Method and system for providing software utilizing a restore medium and a network

• US 6,922,831 B1
• Filed: 08/02/2000
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kroening, James L., Boger, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US09/631,085
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 717/100, 717/103, 717168-178, 709/203, 709/217, 711/162
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4418 Suspend and resume; Hibernate and awake

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method of restoring an information handling system utilizing a restore medium and a network storage medium. In a first aspect of the present invention, a method of restoring an information handling system utilizing a restore medium to provide software components over a network includes accessing the restore medium by the information handling system and loading a first set of software components capable of supplying data suitable for making the information handling system operational. A connection is initiated with a network storage medium over a network, the connection initiated by a program of instructions included on the removable medium. A second set of software components are received from the network storage medium over the network connection, wherein the second set of software components is suitable for at least one of updating the first set of software components and providing a software component not included on the removable medium.

Claims

1. A method of restoring an information handling system utilizing a restore medium to provide software components over a network, comprising:

accessing the restore medium by the information handling system;

loading a first set of software components capable of supplying data suitable for making the information handling system operational;

initiating a connection with a network storage medium over a network, the connection initiated by a program of instructions included on the restore medium; and

receiving a second set of software components from the network storage medium over the network connection, wherein the second set of software components is suitable for at least one of updating the first set of software components and providing a software component not included on the restore medium.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the second set of software components include at least one of drivers, applications, system settings, and delta image.

3. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the first set of software components includes at least one of operating system, application, system setting, baseline image, delta image and driver.

4. The method as described in claim 1, further comprising identifying desired software components needed by the information handling system from the network storage medium.

5. The method as described in claim 4, wherein the identified software components are given a unique identifier.

6. The method as described in claim 4, wherein the desired software components are identified during the loading of the first set of software components, and wherein the second set of software components includes software components desired by the information handling system but not included in the first set of software components.

7. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the network storage medium contains a database including a list of software components for installation on the information handling system.

8. The method as described in claim 7, wherein the list of software components is obtained from previous access to the network storage medium by a user.

9. The method as described in claim 7, wherein the list of software components is obtained from a manufacturer of the information handling system.

10. A system for restoring an information handling system and providing software components over a network, comprising:

a restore medium capable of being read by an information handling system, wherein the restore medium includes a first set of software components capable of supplying data suitable for making the information handling system operational and including a program of instructions suitable for initiating a connection with a network storage medium over a network; and

a network storage medium accessible over the network by an information handling system, wherein the network storage medium includes a second set of software components suitable for at least one of updating the first set of software components and providing a software component not included on the restore medium.

11. The system as described in claim 10, wherein the second set of software components include at least one of drivers, applications, system settings, and delta image.

12. The system as described in claim 10, wherein the first set of software components includes at least one of operating system, application, system setting, baseline image, delta image and driver.

13. The system as described in claim 10, further comprising identifying desired software components needed by the information handling system from the network storage medium.

14. The system as described in claim 13, wherein the identified software components are given a unique identifier.

15. The system as described in claim 13, wherein the desired software components are identified during the loading of the first set of software components, and wherein the second set of software components includes software components desired by the information handling system but not included in the first set of software components.

16. The system as described in claim 10, wherein the network storage medium contains a database including a list of software components for installation on the information handling system.

17. The system as described in claim 16, wherein the list of software components is obtained from previous access to the network storage medium by a user.

18. The system as described in claim 16, wherein the list of software components is obtained from a manufacturer of the information handling system.

19. A method of restoring an information handling system suffering a loss of function by utilizing a restore medium suitable for providing software components and receiving software components over a network, comprising:

accessing the restore medium by the information handling system;

loading a first set of software components capable of supplying data suitable for restoring the information handling system to operational status;

initiating a connection with a network storage medium over a network, the connection initiated by a program of instructions included on the restore medium and executed by the information handling system; and

receiving a second set of software components from the network storage medium over the network connection, wherein the second set of software components is suitable for at least one of updating the information handling system to a restored state.

20. The method as described in claim 19, wherein the second set of software components include at least one of drivers, applications, system settings, and delta image.

21. The method as described in claim 19, wherein the first set of software components includes at least one of operating system, application, system setting, baseline image, delta image and driver.

22. The method as described in claim 19, further comprising identifying desired software components needed by the information handling system from the network storage medium.

23. The method as described in claim 22, wherein the identified software components are given a unique identifier.

24. The method as described in claim 22, wherein the desired software components are identified during the loading of the first set of software components, and wherein the second set of software components includes software components desired by the information handling system but not included in the first set of software components.

25. The method as described in claim 19, wherein the network storage medium contains a database including a list of software components for installation on the information handling system.

26. The method as described in claim 25, wherein the list of software components is obtained from previous access to the network storage medium by a user.

27. The method as described in claim 25, wherein the list of software components is obtained from a manufacturer of the information handling system.

28. A restore medium suitable for restoring operation to an information handling system, comprising:

a computer readable medium suitable for being read by an information handling system, wherein the computer readable medium includes

a first set of software components capable of supplying data suitable for making the information handling system operational and including a program of instructions suitable for initiating a connection with a network storage medium over a network; and

a program of instructions for initiating a network connection with a network storage device, wherein the network storage medium includes a second set of software components suitable for at least one of updating the first set of software components and providing a software component not included on the restore medium.

29. The restore medium as described in claim 28, wherein the program of instructions configures the information handling system to receive the second set of software components.

30. The restore medium as described in claim 28, wherein the second set of software components include at least one of drivers, applications, system settings, and delta image.

31. The restore medium as described in claim 28, wherein the first set of software components includes at least one of operating system, application, system setting, baseline image, delta image and driver.

32. The restore medium as described in claim 28, further comprising identifying desired software components needed by the information handling system from the network storage medium.

33. The restore medium as described in claim 32, wherein the identified software components are given a unique identifier.

34. The restore medium as described in claim 32, wherein the desired software components are identified during the loading of the first set of software components, and wherein the second set of software components includes software components desired by the information handling system but not included in the first set of software components.

35. The restore medium as described in claim 28, wherein the network storage medium contains a database including a list of software components for installation on the information handling system.

36. The restore medium as described in claim 35, wherein the list of software components is obtained from previous access to the network storage medium by a user.

37. The restore medium as described in claim 35, wherein the list of software components is obtained from a manufacturer of the information handling system.

38. A method of restoring an information handling system suffering a loss of function, comprising:

receiving the restore medium in a drive of the information handling system;

accessing a restore medium received within the drive;

loading a first set of software components from the restore medium, the first set of software components for restoring the information handling system to an operational status;

loading a program of instructions from the restore medium for causing the information appliance to initiate a connection with a network storage medium via a network;

receiving a second set of software components from the network storage medium via the network connection; and

loading the second set of software components for returning the information handling system to a restored state wherein the second set of software components is updated in comparison with software components installed on the information appliance prior to the loss of function.

39. The method as described in claim 38, wherein the second set of software components include at least one of an updated driver, an updated application, updated system settings, and an updated delta image.

40. The method as described in claim 38, wherein the first set of software components includes at least one of an operating system, an application, a system setting, a baseline image, a delta image and a driver.

41. The method as described in claim 38, further comprising identifying desired software components needed by the information handling system from the network storage medium and obtaining available updated versions of the software components.

42. The method as described in claim 41, wherein the identified software components are given a unique identifier.

43. The method as described in claim 41, wherein the desired software components are identified during the loading of the first set of software components, and wherein the second set of software components includes software components desired by the information handling system but not included in the first set of software components.

44. The method as described in claim 38, wherein the network storage medium contains a database including a list of software components for installation on the information handling system.

45. The method as described in claim 38, wherein the list of software components is obtained from previous access to the network storage medium by a user.