System and method for custom installation of an operating system on a remote client

• US 7,379,982 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Tabbara, Bassam
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar; Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THUONG
• Application Number:
  US10/401,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20030195995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,887 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/221, 717/168, 713/100, 713/150
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A platform for remotely installing an operating system on a client machine includes a builder engine, for instance running on a support server. The builder engine may interrogate a remote client, for instance a diskless thin client or a machine having a disk but malfunctioning, and receive a machine state image from that machine. The builder engine may then assemble a customized image or kernel of an operating system such as Microsoft Windows™ for transmission to the client. A file system may be initialized in electronic memory, or otherwise and the machine may commence operation, without having executed an operating system setup process. In embodiments, the client machine may then link to a complete image of an operating system to reinstall a comprehensive version of that system, or perform other tasks.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method of transmitting a customized operating system image for transmission to a remote client, comprising:

receiving a request from the remote client to generate an operating system image, wherein the request from the remote client includes hardware profile data for the remote client;

determining whether an operating system image that matches the hardware profile data is stored in an operating system image store;

if an operating system that matches the hardware profiled data is found, retrieving the customized operating system image from the operating system image store;

if an operating system that matches the hardware profiled data is not found, determining whether an operating system image that nearly matches the hardware profile data has already been built;

if an operating system that nearly matches the hardware profile data is found, modifying the nearly matching operating system to build the customized operating system that matches the hardware profile data;

if an operating system that nearly matches the hardware profile data is not found, building the customized operating system image from a product store that includes operating system elements; and

transmitting the customized operating system image to the remote client.

2. The media according to claim 1, wherein the remote client is connected to a network.

3. The media according to claim 2, wherein the network comprises at least one of a local area network and the Internet.

4. The media according to claim 1, wherein the at least one product store comprises version data.

5. The media according to claim 1, wherein the customized image of the operating system comprises an operating system kernel.

6. The media according to claim 1 wherein the customized image of the operating system comprises a complete operating system.

7. The media according to claim 1, wherein the hardware profile data comprises at least one of processor information, memory information, plug and play information, and peripheral component interconnection information.

8. The media according to claim 1, wherein the remote client comprises a diskless client.

9. The media according to claim 1, wherein the remote client comprises a client in a fault state.

10. The media according to claim 1, wherein the remote client comprises at least one of a personal computer and a wireless network-enabled device.

11. A method for generating a customized operating system image for transmission to a remote client, comprising:

receiving a request from the remote client to generate an operating system image, wherein the request from the remote client comprises hardware profile data for the remote client;

determining whether an operating system image that nearly matches the hardware profile data has already been built;

if an operating system that nearly matches the hardware profile data is found, modifying the nearly matching operating system to build the customized operating system that matches the hardware profile data;

if an operating system that nearly matches the hardware profile data is not found, building the customized operating system image from a product store that includes operating system elements; and

storing the customized image of the operating system.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step of receiving comprises receiving the request via a network.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the network comprises at least one of a local area network and the Internet.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the at least one product store comprises version data.

15. A method according to claim 11, further comprising communicating the customized image of the operating system to the remote client.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the customized image of the operating system comprises an operating system kernel.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the customized image of the operating system comprises a complete operating system.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein the hardware profile data comprises at least one of processor information, memory information, plug and play information, and peripheral component interconnection information.

19. A method according to claim 11, further comprising an operating system image store, further comprising selectively retrieving the previously-built operating system image from the operating system image store based on the hardware profile data.

20. A method according to claim 11, wherein the remote client comprises a diskless client.

21. A method according to claim 11, wherein the remote client comprises a client in a fault state.

22. A method according to claim 11, wherein the remote client comprises at least one of a personal computer and a wireless network-enabled device.

23. A system for generating an operating system image for transmission to a remote client, comprising:

first interface means, for communicating with the remote client, and receiving a request from the remote client to generate an operating system image, wherein the request from the remote client includes hardware profile data for the remote client;

at least one product store means, the at least one product store means comprising operating system elements;

a determining means, for determining that an operating system image that matches the hardware profile data has not already been built and determining whether an operating system image that nearly matches the hardware profile data has already been built;

builder engine means, the builder engine means communicating with the remote client via the first interface means and with the at least one product store means, wherein if the determining means determines that an operating system that nearly matches the hardware profile data has not already been built, the builder engine means being for building a customized image of an operating system from the operating system elements based on the request from the remote client, and wherein if the determining means determines that an operating system that nearly matches the hardware profile data has already been built, the builder engine means being for modifying the operating system that nearly matches the hardware profile data to generate the customized image of an operating system; and

a transmission means for transmitting the customized image of an operating system to the remote client.

24. A system according to claim 23, wherein the first interface means comprises a network.

25. A system according to claim 23, wherein the hardware profile data comprises at least one of processor information, memory information, plug and play information, and peripheral component interconnection information.

26. A system according to claim 23, further comprising operating system image store means, wherein the builder engine means selectively retrieves the previously-built operating system image from the operating system image store means based on the hardware profile data.

27. A system according to claim 23, wherein the remote client comprises a diskless client.

28. A system according to claim 23, wherein the remote client comprises a client in a fault state.

29. A system according to claim 23, wherein the remote client comprises at least one of a personal computer and a wireless network-enabled device.

30. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method for generating a customized operating system image for transmission to a remote client, the method comprising:

receiving a request from the remote client to generate an operating system image, wherein the request from the remote client comprises hardware profile data for the remote client;

determining whether an operating system image that nearly matches the hardware profile data has net already been built;

if a nearly matching operating system has already been built, modifying the nearly matching operating system to build the customized operating system that matches the hardware profile data;

if a nearly matching operating system has not already been built. building the customized operating system image from a product store that includes operating system elements; and

storing the customized operating system image in association with the hardware profile data.

31. One or more computer-readable media according to claim 30, wherein the request from the remote client is received via a network.

32. One or more computer-readable media according to claim 30, wherein the hardware profile data comprises at least one of processor information, memory information, plug and play information, and peripheral component interconnection information.

33. One or more computer-readable media according to claim 30, wherein the building comprises selectively retrieving the previously-built operating system image from an operating system image store based on the hardware profile data.

34. One or more computer-readable media according to claim 30, wherein the remote client comprises a diskless client.

35. One or more computer-readable media according to claim 30, wherein the remote client comprises a client in a fault state.

36. One or more computer-readable media according to claim 30, wherein the remote client comprises at least one of a personal computer and a wireless network-enabled device.

37. A computerized method for generating a customized operating system image, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a remote client to generate an operating system image, wherein the request from the remote client comprises hardware profile data for the remote client;

if an operating system that matches the hardware profiled data is found, retrieving the customized operating system image from an operating system image store;

if an operating system that matches the hardware profiled data is not found, determining whether an operating system image that nearly matches the hardware profile data has already been built;

if an operating system that nearly matches the hardware profile data is found, modifying the nearly matching operating system to build the customized operating system that matches the hardware profile data;

if an operating system that nearly matches the hardware profile data is not found, building the customized operating system image from a product store that includes operating system elements; and

storing the customized operating system.

38. The computerized method according to claim 37, wherein the request from the remote client is received via a network.

39. The computerized method according to claim 37, wherein the hardware profile data comprises at least one of processor information, memory information, plug and play information, and peripheral component interconnection information.

40. The computerized method according to claim 37, wherein the remote client comprises a diskless client.

41. The computerized method according to claim 37, wherein the remote client comprises a client in a fault state.

42. The computerized method according to claim 37, wherein the remote client comprises at least one of a personal computer and a wireless network-enabled device.

43. A client for receiving an operating system image, comprising:

the client, the client generating a request for the generation of a customized operating system image, wherein the request from the client includes hardware profile data used for the client; and

a first interface to a support server, the support server having a builder engine, the builder engine communicating with the client via the first interface to transmit a customized operating system image to the client, wherein if an operating system that matches the hardware profiled data is found, a matching customized operating system image is transmitted, if an operating system that matches the hardware profile is not found and an operating system that nearly matches the hardware profile data is found, the nearly matching operating system is modified to build the customized operating system image that matches the hardware profile data and a modified customized operating system image is transmitted, and if an operating system that matches the hardware profile is not found and an operating system that nearly matches the hardware profile data is not found, the customized operating system image is built from a product store that includes operating system elements and a newly built customized operating system image is transmitted.

44. A client according to claim 43, wherein the first interface comprises a network.

45. A client according to claim 44, wherein the network comprises at least one of a local area network and the Internet.

46. A client according to claim 43, wherein the client generates the request using at least BIOS code.

47. A client according to claim 43, wherein the client generates the request using at least an operating system resource.

48. A client according to claim 43, wherein the at least one product store comprises version data.

49. A client according to claim 43, wherein the customized image of the operating system comprises an operating system kernel.

50. A client according to claim 43, wherein the customized image of the operating system comprises a complete operating system.

51. A client according to claim 43, wherein the hardware profile data comprises at least one of processor information, memory information, plug and play information, and peripheral component interconnection information.

52. A client according to claim 43, wherein the client comprises a diskless client.

53. A client according to claim 43, wherein the client comprises a client in a fault state.

54. A client according to claim 43, wherein the client comprises at least one of a personal computer and a wireless network-enabled device.

55. A method for receiving an operating system image on a remote client, comprising:

generating a request in a remote client for the generation of a customized operating system image, wherein the request from the remote client comprises hardware profile data for the remote client;

communicating the request to a support server via a first interface, the support server having at least one product store, the at least one product store comprising operating system elements;

if an operating system that matches the hardware profiled data is found, receiving from the support server the customized operating system image from an operating system image store;

if an operating system that matches the hardware profile is not found and an operating system that nearly matches the hardware profile data is found, receiving a modified customized operating system that matches the hardware profile data, wherein the modified customized operating system is generated by the support server by modifying the operating system that nearly matches the hardware profile; and

if an operating system that matches the hardware profile is not found and an operating system that nearly matches the hardware profile data is not found, receiving a newly built customized operating system image, wherein the newly built customized operating system is built by the support server from the at least one product store that includes operating system elements.

56. A method according to claim 55, wherein the first interface comprises a network.

57. A method according to claim 56, wherein the network comprises at least one of a local area network and the Internet.

58. A method according to claim 55, wherein the remote client generates the request using at least BIOS code.

59. A method according to claim 55, wherein the remote client generates the request using at least an operating system resource.

60. A method according to claim 55, wherein the at least one product store comprises version data.

61. A method according to claim 55, wherein the customized image of the operating system comprises an operating system kernel.

62. A method according to claim 55, wherein the customized image of the operating system comprises a complete operating system.

63. A method according to claim 55, wherein the hardware profile data comprises at least one of processor information, memory information, plug and play information, and peripheral component interconnection information.

64. A method according to claim 55, wherein the remote client comprises a diskless client.

65. A method according to claim 55, wherein the remote client comprises a client in a fault state.

66. A method according to claim 55, wherein the remote client comprises at least one of a personal computer and a wireless network-enabled device.