Automatic reduction of data noise in installation packages for a computer system

• US 6,535,915 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1999
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Valys, David T., McGlothlin, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): CALDWELL, ANDREW T
• Application Number:
  US09/405,862
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220-222, 717/168-178, 713/1, 713/100
• US Class Current: 709/222
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

In a method for reduction of data noise in installation packages for a computer system, a first change list is established based upon a set of differences resulting from installation of a configuration change or a vendor product on a first computer system. A second change list is established based upon a set of differences resulting from installation of the configuration change or the vendor product on a second computer system. The first change list is compared with the second change list to produce a resultant change list including an intersecting set of changes. The intersecting set includes common changes between installations on the first computer system and the second computer system, accordingly filtering out of randomly generated installation noise. A re-engineered installation package is created using the intersecting set of changes. The re-engineered installation package is suitable for downloading of a re-engineered installation of the configuration change or the vendor product onto at least one target computer system in a build-to-order manufacturing process.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a first change list based upon a set of differences resulting from installation of a configuration change on a first computer system;

establishing a second change list based upon a set of differences resulting from installation of the configuration change on a second computer system; and

comparing the first change list with the second change list to produce a resultant change list including an intersecting set of changes, wherein the intersecting set includes common changes between installations on the first computer system and the second computer system for the filtering out of randomly generated installation noise.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

establishing the first change list includes:

capturing a first snap shot of a first computer system configuration, the first computer system configuration having at least an operating system;

running a vendor install program for installing a vendor product onto the first computer system;

capturing a second snap shot of the first computer system configuration, the first computer system configuration having the at least one operating system and the vendor product; and

determining a first set of differences between the first and second snap shots of the first computer system configuration and producing the first change list based upon the first set of differences; and

establishing the second change list includes;

capturing a first snap shot of a second computer system configuration, the second computer system configuration having at least an operating system;

running a vendor install program for installing a vendor product onto the second computer system;

capturing a second snap shot of the second computer system configuration, the second computer system configuration having the at least one operating system and the vendor product; and

determining a second set of differences between the first and second snap shots of the second computer system configuration and producing the second change list based upon the second set of differences.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes running a third party software installation program.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes rebooting the respective computer system.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes rendering a prescribed configuration change to each of the two computer system configurations.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes rebooting the respective computer system.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes downloading a value added reseller configuration change to each of the two computer system configurations.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes rebooting the respective computer system.

9. The method of claim 2, and comprising

providing apparatus for storing a computer program accessible by an installation development computer system and processable by the installation development computer system for causing the installation development computer system to perform the capturing, running, determining, and comparing.

10. The method of claim 1, and comprising:

creating a re-engineered installation package with the intersecting set of changes suitable for downloading a re-engineered installation of the configuration change onto at least one target computer system.

11. The method of claim 10, and comprising:

providing apparatus for storing a computer program accessible by an installation development computer system and processable by the installation development computer system for causing the installation development computer system to perform the creating.

12. The method of claim 10, and comprising:

providing apparatus for storing a computer program accessible by a computer system and processable by the computer system for causing the computer system to perform downloading of the re-engineered installation of the configuration change onto at least one target computer system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the downloading of the re-engineered installation is through a global network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the downloading of the re-engineered installation comprises:

having the global network include a telephone network for communicating digital signals.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the downloading of the re-engineered installation comprises:

having the telephone network for communicating digital signals through a modem connection.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the downloading of the re-engineered installation comprises:

having the global network include a global computer network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the downloading of the re-engineered installation comprises:

having the global computer network include a network selected from the group consisting of the Internet and the World Wide Web.

18. A method comprising:

establishing a first change list based upon a set of differences resulting from installation of a configuration change on a first computer system;

establishing a second change list based upon a set of differences resulting from installation of the configuration change on a second computer system; and

comparing the first change list with the second change list to produce a resultant change list including an intersecting set of changes, wherein the intersecting set includes common changes between installations on the first computer system and the second computer system for the filtering out of randomly generated installation noise; and

establishing at least a third change list based upon a set of differences resulting from installation of a configuration change on at least a third computer system; and

comparing the first, second, and at least third change lists to produce the resultant change list including an intersecting set of changes, wherein the intersecting set includes common changes between installations on the first, second, and at least third computer systems for the filtering out of randomly generated installation noise.

19. A method comprising:

capturing a first snap shot of a first computer system configuration, the first computer system configuration having at least an operating system;

running a vendor install program for installing a vendor product onto the first computer system;

capturing a second snap shot of the first computer system configuration, the first computer system configuration having the at least one operating system and the vendor product;

determining a first set of differences between the first and second snap shots of the first computer system configuration and producing a first change list based upon the first set of differences;

capturing a first snap shot of a second computer system configuration, the second computer system configuration having at least an operating system;

running a vendor install program for installing a vendor product onto the second computer system;

capturing a second snap shot of the second computer system configuration, the second computer system configuration having the at least one operating system and the vendor product;

determining a second set of differences between the first and second snap shots of the second computer system configuration and producing a second change list based upon the second set of differences;

comparing the first change list with the second change list to produce a resultant change list including an intersecting set of changes, wherein the intersecting set includes common changes between installations on the first computer system and the second computer system for the filtering out of randomly generated installation noise; and

creating a re-engineered installation package with the intersecting set of changes suitable for downloading a re-engineered installation of the vendor product onto at least one target computer system.

20. A computer, comprising:

a device for;

establishing a first change list based upon a set of differences resulting from installation of a configuration change on a first computer system;

establishing a second change list based upon a set of differences resulting from installation of the configuration change on a second computer system; and

comparing the first change list with the second change list to produce a resultant change list including an intersecting set of changes, wherein the intersecting set includes common changes between installations on the first computer system and the second computer system for the filtering out of randomly generated installation noise.

21. The computer of claim 20, wherein

establishing the first change list includes:

capturing a first snap shot of a first computer system configuration, the first computer system configuration having at least an operating system;

running a vendor install program for installing a vendor product onto the first computer system;

capturing a second snap shot of the first computer system configuration, the first computer system configuration having the at least one operating system and the vendor product; and

determining a first set of differences between the first and second snap shots of the first computer system configuration and producing the first change list based upon the first set of differences; and

establishing the second change list includes;

capturing a first snap shot of a second computer system configuration, the second computer system configuration having at least an operating system;

running a vendor install program for installing a vendor product onto the second computer system;

capturing a second snap shot of the second computer system configuration, the second computer system configuration having the at least one operating system and the vendor product; and

determining a second set of differences between the first and second snap shots of the second computer system configuration and producing the second change list based upon the second set of differences.

22. The computer of claim 21, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes running a third party software installation program.

23. The computer of claim 22, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes rebooting the respective computer system.

24. The computer of claim 21, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes rendering a prescribed configuration change to each of the two computer system configurations.

25. The computer of claim 24, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes rebooting the respective computer system.

26. The computer of claim 21, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes downloading a value added reseller configuration change to each of the two computer system configurations.

27. The computer of claim 26, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes rebooting the respective computer system.

28. The computer of claim 21, wherein the device is for:

providing apparatus for storing a computer program accessible by an installation development computer system and processable by the installation development computer system for causing the installation development computer system to perform the capturing, running, determining, and comparing.

29. The computer of claim 20, wherein the device is for:

creating a re-engineered installation package with the intersecting set of changes suitable for downloading a re-engineered installation of the configuration change onto at least one target computer system.

30. The computer of claim 29, and comprising:

providing apparatus for storing a computer program accessible by an installation development computer system and processable by the installation development computer system for causing the installation development computer system to perform the creating.

31. The computer of claim 29, and comprising:

providing apparatus for storing a computer program accessible by a computer system and processable by the computer system for causing the computer system to perform downloading of the re-engineered installation of the configuration change onto at least one target computer system.

32. The computer of claim 31, wherein the downloading of the re-engineered installation is through a global network.

33. The computer of claim 32, wherein the global network include a telephone network for communicating digital signals.

34. The computer of claim 33, wherein the telephone network is for communicating digital signals through a modem connection.

35. The computer of claim 32, wherein the global network includes a global computer network.

36. The computer of claim 35, wherein the global computer network includes a network selected from the group consisting of the Internet and the World Wide Web.

37. A computer, comprising:

a device for;

establishing a first change list based upon a set of differences resulting from installation of a configuration change on a first computer system;

establishing a second change list based upon a set of differences resulting from installation of the configuration change on a second computer system; and

comparing the first change list with the second change list to produce a resultant change list including an intersecting set of changes, wherein the intersecting set includes common changes between installations on the first computer system and the second computer system for the filtering out of randomly generated installation noise; and

establishing at least a third change list based upon a set of differences resulting from installation of a configuration change on at least a third computer system; and

comparing the first, second, and at least third change lists to produce the resultant change list including an intersecting set of changes, wherein the intersecting set includes common changes between installations on the first, second, and at least third computer systems for the filtering out of randomly generated installation noise.

38. A computer, comprising:

a device for;

capturing a first snap shot of a first computer system configuration, the first computer system configuration having at least an operating system;

running a vendor install program for installing a vendor product onto the first computer system;

capturing a second snap shot of the first computer system configuration, the first computer system configuration having the at least one operating system and the vendor product;

determining a first set of differences between the first and second snap shots of the first computer system configuration and producing a first change list based upon the first set of differences;

capturing a first snap shot of a second computer system configuration, the second computer system configuration having at least an operating system;

running a vendor install program for installing a vendor product onto the second computer system;

capturing a second snap shot of the second computer system configuration, the second computer system configuration having the at least one operating system and the vendor product;

determining a second set of differences between the first and second snap shots of the second computer system configuration and producing a second change list based upon the second set of differences;

comparing the first change list with the second change list to produce a resultant change list including an intersecting set of changes, wherein the intersecting set includes common changes between installations on the first computer system and the second computer system for the filtering out of randomly generated installation noise; and

creating a re-engineered installation package with the intersecting set of changes suitable for downloading a re-engineered installation of the vendor product onto at least one target computer system.

39. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer program processable by a computer system for causing the computer system to;

establish a first change list based upon a set of differences resulting from installation of a configuration change on a first target computer system;

establish a second change list based upon a set of differences resulting from installation of the configuration change on a second target computer system; and

compare the first change list with the second change list to produce a resultant change list including an intersecting set of changes, wherein the intersecting set includes common changes between installations on the first target computer system and the second target computer system for the filtering out of randomly generated installation noise; and

apparatus from which the computer program is accessible by the computer system.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein

establishing the first change list includes:

capturing a first snap shot of a first computer system configuration, the first computer system configuration having at least an operating system;

running a vendor install program for installing a vendor product onto the first computer system;

capturing a second snap shot of the first computer system configuration, the first computer system configuration having the at least one operating system and the vendor product; and

determining a first set of differences between the first and second snap shots of the first computer system configuration and producing the first change list based upon the first set of differences; and

establishing the second change list includes;

capturing a first snap shot of a second computer system configuration, the second computer system configuration having at least an operating system;

running a vendor install program for installing a vendor product onto the second computer system;

capturing a second snap shot of the second computer system configuration, the second computer system configuration having the at least one operating system and the vendor product; and

determining a second set of differences between the first and second snap shots of the second computer system configuration and producing the second change list based upon the second set of differences.

41. The computer program product of claim 40, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes running a third party software installation program.

42. The computer program product of claim 41, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes rebooting the respective computer system.

43. The computer program product of claim 40, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes rendering a prescribed configuration change to each of the two computer system configurations.

44. The computer program product of claim 43, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes rebooting the respective computer system.

45. The computer program product of claim 40, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes downloading a value added reseller configuration change to each of the two computer system configurations.

46. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein

running the vendor install program for installing a vendor product includes rebooting the respective computer system.

47. The computer program product of claim 40, wherein the computer program is processable by the computer system for causing the computer system to:

create a re-engineered installation package with the intersecting set of changes suitable for downloading a re-engineered installation of the configuration change onto at least one target computer system.

48. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein the computer program is processable by the computer system for causing the computer system to:

perform downloading of the re-engineered installation of the configuration change onto at least one target computer system.

49. The computer program product of claim 48, wherein the downloading of the re-engineered installation is through a global network.

50. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein the global network includes a telephone network for communicating digital signals.

51. The computer program product of claim 50, wherein the telephone network is for communicating digital signals through a modem connection.

52. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein the global network includes a global computer network.

53. The computer program product of claim 52, wherein the global computer network includes a network selected from the group consisting of the Internet and the World