Method and apparatus for configuring a computer

• US 7,065,533 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2003
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Arrouye, Yan, Comiskey, John, Guittet, Michel, Li, Alice, Nebel, Chris, Ford, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahn, Sangwoo
• Application Number:
  US10/405,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20030191771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041
• US Class Current: 717/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for configuring a computer. One embodiment of the invention combines all of the prior art control panels related to networking into a consolidated Network Setup Control Panel. In addition, the invention provides for computer configuration by scripting. The configuration may be for a type of system setting or for network configurations and protocols. Through scripting, a computer may be configured locally or remotely on a network. One embodiment of the invention provides for a centralized database or Configuration Library consisting of collected data relating to available configuration settings. This database is not limited to configuration information and can be used as a general database containing information the user desires to store. To modify a configuration by scripting, the invention provides for a Scripting Interface consisting of a Scripting Server and Scripting Plug-In. The Scripting Server receives the script forwarded from a user or network administrator, parses the script and determines the appropriate Scripting Plug-In to forward the desired action to. The Scripting Plug-In receives the commands and executes the appropriate actions to modify the configuration as directed.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a computer comprising:

obtaining a database having at least one configuration settings for a computer;

obtaining a script having commands for configuring said computer;

parsing said script to determine an appropriate Scripting Plug-In for said script, wherein said Scripting Plug-In maintains knowledge of specific fields and methods of objects stored in said database; and

forwarding said script to said Scripting Plug-In, wherein said Scripting Plug-In executes said commands thereby configuring said computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said at least one configuration settings is associated with at least one of a plurality of network protocols.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

maintaining knowledge of data associated with said plurality of network protocols with a Scripting Server.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said parsing said script is performed by said Scripting Server.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a dictionary comprising said commands.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said dictionary of said commands comprises a plurality of classes corresponding to a plurality of network protocols.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said Scripting Plug-In notifies an operating system if changes are to be made to system settings as a result of said configuration settings.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

mapping configuration settings having incompatible data formats into a new compatible data format for storage in said database.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuration settings are network configuration settings.

10. A system comprising:

a database comprising configuration settings for a computer;

a scripting interface comprising a Scripting Server and at least one Scripting Plug-In, wherein said Scripting Server receives a script having commands for configuring said computer, said Scripting Server parses said script to determine one of said at least one Scripting Plug-In for said script; and

said one of said at least one Scripting Plug-In configured to access said computer and modify said configuration settings.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each of said configuration settings represents network settings associated with at least one of a plurality of network protocols.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

said scripting server configured to maintain individual data, data structures, and systems associated with said plurality of network protocols.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said each of said at least one Scripting Plug-In maintains knowledge of specific fields and methods of objects stored in said database.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said commands are available in a dictionary.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said dictionary comprises a plurality of classes corresponding to a plurality of network protocols.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein said Scripting Plug-In notifies an operating system when changes are to be made to system settings as a result of said configuration settings.

17. An apparatus for configuring a computer comprising:

means for obtaining a database having at least one configuration settings for a computer;

means for obtaining a script having commands for configuring said computer;

means for parsing said script to determine an appropriate Scripting PlugIn for said script, wherein said Scripting Plug-In maintains knowledge of specific fields and methods of objects stored in said database; and

means for forwarding said script to said Scripting Plug-In, wherein said Scripting Plug-In executes said commands thereby configuring said computer.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

means for associating each of said configuration settings with at least one of a plurality of network protocols.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each of said at least one configuration settings is associated with at least one of a plurality of network protocols.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising:

means for maintaining knowledge of data associated with said plurality of network protocols with a Scripting Server.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said parsing said script is performed by a Scripting Server.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising:

means for generating a dictionary comprising said commands.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said dictionary of said commands comprises a plurality of classes corresponding to a plurality of network protocols.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said Scripting Plug-In notifies an operating system if changes are to be made to system settings as a result of said configuration settings.

25. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

means for mapping configuration settings having incompatible data formats into a new compatible data format for storage in said database.

26. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said configuration settings are network configuration settings.

27. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for configuring a computer, said computer program product comprising computer readable code configured to cause a computer to;

obtain a database having at least one configuration settings for a computer;

obtain a script having commands for configuring said computer;

parse said script to determine an appropriate Scripting Plug-In for said script, wherein said Scripting Plug-In maintains knowledge of specific fields and methods of objects stored in said database; and

forward said script to said Scripting Plug-In, wherein said Scripting PlugIn executes said commands thereby configuring said computer.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein each of said at least one configuration settings is associated with at least one of a plurality of network protocols.

29. The computer program product of claim 28 further comprising computer readable code configured to cause a computer to:

maintain knowledge of data associated with said plurality of network protocols with a Scripting Server.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein said parsing said script is performed by said Scripting Server.

31. The computer program product of claim 27 further comprising computer readable code configured to cause a computer to:

generate a dictionary comprising said commands.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein said dictionary of said commands comprises a plurality of classes corresponding to a plurality of network protocols.

33. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein said Scripting Plug-In notifies an operating system if changes are to be made to system settings as a result of said configuration settings.

34. The computer program product of claim 27 further comprising computer readable code configured to cause a computer to:

map configuration settings having incompatible data formats into a new compatible data format for storage in said database.

35. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein said configuration settings are network configuration settings.