Assembly, and associated methodology, for provisioning computer device with operating software

• US 7,839,816 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, Eric P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro; Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Magloire; Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US11/423,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20070288590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,625 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455423-425, 455/41.2, 700/112, 700/113
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

An assembly, and an associated methodology, for provisioning a computer server, or other device, with an operating system or other computer data. The computer server is positioned at a build area that includes wireless local area network apparatus that broadcasts provisioning software. A mobile start cart is positioned at the build area to receive the broadcast data and to provide the data to the computer server to be provisioned. Provisioning of the computer server is made without need of an Ethernet connection, or associated Ethernet infrastructure.

Claims

1. An assembly for facilitating provisioning of a computer device with provisioning data at a provisioning location, said assembly comprising:

a wireless network connector configured selectably to receive network-sourced computer data, the network-sourced computer data comprising the provisioning data, when positioned at the provisioning location;

a wired connector releasably connectable to the computer device and to said wireless network connector, such that, when connected, the network-sourced computer data forming the provisioning data received by said wireless network connector is provided to the computer device; and

a mobile support platform configured to support said wireless network connector and the wired connector connectable thereto, said mobile support platform positionable at the provisioning location to position said wireless network connector to permit reception of the network-sourced computer data;

wherein the computer device is positionable at the provisioning location independently from the mobile support platform;

wherein the computer device comprises a computer server that, once provisioned with the provisioning data sourced at a network device, is connectable to a data network, wherein the provisioning data comprises an operating system, and wherein said wireless network connector and said wired connector together provide for reception, by the computer device, of the provisioning data free of a wired build network at the provisioning location; and

,

wherein the wireless network connector is configured to detect different network-originated computer data when positioned at different build areas, and provide different data for provisioning based on the different detected computer data.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said wireless network connector and said wired connector together comprise a wireless local area network, LAN, workgroup bridge.

3. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a first access point positioned at the provisioning location, said first access point placeable in communication connectivity with said wireless network connector and to provide the network sourced computer data thereto.

4. The assembly of claim 3 further comprising a virtual local area network element connected to said first access point, the network-sourced computer data provided to said wireless network connector by way of said virtual local area network element.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the network-sourced computer data is sourced at a network server and wherein the network server is connected in communication connectivity with said virtual local area network element.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said wireless network connector comprises an 802.11-compatible radio transceiver.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the network-sourced computer data comprises encrypted data and wherein said assembly further comprises a de-encryptor configured to de-encrypt the encrypted data received at said wireless network connector.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said mobile support platform comprises a wheeled-platform permitting of wheeled movement of said wireless network connector and said wired connector connectable thereto at said provisioning location.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said wireless network connector further comprises an antenna configured to transducer the network-sourced computer data, the antenna constructed to exhibit a desired antenna pattern.

10. An assembly for facilitating computer-device provisioning of provisioning data at a provisioning location, said assembly comprising:

an access point positioned at the provisioning location, said access point configured to broadcast network-sourced computer data that forms the provisioning data comprising an operating system;

a virtual local area network element connected to said first access point, the network-sourced computer data provided to said access point for broadcast therefrom by said virtual area network element;

a computer data source connected in communication connectivity with said virtual local area network element, said computer data source configured to source the network-sourced computer data broadcast by said access point; and

a mobile support device configured to support receiver circuitry that receives the broadcast computer data, the mobile support device being transportable to provision successive computer-devices located in successive build areas; and

wherein the receiver circuitry is configured to detect different network-originated computer data when positioned at the successive build areas, and provide different data for provisioning based on the different detected computer data;

wherein said receiver circuitry provides for reception of the provisioning data free of a wired build network at the provisioning location.

11. A method for facilitating provisioning of a computer device with provisioning data at a provisioning location, said method comprising the operations of:

positioning a mobile-positionable wireless network connector at the provisioning location;

positioning the computer device at the provisioning location independently from a mobile support platform comprising the mobile-positionable wireless network connector;

detecting, at the mobile-positionable wireless network connector, the network-sourced computer data broadcast in the provisioning location;

connecting the mobile-positionable wireless network connector to the computer device;

provisioning the computer device with the network-sourced data by way of connection made during said operation of connecting, the network-sourced data forming the provisioning data;

providing an operating system to the computer device, by the wireless network connector, via the provisioning data;

configuring the computer device to include a computer server that once provisioned, by the wireless network connector, with the provisioning data sourced at a network device, is connectable to a data network;

detecting, by the wireless network connector, different network-originated computer data, based on the wireless network connector being positioned in different build areas; and

providing, by the wireless network connector, different data for provisioning in the different build areas based on the different network-originated computer data;

wherein said wireless network connector provides for reception, by the computer device, of the provisioning data free of a wired build network at the provisioning location.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the operation of supporting the wireless network connector upon a mobile support platform and wherein said operation of positioning comprises positioning the mobile support platform and the wireless network connector supported thereon at the provisioning location.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said mobile support platform comprises a wheeled platform and wherein said operation of positioning comprises wheeling the wheeled platform into position at the provisioning location.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the mobile-positionable wireless network connector positioned during said operation of positioning comprises a wireless bridge workgroup element.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising the operation of broadcasting the network-sourced computer data in the provisioning location.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the operation of mounting an access point at the provisioning location and wherein said operation of broadcasting comprises broadcasting the network-sourced data from the access point.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the operation of connecting the access point to a virtual local area network and wherein the network-sourced data broadcast by said access point is provided thereto by way of the virtual local area network.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the operations of connecting a network data source to the virtual local area network and of sourcing the network-sourced data from the network data source.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the provisioning location comprises a secured enclosure area at which the computer device is positioned and wherein said operation of positioning comprises positioning the mobile-positionable wireless network connector in the secured enclosure area.