Using task sequences to manage devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, implemented in a device, the method comprising:
- obtaining a task sequence at the device that describes a set of one or more steps to be carried out in managing multiple additional devices;
generating a job tree at the device representing the set of one or more steps, the set of one or more steps configured to;
determine a hardware configuration of each of the multiple additional devices;
download a deployment agent to each of the multiple additional devices, the deployment agent comprising a temporary operating system that is designed for the particular hardware configuration of each of the multiple additional devices and includes functionality to enable a full operating system to be installed on each of the multiple additional devices, the deployment agent including one or more device drivers to control one or more hardware components of the multiple additional devices;
download the full operating system to the multiple additional devices; and
reboot the multiple additional devices into the full operating system; and
sending one or more commands configured to carry out the set of one or more steps in accordance with the job tree, wherein the one or more commands are configured to carry out at least one of the one or more steps asynchronously for the multiple additional devices, and are configured to carry out at least one of the one or more steps concurrently for the multiple additional devices, wherein the one or more commands are performed asynchronously or concurrently based at least in part on the amount of data being transferred to the multiple additional devices.
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Abstract
Task sequences are used to manage devices. According to one aspect, a user-defined or user-selected task sequence is received. The task sequence is converted into an ordered series of steps, and the series of steps are performed, in accordance with their order, in managing a device over a network. In certain implementations, the ordered series of steps are steps for automatically deploying an operating system on the device.
111 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method, implemented in a device, the method comprising:
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obtaining a task sequence at the device that describes a set of one or more steps to be carried out in managing multiple additional devices; generating a job tree at the device representing the set of one or more steps, the set of one or more steps configured to; determine a hardware configuration of each of the multiple additional devices; download a deployment agent to each of the multiple additional devices, the deployment agent comprising a temporary operating system that is designed for the particular hardware configuration of each of the multiple additional devices and includes functionality to enable a full operating system to be installed on each of the multiple additional devices, the deployment agent including one or more device drivers to control one or more hardware components of the multiple additional devices; download the full operating system to the multiple additional devices; and reboot the multiple additional devices into the full operating system; and sending one or more commands configured to carry out the set of one or more steps in accordance with the job tree, wherein the one or more commands are configured to carry out at least one of the one or more steps asynchronously for the multiple additional devices, and are configured to carry out at least one of the one or more steps concurrently for the multiple additional devices, wherein the one or more commands are performed asynchronously or concurrently based at least in part on the amount of data being transferred to the multiple additional devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. One or more computer readable storage media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:
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receive a user-defined task sequence; convert the user-defined task sequence into an ordered series of steps, the ordered series of steps configured to; determine a hardware configuration of multiple devices; download a deployment agent to each of the multiple devices, the deployment agent comprising a temporary operating system that is designed for the particular hardware configuration of each of the multiple devices and includes functionality to enable a full operating system to be installed on each of the multiple devices, the deployment agent including one or more device drivers to control one or more hardware components of the multiple devices; download the full operating system to the multiple devices; and reboot the multiple devices into the full operating system; and send one or more commands configured to perform the series of steps in managing the multiple devices over a network in accordance with the ordered series, wherein the one or more commands are configured to perform at least one of the series of steps asynchronously for the multiple devices and are configured to perform at least one of the series of steps concurrently for the multiple devices, wherein the one or more commands are performed asynchronously or concurrently based at least in part on the amount of data being transferred to the multiple devices. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method, implemented in a device, the method comprising:
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obtaining a user-defined task sequence at the device that describes actions to be carried out to automatically deploy a full operating system to multiple additional devices; converting, at the device, the user-defined task sequence to a set of one or more steps of a job to be carried out to automatically deploy the full operating system to the multiple additional devices, the set of one or more steps comprising; determining a hardware configuration of each of the multiple additional devices; downloading a deployment agent to each of the multiple additional devices, the deployment agent comprising a temporary operating system that is designed for the particular hardware configuration of each of the multiple additional devices and includes one or more device drivers that are configured to control hardware components on the multiple additional devices that can be used to deploy the full operating system on each of the multiple additional devices; downloading the full operating system to the multiple additional devices by copying an operating system image file to the multiple additional devices; and rebooting the multiple additional devices into the full operating system; and sending one or more commands configured to carry out the one or more steps of the job, wherein the one or more commands are configured to carry out at least one of the one or more steps asynchronously for the multiple additional devices, and are configured to copy the operating system image file to the multiple additional devices concurrently, wherein the one or more commands are performed asynchronously or concurrently based at least in part on the amount of data being transferred to the multiple additional devices. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. One or more computer readable storage media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:
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obtain a user-selected task sequence; convert the user-selected task sequence into an ordered series of steps, the ordered series of steps configured to automatically deploy a full operating system to multiple devices, the ordered series of steps comprising; determining a hardware configuration of multiple devices; downloading a deployment agent to each of the multiple devices, the deployment agent comprising a temporary operating system that is designed for the particular hardware configuration of each of the multiple devices and includes one or more device drivers that are configured to control hardware components on the multiple devices that can be used to deploy the full operating system on each of the multiple devices; downloading the full operating system to the multiple devices; and rebooting the multiple devices into the full operating system; and send one or more commands configured to perform the series of steps to automatically deploy the operating system to the multiple devices over a network in accordance with the ordered series, wherein the one or more commands are configured to perform at least one of the series of steps asynchronously for the multiple devices and are configured to perform the step of downloading the operating system to the multiple devices in parallel, wherein the one or more commands are performed asynchronously or in parallel based at least in part on the amount of data being transferred to the multiple devices. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system comprising:
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a processor; and a memory embodying instructions configured to; obtain a task sequence that describes a set of one or more steps to be carried out to automatically deploy a full operating system to multiple devices; generate a job representation of the set of one or more steps, the set of one or more steps comprising; determining a hardware configuration of each of the multiple devices; downloading a deployment agent to each of the multiple devices, the deployment agent comprising a temporary operating system that is designed for the particular hardware configuration of each of the multiple devices and includes one or more device drivers that are configured to control hardware components on the multiple devices that can be used to deploy the full operating system on each of the multiple devices; downloading the full operating system to the multiple devices by copying an operating system image file to the multiple devices; rebooting the multiple devices; and configuring the operating system of the multiple devices; and send one or more commands configured to carry out the set of one or more steps in accordance with the job representation, wherein the one or more commands are configured to carry out the steps of rebooting and configuring the operating system asynchronously for the multiple devices, and are configured to copy the operating system image file to the multiple devices concurrently, wherein the one or more commands are performed asynchronously or concurrently based at least in part on the amount of data being transferred to the multiple additional devices.
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29. A system comprising:
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a processor; and a controller, stored on one or more computer-readable storage media and configured to be implemented at least in part by at least one of one or more processors to obtain a task sequence that describes one or more steps to be performed on multiple remote devices, and to generate a job representation of the one or more steps, the one or more steps configured to perform at least one of; determining a hardware configuration of each of the multiple remote devices; downloading a deployment agent to each of the multiple remote devices, the deployment agent comprising a temporary operating system that is designed for the particular hardware configuration of each of the multiple remote devices and includes one or more device drivers that are configured to control hardware components on the multiple remote devices that can be used to deploy a full operating system on each of the multiple remote devices; downloading the full operating system to the multiple remote devices; rebooting the multiple remote devices; and configuring the full operating system of the multiple remote devices; and a network boot service, configured to be implemented at least in part by at least one of the one or more processors to detect when the multiple remote devices are coupled to a network that the system is also coupled to, and to communicate with the controller to determine which of the steps of the job representation are to be carried out in response to the detection, wherein at least one of the one or more steps are configured to be carried out asynchronously for the multiple remote devices, and at least one of the one or more steps are configured to be carried out concurrently for the multiple remote devices, wherein the one or more commands are performed asynchronously or concurrently based at least in part on the amount of data being transferred to the multiple remote devices. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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Specification