CACHING BASED OPERATING SYSTEM INSTALLATION

• US 20160026474A1
• Filed: 10/06/2015
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.), Vmware LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hiltgen, Daniel K., Cremel, Olivier A., Devine, Christopher P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,185,573 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0871 Allocation or management of cache space
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0875 with dedicated cache, e.g. instruction or stack
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/2146 being detachable, e.g.. USB memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/452 Instruction code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4408 Boot device selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]

Abstract

An image of system software is installed by loading an executable image of the system software using a boot loader, where the executable image includes a kernel and a plurality of files used by the kernel. The kernel of the system software is executed to generate the image of the system software that includes a copy of the kernel. Generating the image of the system software involves the steps of generating a plurality of pointers that each point to a different one of the files, retrieving the files using the pointers, and storing a copy of the kernel and the files in a storage device from which the system software is to be booted as the image of the system software.

Claims

1. A method of generating an image of system software from an executable image that includes a kernel, and a plurality of files used by the kernel, comprising:

generating a plurality of pointers, each pointing to a different one of the files;

retrieving the files using the pointers; and

storing a copy of the kernel and the files in a storage device from which the system software is to be booted as the image of the system software.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising compressing each of the files upon retrieving the files using the pointers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the copy of the kernel is one of the files.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage device is partitioned according to a partition table included in the executable image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage device is partitioned according to a set of partition rules included in the executable image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the copy of the kernel is stored in a first partition of the storage device and the files are stored in a second partition of the storage device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the copy of the kernel and the files are stored in a single partition of the storage device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the files include at least one directory object.

9. A system for generating an image of system software from an executable image that includes a kernel, and a plurality of files used by the kernel, comprising:

memory; and

a processor configured to;

generate a plurality of pointers, each pointing to a different one of the files;

retrieve the files using the pointers; and

store a copy of the kernel and the files in a storage device from which the system software is to be booted as the image of the system software.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to compress each of the files upon retrieving the files using the pointers.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the copy of the kernel is one of the files.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the storage device is partitioned according to a partition table included in the executable image.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the storage device is partitioned according to a set of partition rules included in the executable image.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the copy of the kernel is stored in a first partition of the storage device and the files are stored in a second partition of the storage device.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the copy of the kernel and the files are stored in a single partition of the storage device.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the files include at least one directory object.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to generate an image of system software from an executable image that includes a kernel, and a plurality of files used by the kernel, by performing the steps of:

generating a plurality of pointers, each pointing to a different one of the files;

retrieving the files using the pointers; and

storing a copy of the kernel and the files in a storage device from which the system software is to be booted as the image of the system software.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising compressing each of the files upon retrieving the files using the pointers.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the copy of the kernel is one of the files.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the storage device is partitioned according to a partition table included in the executable image.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the storage device is partitioned according to a set of partition rules included in the executable image.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the copy of the kernel is stored in a first partition of the storage device and the files are stored in a second partition of the storage device.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the copy of the kernel and the files are stored in a single partition of the storage device.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the files include at least one directory object.