Method and apparatus for starting up and maintaining of multiple networked computing systems
First Claim
1. A method for booting and maintaining a plurality of networked computer systems utilizing a common start-up code located at a specified address in networked media and a plurality of unique driver programs, each located at a specified address in networked media, said method comprising:
- executing a boot program residing in a networked computer'"'"'s memory;
retrieving common start-up code from said specified address within said networked media;
executing said common start-up code;
retrieving specified addresses of unique driver programs for each networked computer system which are embedded within start-up code;
determining an identity of said networked computer system executing common start-up code;
reading in unique driver programs from said specified address in said networked media in response to identifying said networked computer system; and
preparing said networked computer system for usage.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for starting up and maintaining multiple networked computing systems by using a common start-up program located in one place within a network is disclosed. Start-up code is partitioned into two sections: common start-up code and unique driver programs. Common start-up code includes instructions causing common components in each networked computing system to start-up resides in one location on networked media. Executing a networked computer'"'"'s boot program instructions causes common start-up code to be retrieved from networked media and executed. Executing common start-up code instructions causes unique driver programs comprising instructions for starting up unique components in each networked computer to be read from networked media by each networked computer. Each networked computing system executes common start-up code instructions and unique driver program instructions to configure and start the networked computing system.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method for booting and maintaining a plurality of networked computer systems utilizing a common start-up code located at a specified address in networked media and a plurality of unique driver programs, each located at a specified address in networked media, said method comprising:
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executing a boot program residing in a networked computer'"'"'s memory; retrieving common start-up code from said specified address within said networked media; executing said common start-up code; retrieving specified addresses of unique driver programs for each networked computer system which are embedded within start-up code; determining an identity of said networked computer system executing common start-up code; reading in unique driver programs from said specified address in said networked media in response to identifying said networked computer system; and preparing said networked computer system for usage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An apparatus for more efficiently booting and maintaining a plurality of networked computer systems utilizing a common start-up code located at a specified address in networked media and a plurality of unique driver programs, each located at a specified address in networked media, said system comprising:
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means for executing a boot program residing in a networked computer'"'"'s memory; means for retrieving common start-up code from said specified address within said networked media; means for executing said common start-up code; means for retrieving specified addresses of unique driver programs for each networked computer system which are embedded within start-up code; means for determining an identity of said networked computer system executing common start-up code; means for reading in unique driver programs from said specified address in said networked media in response to identifying said networked computer system; and means for preparing said networked computer system for use by a user. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A computer program product for more efficiently booting and maintaining a plurality of networked computer systems utilizing a common start-up code located at a specified address in networked media and a plurality of unique driver programs, each located at a specified address in networked media, said computer program product comprising:
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computer storage media; program code means within said computer storage media for executing a boot program residing in a networked computer'"'"'s memory; program code means within said computer storage media for retrieving common start-up code from said specified address within said networked media; program code means within said computer storage media for retrieving specified addresses of unique driver programs for each networked computer system which are embedded within start-up code; program code means within said computer storage media for executing said common start-up code; program code means within said computer storage media for determining an identity of said networked computer system executing common start-up code; program code means within said computer storage media for reading in unique driver programs from said specified address in said networked media in response to identifying said networked computer system; and program code means within said computer storage media for preparing said networked computer system for use by a user. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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Specification