of integrated computer server installation images, wherein the plurality of integrated computer server installation images are operable to install an integrated multi-server environment.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

installing an operating system on the computer server, wherein installing the operating system comprises configuring the operating system with deployment neutral settings;

wherein creating the computer server installation image by imaging the computer server occurs after installing the operating system.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the computer server installation image is a single image comprising the operating system and the application.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein configuring the operating system with deployment neutral settings comprises configuring the operating system with settings that are optimized for a multi-server environment, and wherein configuring the application with deployment neutral settings comprises configuring the application with settings that are optimized for the multi-server environment.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein installing the application comprises configuring the application with at least one deployment specific setting, and wherein creating the computer server installation image comprises running a genericizing process, wherein the genericizing process comprises replacing at least one deployment specific setting with a deployment neutral setting.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein creating the computer server installation image comprises running a genericizing process, wherein the genericizing process comprises removing at least one unique server identification value.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

before creating the computer server installation image, installing one or more additional applications on the computer server, wherein installing the one or more additional applications comprises configuring the one or more additional applications with deployment neutral settings.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein installing the application comprises installing less than all of a plurality of components comprising the application.

19. A computer readable medium having encoded thereon at least one computer server installation image, the at least one computer server installation image comprising:

an operating system configured with deployment neutral settings; and

a plurality of applications configured with deployment neutral settings.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

a plurality of the computer readable medium, wherein the plurality of the computer readable medium are operable to install on a plurality of computer servers to create a multi-server environment.