System for automated boot from disk image
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- storing a boot image in a memory of a computer system, whereinsaid storing comprises copying said boot image from a physical medium to said memory,said computer system is coupled to said physical medium via a network, andsaid copying comprises downloading said boot image from said physical medium to said memory via said network;
executing said boot image from said memory; and
causing a process executed by said computer system to initiate said executing,wherein said causing comprisesmodifying a vector in said computer system such that an attempt to access a physical storage unit results in said executing.
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Abstract
A system allowing a target machine to be booted up from a disk image stored in memory. Instead of reading the boot-up information from a disk drive or other physical device the data is read from memory. No modification is necessary to native operating system, input/output subsystem, bootstrap code, etc., since the invention modifies characteristics, such as vectors used by the operating system, to make the disk image in memory appear to be the same as a standard external device.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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storing a boot image in a memory of a computer system, wherein said storing comprises copying said boot image from a physical medium to said memory, said computer system is coupled to said physical medium via a network, and said copying comprises downloading said boot image from said physical medium to said memory via said network; executing said boot image from said memory; and causing a process executed by said computer system to initiate said executing, wherein said causing comprises modifying a vector in said computer system such that an attempt to access a physical storage unit results in said executing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus comprising
a target computer, comprising a first processor, a memory coupled to said first processor, a first computer readable medium coupled to said first processor, and first computer code, encoded in said first computer readable medium, configured to cause said first processor to store a boot image in said memory by virtue of being configured to cause said first processor to copy said boot image from a physical medium to said memory, wherein said physical medium is coupled to said first processor via a network, and said boot image is copied from said physical medium to said memory via said network; -
execute said boot image from said memory; and change a characteristic of said target computer, wherein said change causes a process executed by said target computer to initiate said first computer code configured to cause said first processor to execute said boot image from said memory. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer program product comprising:
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a first set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to store a boot image in a memory of said computer system, wherein said first set of instructions comprises a first subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to copy said boot image from a physical medium to said memory, said computer system is coupled to said physical medium via a network, and said first subset of instructions comprises a first sub-subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to download said boot image from said physical medium to said memory via said network; and a second set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to execute said boot image from said memory; a third set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to change a characteristic of said computer system, wherein said third set of instructions cause a process executed by said computer system to execute said second set of instructions; and computer readable media, wherein said computer program product is encoded in said computer readable media. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer system comprising
a memory, means for storing a boot image in said memory, wherein said means for storing is coupled to said memory, wherein said means for storing comprises first means for copying said boot image from a physical medium to said memory, said computer system is coupled to said physical medium via a network, and said first means for copying comprises means for downloading said boot image from said physical medium to said memory via said network, means for executing said boot image from said memory, wherein said means for executing said boot image is coupled to said memory, and means for causing a process executed by said computer system to initialize said means for executing wherein said means for causing comprises means for modifying a vector in said computer system such that an attempt to access a physical storage unit results in said executing.
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22. A computer system comprising:
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a memory, means for storing a boot image in said memory, wherein said means for storing is coupled to said memory, wherein said means for storing comprises first means for copying said boot image from a physical medium to said memory, said computer system is coupled to said physical medium via a network, and said first means for copying comprises means for downloading said boot image from said physical medium to said memory via said network; means for executing said boot image from said memory, wherein said means for executing said boot image is coupled to said memory; and means for changing a characteristic of said computer system, wherein said changing causes a process executed by said computer system to access said boot image. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification