METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERING NEW MACHINES IN A SOFTWARE PROVISIONING ENVIRONMENT

• US 20100049838A1
• Filed: 08/20/2008
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: DeHaan, Michael Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,100,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0809 Plug-and-play configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/14 using software, i.e. software packages network security related monitoring H04L63/1408
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

A provisioning server can be configured to include an inventory module. The inventory module can be configured to automatically detect new target machines that are connected to the provisioning environment. Once detected, the inventory module can be configured to determine identification information for the detected target machines. The identification information can include information that uniquely identifies the detected machines and information describing the detected machines. The inventory module can be configured to enter the identification information in an inventory of machines in the provisioning environment. Once registered, the provisioning server can perform provisioning processes on the detected machines.

Claims

1. A method of registering new systems in a software provisioning environment, comprising:

detecting at least one new system connected to the software provisioning environment;

determining identification information associated with the at least one new system, wherein the identification information uniquely identifies the at least one new system in the provisioning environment; and

registering the at least one system with the software provisioning environment, wherein the registering comprises entering the identification information in an inventory of systems receiving provisioning processes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises a network hardware identification of the at least one system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identification information further comprises network information for the at least one new system, system information for the at least one new system, and identification of software installed on the at least one new system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein registering the at least one new system:

installing predetermined software on the at least one new system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the at least one new system comprises communicate with a system remote associated with the at least one new system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising preforming provisioning processes on the at least one new system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the provisioning processes comprise:

retrieving at least one software distribution;

linking a configuration file to the at least one distribution;

receiving information indicating a system remote that will assist in installing the at least one software distribution on the at least one new system;

receiving update information for the at least one software distribution; and

installing, automatically, the at least one software distribution and update information on the at least one system based on the configuration file and with the assistance of the system remote.

8. A system for registering new systems in a software provisioning environment, comprising:

a network interface to a network comprises at least one new system; and

a provisioning server, communicating with the network interface, the provisioning server being configured to

detect at least one new system connected to the software provisioning environment;

determine identification information associated with the at least one new system, wherein the identification information uniquely identifies the at least one new system in the provisioning environment; and

register the at least one system with the software provisioning environment, wherein the registering comprises entering the identification information in an inventory of systems receiving provisioning processes.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the identification information comprises a network hardware identification of the at least one system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the identification information further comprises network information for the at least one new system, system information for the at least one new system, and identification of software installed on the at least one new system.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein registering the at least one new system:

installing predetermined software on the at least one new system.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein detecting the at least one new system comprises communicate with a provisioning client installed on the at least one new system.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the provisioning server is further configured to preform provisioning processes on the at least one new system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the provisioning processes comprise:

retrieving at least one software distribution;

linking a configuration file to the at least one distribution;

receiving information indicating a system remote that will assist in installing the at least one software distribution on the at least one new system;

receiving update information for the at least one software distribution; and

installing, automatically, the at least one software distribution and update information on the at least one system based on the configuration file and with the assistance of the system remote.

15. A provisioning application, the provisioning application being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising instructions for causing a computer to perform a method comprising:

detecting at least one new system connected to the software provisioning environment;

determining identification information associated with the at least one new system, wherein the identification information uniquely identifies the at least one new system in the provisioning environment; and

registering the at least one system with the software provisioning environment, wherein the registering comprises entering the identification information in an inventory of systems receiving provisioning processes.

16. The provisioning application of claim 15, wherein the identification information comprises a network hardware identification of the at least one system.

17. The provisioning application of claim 16, wherein the identification information further comprises network information for the at least one new system, system information for the at least one new system, and identification of software installed on the at least one new system.

18. The provisioning application of claim 15, wherein registering the at least one new system:

installing predetermined software on the at least one new system.

19. The provisioning application of claim 15, wherein detecting the at least one new system comprises communicate with a system remote associated with the at least one new system.

20. The provisioning application of claim 15, further comprising preforming provisioning processes on the at least one new system.

21. The provisioning application of claim 20, wherein the provisioning processes comprise:

retrieving at least one software distribution;

linking a configuration file to the at least one distribution;

receiving information indicating a system remote that will assist in installing the at least one software distribution on the at least one new system;

receiving update information for the at least one software distribution; and

installing, automatically, the at least one software distribution and update information on the at least one system based on the configuration file and with the assistance of the system remote.

22. A method of registering new systems in a software provisioning environment, comprising:

receiving a request to identify at least one system being connected to the provisioning environment;

determining identification information associated with the at least one new system, wherein the identification information uniquely identifies the at least one new system in the provisioning environment; and

transmitting the identification information to a provisioning server for registering the at least one new system in the provisioning environment.