Method for installing operating system on remote storage: flash deploy and install zone

• US 7,698,704 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wei, Nancy M., Rafalovich, Ziv, Guthridge, D. Scott, Riedle, Linda A., Poff, Dan E., Banikazemi, Mohammad, Arendt, James W., Abali, Bulent, Valentin, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Dam; Tuan Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): TECKLU, ISAAC TUKU
• Application Number:
  US11/059,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20060184650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]

Abstract

Two methods (native and clone) are used for installing software, such as an operating system, on client system(s) booting from shared storage. The native installation method configures an interconnection network to create an exclusive communication zone between the client system and the shared storage system and installs the operating system on the client system using the exclusive communication zone. After the software is installed, the method terminates the exclusive communication zone. The clone installation method utilizes a point-in-time copy feature of the shared storage system to clone an operating system drive instantaneously. After the drive is cloned, it is logically attached to a new client and the operating system is customized for that client.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for installing a software program on at least one client system, said method comprising:

creating a point-in-time copy of a storage unit containing said software program within a shared storage system;

configuring a computer network to create an exclusive communication zone between said client system and said point-in-time copy within said shared storage system;

installing said software program on said client system using said exclusive communication zone; and

terminating said exclusive communication zone after said installing of said software program is completed;

accessing ports using any of a client system access ports, after said exclusive communication zone is terminated,

wherein said configuring of said computer network comprises exclusively dedicating said client system access port and a shared storage system access port to one another,

wherein said dedicating process excludes all other access ports from communicating with said client system access port while said exclusive communication zone exists.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said configuring of said exclusive communication zone comprises programming switches within said network.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said dedicating process includes a plurality of client system access ports and a plurality of shared storage system access ports within said exclusive communication zone.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said creating of said copy of said software program uses a golden disk of said software program to create said copy.

5. A computer-implemented method for installing an operating system on at least one client system, wherein said client system includes multiple client system access ports, said method comprising:

creating a point-in-time copy of a storage unit containing said operating system within a shared storage system, wherein said shared storage system includes multiple shared storage system access ports;

configuring an interconnection network to create an exclusive communication zone between said client system and said point-in-time copy within said shared storage system;

installing said operating system on said client system using said exclusive communication zone;

terminating said exclusive communication zone after said installing of said operating system is completed; and

creating an operating communication zone where said client system operates by communicating with said storage unit over selected ones of said shared storage system;

accessing ports using any of said client system access ports, after said exclusive communication zone is terminated,

wherein said configuring of said interconnection network comprises exclusively dedicating said client system access port and said shared storage system access port to one another,

wherein said dedicating process excludes all other access ports from communicating with said client system access port while said exclusive communication zone exists.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said configuring of said exclusive communication zone comprises programming switches within said interconnection network.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said dedicating process includes a plurality of client system access ports and a plurality of shared storage systems within said exclusive communication zone.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein said creating of said copy of said operating system uses a golden disk of said operating system to create said copy.

9. A service supported by a computer for performing a method for installing a software program on at least one computer-readable storage medium of at least one client system, said service comprising:

creating a point-in-time copy of a storage unit containing said software program within a shared storage system;

configuring a computer network to create an exclusive communication zone between said client system and said point-in-time copy within said shared storage system;

installing said software program on said client system using said exclusive communication zone; and

terminating said exclusive communication zone after said installing of said software program is completed;

accessing ports using any of a client system access ports, after said exclusive communication zone is terminated,

wherein said configuring of said exclusive communication zone comprises exclusively dedicating said client system access port and a shared storage system access port to one another,

wherein said dedicating process excludes all other access ports from communicating with said client system access port while said exclusive communication zone exists.

10. The service according to claim 9, wherein said configuring of said exclusive communication zone comprises programming switches within said network.

11. The service according to claim 9, wherein said dedicating process includes a plurality of client system access ports and a plurality of shared storage system access ports within said exclusive communication zone.

12. The service according to claim 9, wherein said creating of said copy of said software program uses a golden disk of said software program to create said copy.

13. A computer-implemented method for installing an operating system on at least one at least one computer-readable storage medium of at least one client system connected to a shared storage controller, said method comprising:

creating a golden disk of said operating system on a logical disk of said storage controller;

creating at least one point-in-time copy of said golden disk; and

logically attaching said point-in-time copy to said client system thereby installing said operating system on said at least one client system;

configuring a computer network to create an exclusive communication zone between said client system and said point-in-time copy of said golden disk within a shared storage system;

installing said operating system on said client system using said exclusive communication zone; and

terminating said exclusive communication zone after said installing of said software program is completed;

accessing ports using any of a client system access ports, after said exclusive communication zone is terminated,

wherein said configuring of said exclusive communication zone comprises exclusively dedicating said client system access port and a shared storage system access port to one another,

wherein said dedicating process excludes all other access ports from communicating with said client system access port while said exclusive communication zone exists.

14. The method in claim 13, further comprising booting said client system using said point-in-time copy.

15. The method in claim 13, further comprising modifying said point-in-time copy to accommodate said client system as said client system operates.

16. The method in claim 13, wherein said creating of said point-in-time copy comprises one of a clone installation and a native installation.

17. The method in claim 13, wherein said creating of said point-in-time copy creates a plurality of point-in-time copies of said golden disk, wherein each point-in-time copy is attached to a different client system.

18. The method in claim 17, further comprising uniquely modifying each point-in-time copy according to unique requirements of each individual client system.

19. A computer storage medium readable by computer tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by said computer for performing a method for installing a software program on at least one client system, said method comprising:

creating a point-in-time copy of a storage unit containing said software program within a shared storage system;

configuring a computer network to create an exclusive communication zone between said client system and said point-in-time copy within said shared storage system;

installing said software program on said client system using said exclusive communication zone; and

terminating said exclusive communication zone after said installing of said software program is completed;

accessing ports using any of a client system access ports, after said exclusive communication zone is terminated,

wherein said configuring of said exclusive communication zone comprises exclusively dedicating said client system access port and a shared storage system access port to one another,

wherein said dedicating process excludes all other access ports from communicating with said client system access port while said exclusive communication zone exists.

20. The program storage device according to claim 19, wherein said configuring of said exclusive communication zone comprises programming switches within said network.

21. The program storage device according to claim 19, wherein said dedicating process includes a plurality of client system access ports and a plurality of shared storage system access ports within said exclusive communication zone.

22. The program storage device according to claim 19, wherein said creating of said copy of said software program uses a golden disk of said software program to create said copy.