System and method of controlling multiple computer platforms

• US 7,827,266 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valtrus Innovations Limited (f/k/a Dolya Holdco 9 Limited) (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Vinay
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUOC H
• Application Number:
  US11/831,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20090037551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells

Abstract

A system and method are provided for controlling multiple computer platforms. The method can include the operation of storing command line tasks in a database. Other command line task information can include a command name, related parameters, and a platform type for which the command line tasks are executable. A command line task can be selected from the database of command line tasks by a user for application to computing systems. A further operation is identifying at least one computing system that can be addressed from a host system and which has the same platform type as the selected command line task. The user can then select at least one computing system from a list of the identified computing systems to which the selected command line is applicable. Another operation is applying the selected command line tasks to the selected computing systems which are of a correct platform type.

Claims

1. A method of controlling multiple computer platforms, comprising:

storing a command line task for a plurality of tasks in a database, wherein the command line task for each task is stored for each of the multiple computer platforms for which the command line task is executable, each command line task including a command name, related parameters, and a platform type;

associating the command line task for one of the plurality of tasks for each of the multiple computer platforms with a task description in the database;

selecting the task description for one of the plurality of tasks from the database by a user, for application of the associated command line task to computing systems having at least one of the multiple computer platforms;

identifying the computing systems on which the associated command line task is executable;

enabling the user to select at least one computing system from a list of the identified computing systems on which the associated command line task is executable; and

applying the associated command line task to the selected computing systems.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of applying the selected command line task further comprises the step of applying the selected command line task to the selected computing systems using a native command line interface on the selected computing systems.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of applying the associated command line task further comprises the step of validating parameter values entered by the user and constructing the command line to be executed on the selected computing systems based on the stored command line tasks.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing command line tasks in a database further comprises the step of generating a plurality of command line tasks by storing the command name, description, underlying command line format, parameters, and concurrent execution maximum for the command line tasks in the database.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of generating a graphical parameter listing and data entry interface capable of being viewed by a user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the plurality of command line tasks in an XML or relational database accessible to a management application.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of applying the associated command line task to the selected computing systems on a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN).

8. A method of controlling multiple computer platforms, comprising:

generating a database of command line tasks accessible by a management application;

storing a command line name, related command line parameters, and a platform type upon which the command line tasks are applicable in the database;

identifying at least one computing system that can be accessed by the management application and the at least one platform type of the computing system;

selecting a command line task from the database of command line tasks via user interaction;

presenting a list of systems to which the command line task can be applied based on the platform type stored for the command line task as compared to the platform type of the computing systems;

enabling a user to select at least one computing system from the presented list of computing systems which have the same platform type as the command line task; and

applying the selected command line tasks to the selected computing systems which are of the same platform type as the command line task using the management application.

9. A method as in claim 8, wherein the step of applying the selected command line tasks further comprises the step of applying the selected command line tasks to the selected computing systems using a native command line interface on the selected computing systems.

10. A method as in claim 8, wherein the step of applying the selected command line tasks further comprises the step of validating parameter values entered by the user and constructing the command line to be executed on the selected computing systems based on the stored command line tasks.

11. A method as in claim 8, wherein the step of selecting a command line task further comprises the step of presenting the user with a task description for a stored command line task.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of generating a database of command line tasks further comprises the step of generating a new command line task by storing the command name, command description, underlying command line format, and concurrent execution maximum.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of storing a parameter listing in the database.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of supplying a graphical user interface that is enabled to accept parameters for the command line tasks when the user invokes a command line task.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of generating a graphical user interface enabled to accept parameters for the command line tasks using text box entry controls and a displayed parameter name and description.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of selecting a command line task further comprises the step of presenting a graphical tree view of command line tasks in order to divide command line tasks into groupings.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of presenting a list of computing systems further comprises the step of enabling the computing systems contained in the list of computing systems be selected or de-selected depending on whether the user wants to apply the selected command line task to the computing systems.

18. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of applying the selected command line tasks to the selected computing systems which are of a correct platform type on a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN).

19. A system for controlling multiple computer platforms, comprising:

a database for storing command line tasks including a platform type of the multiple computer platforms for which the command line tasks are executable;

a management task registration interface configured to enable entry of command line tasks and parameter listings by a user into the database;

a management application configured to identify at least one computing system that can be addressed by the management application and to identify the computer platform type of the computing systems;

a management task invocation interface, in communication with the management application, configured to enable a user to select a command line task from the database based on a task description that a user desires to apply to at least one of the multiple computer platforms; and

an applicable list display, in the management task invocation interface, configured to present a list of computer platforms to which command line tasks can be applied by the management application based on the computer platform type stored for the command line task and the computer platform type.

20. A system as in claim 19, further comprising a graphical form used with the management task invocation interface to enable a user to view a command name and command description, and enter related command parameters.

21. A system as in claim 19, further comprising a graphical tree interface used with the management task invocation interface.

22. A system as in claim 19, wherein the management task invocation interface applies the selected command line tasks to the selected computing systems platforms using a native command line interface on the selected computing platforms.

23. A system as in claim 19, wherein the management task invocation interface validates parameter values entered by the user and constructs a command line to be executed on the selected computing systems based on the stored command line tasks.

24. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for controlling multiple computer platforms, comprising computer readable program code to perform the operations of:

storing a command line task for a plurality of tasks in a database, wherein the command line task for each task is stored for each of the multiple computer platforms for which the command line task is executable, each command line task including a command name, related parameters, and a platform type;

associating the command line task for one of the plurality of tasks for each of the multiple platforms with a task description in the database;

selecting the task description for one of the plurality of tasks from the database of command line tasks by a user, for application of the associated command line task to computing systems having at least one of the multiple computer platforms;

identifying each of the computing systems on which the associated command line task is executable;

enabling the user to select at least one computing system from a list of the identified computing systems on which the associated command line task is executable; and

applying the associated command line task to the selected computing systems.