System and Method for Information Handling System Image Management Deployment

• US 20110197051A1
• Filed: 02/10/2010
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: McNeill, Campell, Tracey, John, Smithmier, Lawrence, Mullin, John, Ragsdill, Dana, Speers, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,549,272 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/452 Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors

Abstract

Images for information handling system manufacture and maintenance are created and managed by manipulating the images as virtual machines through a secure remote network interface, such as a virtual private network or virtual desktop infrastructure. Operating system and application installation and updates, such as service packs and patches, are performed on a virtual machine of the image to adjust the image as desired, and then the image is transformed for loading on physical information handling systems, such as newly manufactured information handling systems or deployed information handling systems in need of maintenance.

Claims

1. A method for managing an information handling system image, the method comprising:

remotely interfacing with a physical information handling system;

defining an image on the physical information handling system;

launching the image on the physical information handling system, the image launched as a virtual machine;

remotely interfacing with the virtual machine to alter the image; and

saving the altered image.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein remotely interfacing with the virtual machine to alter the image further comprises interfacing with the virtual machine through a virtual private network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein remotely interfacing with the virtual machine further comprises interfacing with the virtual machine through a virtual desktop infrastructure.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein remotely interfacing with the virtual machine to alter the image further comprises loading an application on the virtual machine.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein remotely interfacing with the virtual machine to alter the image further comprises loading an operating system patch on the virtual machine.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein remotely interfacing with the virtual machine to alter the image further comprises performing an update on an application already loaded on the virtual machine.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein saving the altered image further comprises capturing the virtual machine as a physical image loadable on a permanent storage device, the method further comprising:

building a physical information handling system from plural components; and

copying the physical image on the physical information handling system.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein defining an image on the physical information handling system further comprises:

defining a maintenance image having an operating system with one or more customized settings;

defining a manifest having one or more image customizations;

copying the maintenance image, manifest and a build engine to a target hardware; and

setting the image for auto discovery on the next boot.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the operating system customized settings comprise an application installed to run over the operating system.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the manifest image customizations comprise power settings.

11. A system for managing an information handling system image, the system comprising:

an information handling system operable to process information;

a remote interface associated with the information handling system and operable to support communications with a remote device through a network;

a virtual machine system executing on the information handling system and operable to support operation of one or more virtual machines on the information handling system;

an information handling system image for manufacture of information handling systems stored in memory associated with the information handling system; and

a virtual machine imaging system operable to alter the virtual machine image in response to the remote device to define a physical information handling system image for use in manufacture of physical information handling systems.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the virtual machine imaging system is further operable to promote the information handling system to a physical information handling system for manufacture of the physical information handling system having the image copied in permanent storage of the physical information handling system.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the remote interface comprises a virtual private network.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the remote interface comprises a virtual desktop infrastructure.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the virtual machine imaging system alters the virtual machine by loading an application on the virtual machine.

17. The system of claim 11 further comprising a configurator operable to define the information handling system image by:

defining a maintenance image having an operating system with one or more customized settings;

defining a manifest having one or more image customizations;

copying the maintenance image, manifest and a build engine to a target hardware; and

setting the image for auto discovery on the next boot.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the manifest image customizations comprise power settings.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the manifest image customizations comprise network settings.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the target hardware comprises a virtual machine executing on an information handling system.

16. The system of 11 wherein the virtual machine imaging system alters the virtual machine by executing an operating system update on the virtual machine.