METHOD FOR VIRAL INSTALLATION OF OPERATING SYSTEMS IN A NETWORK

• US 20080127172A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Finn, Peter G., Waters, Timothy M., Dawson, Christopher J., Hamilton, Rick A., Seaman, James W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,312,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A method of viral installation of operating systems in a network includes determining a target group of computers at a master computer, installing an operating system image, the operating system image including a viral installation controller, from the master computer to the target group based on the target group determination, determining a first associated group of computers at least one target group computer, and installing the operating system image and viral installation controller on the first associated group from the target group based on the first associated group determination. A computer readable medium including computer readable code is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of viral installation of operating systems in a network, the method comprising:

determining a target group of computers at a master computer;

installing an operating system image, the operating system image including a viral installation controller, from the master computer to the target group based on the target group determination;

determining a first associated group of computers at least one target group computer; and

installing the operating system image and viral installation controller on the first associated group from the target group based on the first associated group determination.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a second associated group of computers at least one first associated group computer;

installing the operating system image and viral installation controller on the second associated group from the first associated group based on the second associated group determination.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the first associated group comprises:

determining whether additional computers in the network require the operating system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the network is a peer-to-peer network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the first associated group comprises:

determining a delivery threshold for at least one member of the target group, the delivery threshold associated with a maximum number of associated computers.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the determination of the delivery threshold is responsive to network bandwidth.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the determination of the delivery threshold is responsive to a level of network traffic.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

completing the installation of the operating system image on the at least one target group computer; and

removing the viral installation controller from the master computer based on the completing.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether additional computers in the network require operating system; and

removing the viral installation controller from the master computer based on the completing.

10. A method of viral installation of operating systems in a network, the method comprising:

receiving an operating system image from a master computer at a target computer, the master computer and target computer in communication with a peer-to-peer network and the operating system image including a viral installation controller;

determining a first associated group of computers at the target computer, the first associated group of computers in communication with at least the target computer with a peer-to-peer network, and wherein each of the first associated group of computers does not have the operating system image including the viral installation controller; and

installing the operating system including the viral installation controller on at least one of the first associated group from the target computer based on the associated group determination.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining whether additional computers in the peer-to-peer network require installation of the operating system image;

installing the operating system image using the viral installation controller based on the determining; and

removing the viral installation controller from the target computer based on the installing.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein determining the first associated group comprises:

determining a delivery threshold for the target computer, the delivery threshold associated with a maximum number of associated computers.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the determination of the delivery threshold is responsive to network bandwidth.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the determination of the delivery threshold is responsive to a level of network traffic.

15. A computer usable medium including computer readable code for viral installation of operating systems in a network, the medium comprising:

computer readable code for receiving an operating system image from a master computer at a target computer, the master computer and target computer in communication with a peer-to-peer network and the operating system image including a viral installation controller;

computer readable code for determining a first associated group of computers at the target computer, the first associated group of computers in communication with at least the target computer with a peer-to-peer network, and wherein each of the first associated group of computers does not have the operating system image including the viral installation controller; and

computer readable code for installing the operating system including the viral installation controller on at least one of the first associated group from the target computer based on the associated group determination.

16. The medium of claim 15 wherein computer readable code for determining the first associated group comprises:

computer readable code for determining a delivery threshold for the target computer, the delivery threshold associated with a maximum number of associated computers.

17. The medium of claim 16 wherein the determination of the delivery threshold is responsive to at least one of network bandwidth and network traffic.

18. A computer usable medium including computer readable code for viral installation of operating systems in a network, the medium comprising computer readable code for determining a target group of computers at a master computer;

computer readable code for installing an operating system image, the operating system image including a viral installation controller, from the master computer to the target group based on the target group determination;

computer readable code for determining a first associated group of computers at at least one target group computer; and

computer readable code for installing the operating system image and viral installation controller on the first associated group from the target group based on the first associated group determination.

19. The medium of claim 18 wherein computer readable code for determining the first associated group comprises:

computer readable code for determining a delivery threshold for the target computer, the delivery threshold associated with a maximum number of associated computers.

20. The medium of claim 19 wherein the determination of the delivery threshold is responsive to at least one of network bandwidth and network traffic.