ROLE BASED SERVER INSTALLATION AND CONFIGURATION

• US 20100332632A1
• Filed: 07/24/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Laing, William A., Mason, Andrew T., Macintyre, John, Pletcher, Richard A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/222
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/447 Target code generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/62 Uninstallation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play

Abstract

The described systems and methods are directed at configuring a server based on a selected role. An installation application is configured to install core components in a server where these core components enable the server to perform the basic functions of a network computing device. A role management application is configured to enable a system administrator to select a role for the server and to automatically determine software components associated with the selected role. The role management application is then configured to build the software components and install the components on the server. The role management application is further configured to configure the components for the selected role. The automated installation process performed by the role management application enables a server to be efficiently configured for a particular role without installing other unnecessary components unrelated to the role.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a plurality of core components stored on at least one computer-readable medium that comprises a plurality of components including the plurality of core components and a plurality of role-specific components and a plurality of role manifests, wherein each of the plurality of role manifests identifies a unique role and a portion of the plurality of role-specific components that correspond to the unique role;

installing the plurality of core components onto a computing device;

configuring the installed plurality of core components, wherein the computing device with the configured plurality of core components is configured to perform basic functions of a network computing device, but is not configured to perform any of the unique roles;

receiving a selection of one of the unique roles;

installing, in response to the received selection, the portion of the plurality of role-specific components identified by the role manifest corresponding to the selected unique role; and

configuring the installed portion of the plurality of role-specific components, wherein the computing device with the configured portion of the plurality of role-specific components is further configured to the selected unique role.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining, based on the role manifest corresponding to the selected unique role, the portion of the plurality of role-specific components required for the selected unique role.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving, in response to the received selection, a further selection of optional components related to the selected unique role.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying, in response to the received selection, previously installed components on the computing device that will be affected by further installation and configuration based on the selected unique role.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request to modify an existing role of the computing device;

identifying related components installed on the computing device, wherein the identified related components correspond to the existing role; and

identifying, based on the identified related components, other previously installed components on the computing device that will be affected by modifying existing role.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising determining, based on the affected previously installed components, whether to uninstall the identified related components or to reconfigure the identified related components.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising providing a summary of a result of the uninstall or of the reconfigure.

8. At least one computer-readable storage medium comprising an article of manufacture that includes computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:

identifying a plurality of core components stored on at least one computer-readable medium that comprises a plurality of components including the plurality of core components and a plurality of role-specific components and a plurality of role manifests, wherein each of the plurality of role manifests identifies a unique role and a portion of the plurality of role-specific components that correspond to the unique role;

installing the plurality of core components onto the computing device;

configuring the installed plurality of core components, wherein the computing device that includes the configured plurality of core components is configured to perform basic functions of a network computing device, but is not configured to perform any of the unique roles;

receiving a selection of one of the unique roles;

installing, in response to the received selection, the portion of the plurality of role-specific components identified by the role manifest corresponding to the selected unique role; and

configuring the installed portion of the plurality of role-specific components, wherein the computing device with the configured portion of the plurality of role-specific components is further configured to the selected unique role.

9. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprising determining, based on the role manifest corresponding to the selected unique role, the portion of the plurality of role-specific components required for the selected unique role.

10. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprising receiving, in response to the received selection, a further selection of optional components related to the selected unique role.

11. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprising identifying, in response to the received selection, previously installed components on the computing device that will be affected by further installation and configuration based on the selected unique role.

12. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a request to modify an existing role of the computing device;

identifying related components installed on the computing device, wherein the identified related components correspond to the existing role; and

identifying, based on the identified related components, other previously installed components on the computing device that will be affected by modifying existing role.

13. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 further comprising determining, based on the affected previously installed components, whether to uninstall the identified related components or to reconfigure the identified related components.

14. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 further comprising providing a summary of a result of the uninstall or of the reconfigure.

15. A computing device comprising:

an installer configured for identifying a plurality of core components stored on at least one computer-readable medium that comprises a plurality of components including the plurality of core components and a plurality of role-specific components and a plurality of role manifests, wherein each of the plurality of role manifests identifies a unique role and a portion of the plurality of role-specific components that correspond to the unique role;

the installer further configured for installing the plurality of core components onto a computing device;

the installer further configured for configuring the installed plurality of core components, wherein the computing device that includes the configured plurality of core components is configured to perform basic functions of a network computing device, but is not configured to perform any of the unique roles;

a role manager configured for receiving a selection of one of the unique roles;

the role manager further configured for installing, in response to the received selection, the portion of the plurality of role-specific components identified by the role manifest corresponding to the selected unique role; and

the role manager further configured for configuring the installed portion of the plurality of role-specific components, wherein the computing device with the configured portion of the plurality of role-specific components is further configured to the selected unique role.

16. The computing device of claim 15 further comprising the role manager further configured for determining, based on the role manifest corresponding to the selected unique role, the portion of the plurality of role-specific components required for the selected unique role.

17. The computing device of claim 15 further comprising the role manager further configured for identifying, in response to the received selection, previously installed components on the computing device that will be affected by further installation and configuration based on the selected unique role.

18. The computing device of claim 15 further comprising:

the role manager further configured for receiving a request to modify an existing role of the computing device;

the role manager further configured for identifying related components installed on the computing device, wherein the identified related components correspond to the existing role; and

the role manager further configured for identifying, based on the identified related components, other previously installed components on the computing device that will be affected by modifying existing role.

19. The computing device of claim 18 further comprising the role manager further configured for determining, based on the affected previously installed components, whether to uninstall the identified related components or to reconfigure the identified related components.

20. The computing device of claim 19 further comprising the role manager further configured for providing a summary of a result of the uninstall or of the reconfigure.