Integrated computer server imaging

• US 7,853,945 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2006
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Linden, Lee, Watson, Eric B., Power, Brendan, Kramer, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen; Wei Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, HIREN P
• Application Number:
  US11/360,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20070234346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• Field of Search: 717120-121, 717169-178, 709/220, 709/224, 709245-252, 709/203
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order

Abstract

Computer server installation images can be created by installing and configuring software, such as an operating system and an application, on a computer server with deployment neutral settings and then imaging the server. A plurality of computer servers can be installed using a plurality of computer server installation images. A first server can be installed with a first image, and software installed from the image can be configured with deployment specific settings. A second server can be installed with a second image, and software installed from the image can be configured with deployment specific settings.

Claims

1. A method for installing a plurality of computer servers for integrated operation using a plurality of computer server installation images, the method comprising:

receiving a first computer server installation image, wherein the first computer server installation image comprises a first operating system and a first application, wherein the operating system and the first application are configured with deployment neutral settings, and wherein the first computer server installation image is configured for providing first services on a first server in an integrated multi-server environment comprising the first server and a second server of the plurality of computer servers;

receiving a second computer server installation image, wherein the second computer server installation image comprises a second operating system and a second application, wherein the second operating system and the second application are configured with deployment neutral settings, and wherein the second computer server installation image is configured for providing second services on the second server in the integrated multi-server environment comprising the first server and the second server of the plurality of computer servers;

wherein the first services and second services are different;

consulting a knowledge base having installation answers for the first server of the plurality of computer servers and for the second server of the plurality of computer servers;

based on installation answers provided by the knowledge base, installing the first operating system and the first application from the first computer server installation image on the first server, wherein the first server is configured for providing the first services in the integrated multi-server environment;

based on installation answers provided by the knowledge base, installing the second operating system and the second application from the second computer server installation image on the second server, wherein the second server is configured for providing the second services in the integrated multi-server environment;

customizing the first server, wherein customizing the first server comprises configuring the first operating system and the first application of the first server with first deployment specific settings; and

customizing the second server, wherein customizing the second server comprises automatically configuring the second operating system and the second application of the second server with second deployment specific settings without user'"'"'s input, and wherein the second deployment specific settings are different from the first deployment specific settings.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring the second operating system on the second server with the second deployment specific settings comprises receiving, from the first server over a network, the second deployment specific settings for configuring the second operating system on the second server.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein customizing the first application on the first server comprises:

presenting a user interface to a user configuring the first application; and

receiving the first deployment specific settings for configuring the first application from the user via the user interface.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first application installed on the first server provides networking services.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second application installed on the second server provides email services.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

installing a third server of the plurality of computer servers with a third computer server installation image, wherein the third computer server installation image further comprises a third operating system and a third application, wherein the third operating system and the third application have been configured with deployment neutral settings;

installing the third operating system and the third application on the third server from the third computer server installation image; and

customizing the third server, wherein customizing the third server comprises configuring the third operating system and the third application of the third server with third deployment specific settings;

wherein the first server is operable to provide a networking service, wherein the second server is operable to provide an email service, and wherein the third server is operable to provide a firewall service.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

after configuring the first application on the first server with first deployment specific settings, migrating settings and data from a legacy server to the first application on the first server.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein a hardware configuration of the first server is different from a hardware configuration of the second server.

9. A method for creating a plurality of computer server installation images, the method comprising:

installing a first application on a first source computer server, wherein installing the first application comprises genericizing the first application, and wherein genericizing the first application comprises replacing deployment specific settings with deployment neutral settings;

installing a second application on the first source computer server, wherein installing the second application comprises genericizing the second application, and wherein genericizing the second application comprises replacing deployment specific settings with deployment neutral settings;

installing a first operating system on the first source computer server, wherein installing the first operating system comprises genericizing the first operating system, and wherein genericizing the first operating system comprises replacing deployment specific settings with deployment neutral settings;

after installing the first application, the second application, and the first operating system on the first source computer server, configuring the first source computer server to provide first services in an integrated environment with a second source computer server and creating a first computer server installation image by imaging the first source computer server, wherein the first computer server installation image is configured with deployment neutral settings and is customizable upon installation;

installing the second application on a second source computer server, wherein installing the second application comprises genericizing the second application, and wherein genericizing the second application comprises replacing deployment specific settings with deployment neutral settings;

installing a third application on the second source computer server, wherein installing the third application comprises genericizing the third application, and wherein genericizing the third application comprises replacing deployment specific settings with deployment neutral settings;

installing a second operating system on the second source computer server, wherein installing the second operating system comprises genericizing the second operating system, and wherein genericizing the second operating system comprises replacing deployment specific settings with deployment neutral settings;

after installing the second application, the third application, and the second operating system on the second source computer server, configuring the second source computer server to provide second services in an integrated environment with the first source computer server and creating a second computer server installation image by imaging the second source computer server, wherein the second computer server installation image is configured with deployment neutral settings and is customizable upon installation; and

transferring the first computer server installation image comprising deployment neutral settings to at least a first server in an integrated-multi-server environment and transferring the second computer server installation image comprising deployment neutral settings to at least a second server in the integrated-multi-server environment;

wherein the first computer server installation image and the second computer server installation image are different, wherein the first computer server installation image is configured for providing the first services on the first server and the second computer installation image is configured for providing the second services on the second server as part of a plurality of integrated computer server installation images, wherein the first services and the second services are different, wherein the plurality of integrated computer server installation images are operable to install the integrated-multi-server environment, and wherein the plurality of integrated computer server installation images are customizable upon installation for at least the first server and the second server in the integrated-multi-server environment.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first computer server installation image is a single image comprising the first operating system, the first application, and the second application.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein configuring the first operating system with deployment neutral settings comprises configuring the first operating system with settings that are optimized for a multi-server environment, and wherein configuring the first application and the second application with deployment neutral settings comprises configuring the first application and the second application with settings that are optimized for the multi-server environment.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein genericizing the first application further comprises replacing a deployment specific setting of a specific static IP address mode with a deployment neutral setting of a dynamically assigned IP address mode.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein genericizing the first computer server installation image comprises removing at least one unique server identification value.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

before creating the first computer server installation image, installing one or more additional applications on the first source computer server, wherein installing the one or more additional applications comprises genericizing the one or more additional applications by replacing deployment specific settings with deployment neutral settings.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein installing the first application comprises installing less than all of a plurality of components comprising the first application.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage media storing a plurality of computer server installation images, the computer readable storage media also storing computer-executable instructions for installing a plurality of computer servers for integrated operation using the plurality of computer server installation images, the computer-executable instructions performing a computer implemented method comprising:

receiving a first computer server installation image, wherein the first computer server installation image comprises a first operating system and a first application, wherein the first operating system and the first application are configured with deployment neutral settings, and wherein the first computer server installation image is configured for providing first services on a first server in an integrated multi-server environment comprising the first server and a second server of the plurality of computer servers;

receiving a second computer server installation image, wherein the second computer server installation image further comprises a second operating system and a second application, wherein the second operating system and the second application have been are configured with deployment neutral settings, and wherein the second computer server installation image is configured for providing second services on the second server in the integrated multi-server environment comprising the first server and the second server of the plurality of computer servers;

consulting a knowledge base having installation answers for the first server of the plurality of computer servers and for the second server of the plurality of computer servers;

based on installation answers provided by the knowledge base, installing the first operating system and the first application on the first server from the first computer server installation image, wherein the first server is configured for providing the first services in the integrated multi-server environment;

based on installation answers provided by the knowledge base, installing the second operating system and the second application on the second server from the second computer server installation image, wherein the second server is configured for providing the second services in the integrated multi-server environment, wherein the first services and second services are different;

customizing the first server, wherein customizing the first server comprises configuring the first operating system and the first application with first deployment specific settings; and

customizing the second server, wherein customizing the second server further comprises automatically configuring the second operating system and the second application with second deployment specific settings without user'"'"'s input, and wherein the second deployment specific settings are different from the first deployment specific settings.