Method and system for dynamically purposing a computing device
First Claim
1. A system for repurposing a computing device, comprising:
- at least one computing device to be repurposed, the computing device comprising a server in a pool of servers of various server types, where the servers provide their respective statuses to a management controller device, the computing device having a computer readable storage medium comprising a default partition and a target partition different from the default partition, the default partition having a default operating system and application software, the computing device configured to be capable of booting from either the default partition or the target partition, where only one partition'"'"'s operating system executes at a time, the default partition being configured to transfer system images via a network from a system image library to the target partition, the default partition also being configured to configure settings in a system image transferred from the system image library to the target image, the default operating system persisting despite the system image being copied to the target partition;
the system image library including a plurality of different system images, each system image comprising a full bootable image of a pre-configured operating system and accompanying pre-configured application software, at least one of which is different, respectively, from the operating system and application software of the default partition, and the system image library being configured to transfer the system images via the network to computing devices being purposed;
a management controller device, separate from the computing device and the other servers in the pool, receiving the statuses via the network and balancing the server types in the pool by using the statuses to determine that a particular server type is needed in the pool and selecting a system image from among system images in the image library based on the system image corresponding to the determined server type, and where the management controller device identifies the selected system image to the computing device and, via the network, cause the computing device to automatically;
transfer the selected system image from the system image library to the target partition while booted from the default partition and running the default operating system,configure settings of the transferred system image on the target partition, andboot from the target partition after the system image is transferred to the target partition and configured, the management controller configured for access via the network, wherein the transferred image is a different image than the system image on the default partition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for purposing a computing device is disclosed. A management controller system is used to copy a system image from a library of system images to a target partition of the computer to be repurposed. The system image may include a configured copy of an operating system and an application program. The system image may also include logic for generating and assigning a unique security identifier to the computer. The invention includes a managed node service for monitoring the status of the computer and for performing some of the necessary steps in purposing the computer. Additionally, the invention includes facilities for loading a default operating system on the computer when the computer is first connected to a network.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for repurposing a computing device, comprising:
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at least one computing device to be repurposed, the computing device comprising a server in a pool of servers of various server types, where the servers provide their respective statuses to a management controller device, the computing device having a computer readable storage medium comprising a default partition and a target partition different from the default partition, the default partition having a default operating system and application software, the computing device configured to be capable of booting from either the default partition or the target partition, where only one partition'"'"'s operating system executes at a time, the default partition being configured to transfer system images via a network from a system image library to the target partition, the default partition also being configured to configure settings in a system image transferred from the system image library to the target image, the default operating system persisting despite the system image being copied to the target partition;
the system image library including a plurality of different system images, each system image comprising a full bootable image of a pre-configured operating system and accompanying pre-configured application software, at least one of which is different, respectively, from the operating system and application software of the default partition, and the system image library being configured to transfer the system images via the network to computing devices being purposed;a management controller device, separate from the computing device and the other servers in the pool, receiving the statuses via the network and balancing the server types in the pool by using the statuses to determine that a particular server type is needed in the pool and selecting a system image from among system images in the image library based on the system image corresponding to the determined server type, and where the management controller device identifies the selected system image to the computing device and, via the network, cause the computing device to automatically; transfer the selected system image from the system image library to the target partition while booted from the default partition and running the default operating system, configure settings of the transferred system image on the target partition, and boot from the target partition after the system image is transferred to the target partition and configured, the management controller configured for access via the network, wherein the transferred image is a different image than the system image on the default partition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for repurposing a computing device connected to a computing network and including a computer readable storage medium comprising a default partition and a target partition, the computing device comprising a server in a pool of servers of various server types, where the servers provide their respective statuses to a management controller device, the method comprising:
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installing a default operating system image on the default partition, the default operating system including a default operating system and one or more services that provide a status of the computing device to a controller, that transfer a system image via a network to the default partition, and that configure settings of the default image, where the service(s) runs while the default operating system is running and the computing device is booted from the default partition; booting the computing device from the default partition having the default operating system image; receiving indicia of a selected system image from a management controller device, the management controller device separate from the computing device and the other servers in the pool, the management controller device having selected the system image by receiving the statuses via the network and balancing the server types in the pool by using the statuses to determine that a particular server type is needed in the pool and then selecting the system image from among system images in a system image library based on the system image corresponding to the determined server type; responsive to the indicia, installing, by the one or more service(s), the selected system image on the target partition of the computer readable storage medium, including transferring the identified system image, via the network, to the target partition of the computer readable storage medium, and configuring, by the one or more service(s), settings of the system image on the target partition; and when done installing the selected system image, booting the computing device from the target partition having the configured selected system image while maintaining the operating system of the default partition. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for repurposing a computing device in a network, the computing device comprising a server in a pool of servers of various server types, where the servers provide their respective statuses to a management controller device, the computing device including a storage medium comprising a default partition and a target partition and running an existing system image on the target partition, where the default partition and the target partition are bootable partitions, the method comprising:
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booting the computing device from the default partition having a default operating system that executes upon the booting, the default partition including one or more service(s) for providing, via a network, a status of the computing device to a controller device where the service(s) runs while the default operating system is running, the service(s) receiving indicia of a selected system image from a management controller device, the management controller device separate from the computing device and the other servers in the pool, the management controller device having selected the system image by receiving the statuses via the network and balancing the server types in the pool by using the statuses to determine that a particular server type is needed in the pool and then selecting the system image from among system images in a system image library based on the system image corresponding to the determined server type, and the service(s) transferring the selected system image, via the network, to the target partition; storing the selected system image comprising a target operating system on the target partition and overwriting the existing target system image while maintaining the default operating system in the default partition, and configuring, by the service(s), settings of the new target operating system on the target partition; and booting the computing device from the target partition having the new and configured selected system image. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. One or more computer readable media having executable instructions stored thereon for repurposing a computing device that includes a storage medium having a default partition and a target partition, the computing device comprising a server in a pool of servers of various server types, where the servers provide their respective statuses to a management controller device wherein the executable instructions, when executed, implement steps comprising:
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receiving indicia of a selected system image from a management controller device, the management controller device separate from the computing device and the other servers in the pool, the management controller device having selected the system image by receiving the statuses via the network and balancing the server types in the pool by using the statuses to determine that a particular server type is needed in the pool and selecting the system image from the image library that corresponds to the determined server type, and where the management controller device; booting the computing device from the default partition having a default operating system; installing a target system image on the target partition, including selecting a system image from a library of at least one system image and transferring the selected system image via a network to the target partition of the storage medium; storing on the target partition a service for providing a status of the computing device to the controller where the service runs only while a target operating system associated with the target system image is running; and booting the computing device from the target partition having the target system image while maintaining the default operating system of the default partition.
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20. A method for repurposing a computing device including a storage medium comprising a default partition and a target partition, the computing device comprising a server in a pool of servers of various server types, where the servers provide their respective statuses to a management controller device, where the default partition and the target partition are bootable partitions, the method comprising:
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receiving indicia of a selected system image from a management controller device, the management controller device separate from the computing device and the other servers in the pool, the management controller device having selected the system image by receiving the statuses via the network and balancing the server types in the pool by using the statuses to determine that a particular server type is needed in the pool and selecting the system image from the image library that corresponds to the determined server type, and where the management controller device; booting the computing device from the default partition having a default operating system that executes upon booting the default partition and one or more service(s) executing when the default partition boots and providing, via a network, a status of the computing device when the default operating system is running, the service(s) also transferring the selected system image, via the network, to the target partition; installing, by the service(s), the selected system image onto the target partition, where the selected system image is obtained from a library of at least one system image and transferring, via the network, the selected system image to the target partition of the computer readable storage medium, and configuring, by the service(s) settings of the selected system image that take effect when the selected system image boots; storing on the target partition a second service, separate from the first service, the second service providing a status of the computing device to the controller device where the second service runs while a target operating system of the target system image is running; and booting the computing device from the selected system image. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification