Auto-install apparatus and method

• US 6,684,397 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Novell Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Byer, James Earle, Borup, Marlon
• Primary Examiner(s): ZHEN, WEI Y
• Application Number:
  US09/871,196
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 717/168-178, 709/200-253
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

An apparatus for remote installation of software is disclosed in one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention as including a first processor programmed to execute a master process effective to communicate with and control a slave process; a storage device operably connected to the first processor to store first configuration data; a second processor operably connected to the first processor for executing the slave process effective to communicate with and be controlled by the master process, and programmed thereby to execute an installation program; and a memory device operably connected to the first processor to store inputs to and outputs from the slave process. The memory device may include a first memory device operably connected to the first processor and a second memory device operably connected to the second processor. Communications between the master process and the slave process may be achieved through a communication link operably interposed between the first processor and the second processor. The communication link comprises a first communication module operably associated with the master process, a second communication module operably associated with the slave process, and an electronic connection between the first communication module and the second communication module. A second storage device may be operably connected to the second processor to store the installation program and modules installable thereby.

Claims

1. A system for remote installation of software, the apparatus comprising:

a first processor provided with a first operating system and programmed to execute a master process within the first operating system effective to communicate with and control a slave process executing within a second operating system;

a storage device operably connected to the first processor to store first configuration data;

a second processor provided with the second operating system and operably connected to the first processor for executing the slave process within the second operating system and under control of the master process, and programmed thereby to execute an installation program;

a memory device operably connected to the first processor to store inputs to and outputs from the slave process; and

software instructions for execution by the second processor, the instructions including instructions for advertising a readiness of the slave process prior to the master process establishing communication with the slave process.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory device comprises a first memory device operably connected to the first processor and a second memory device operably connected to the second processor.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a communication link operably interposed between the first processor and the second processor for communications between the master process and the slave process.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the communication link comprises:

a first communication module operably associated with the master process;

a second communication module operably associated with the slave process; and

an electronic connection between the first communication module and the second communication module.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second storage device operably connected to the second processor to store the installation program and modules installable thereby.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the slave process comprises an input module for entering input received from the master process to the installation program.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the slave process comprises an output module for receiving the output from the installation program and sending the output to the master process.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the advertising is accomplished according to the Standard Advertising Protocol.

9. A system comprising memory for containing data structures for remotely installing software, the data structures comprising:

a master process module executable by a processor provided with a first operating system to communicate with and control a slave process module executable within a second operating system;

a first communication module for relaying commands sent from the master process module to slave process module;

the first operating system executable to communicate instructions from the master process module to the processor;

the slave process module executable within the second operating system executing on a remote computer in communication with and under the control of the master process module for installing software on the remote computer;

a second communication module for relaying the commands sent from the master process module through the first communication module and received by the second communication module to be fed to the slave process module; and

an install module executable by the slave process module to effect installation of the software, and

an emancipation module executable within the second operating system for ending communication with the master process and completing installation of the software on the remote computer using the slave process without further communication from the master process.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises:

a first memory device storing the master process module and the first communication module; and

a second memory device storing the slave process module and the second communication module.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the data structures further comprise a slave list reflecting addresses of available slave processes.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the data structures further comprise configuration data for configuration of a master process.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first communication module and the second communication module are client communication modules for communicating with a network server module executable to communicate over a network.

14. A method for remotely installing software from a first computer having a first processor and a first operating system to a second computer having a second processor and a second operating system, the method comprising:

loading a slave process on the second computer to execute within the second operating system;

executing a master process within the first operating system on the first processor;

establishing a communication link between the master process and the slave process;

enslaving, by the master process, the slave process to control the second processor;

initiating, by the second processor, the installation of new software on the second computer by relaying inputs to an installation program through the slave process from the master process and relaying outputs to the master process through the slave process from the installation program; and

executing an emancipation process on the second computer, wherein the executing includes interrupting the installation to cease communication of instructions from the master process, and completing the installation of the new software on the second computer using the slave process.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the new software includes a network server comprising a set of instructions, the method further comprising:

installing a subset of the instruction set; and

interrupting the installation of the network server when the subset is fully executable by the second processor.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

modifying server configuration files to load the emancipation module containing a network master process and a network slave process;

loading a network operating system on the second computer;

loading, by the network operating system, in accordance with the server configuration files the emancipation module; and

executing the network master process on the second computer.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising linking the network master process and the network slave process to form an emancipated slave.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising initiating, by the emancipated slave, a remainder process including completing configuration and installation of the server.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

relaying second inputs to the remainder process by the network slave process; and

relaying second outputs to the network master process from the network slave process.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein completing the configuration and the installation of the server includes installing in a network directory services tree an object corresponding to the network server.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising, before installing the operating system on the second computer, partitioning a hard drive of the second computer.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

loading a first communication module for relating the inputs and the outputs on the first computer; and

loading a second communication module for relaying the inputs and the outputs on the second computer.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the communication link between the master process and the slave process is achieved through the first communication module and the second communication module.