Parallel installation

• US 8,484,637 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2007
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Farhangi, Alireza, Hilerio, Israel
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phillip H
• Application Number:
  US11/732,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20080250405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,289 Days
• Field of Search: 717/176, 717/171, 717/172, 717/177, 717/178, 717/121, 717/122
• US Class Current: 717/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/62 Uninstallation

Abstract

Installation of multiple servers with interdependencies is done in parallel steps, with each server advancing in sequence with other servers. When a second server is dependent on a first server during the installation process, the first server may finish a task and send a message to the second server to attempt an installation step that depends on the first server. If a problem occurs, the second server may revert to a configuration state before the attempted step and the first server may reattempt the installation step on which the second server depends.

Claims

1. At a master device, a method for installing interdependent components in parallel across a plurality of other devices, the method comprising:

beginning installation functions at the master device and each of a plurality of other devices in parallel by beginning a distributed installation master process for installing a plurality of components across the master device and the plurality of other devices in parallel, installation of a dependent component, from among the plurality of components, at a device, from among of the plurality of devices, being dependent on successfully completing installation of one or more other different components, from among the plurality of components, at one or more other devices;

sending a sequence of tasks to proceed with an installation action, the sequence of tasks tailored to install a first component, from among the one or more other different components, at a first device, from among the one or more other devices;

pausing installation on the device until the one or more other different components are successfully installed;

receiving a results message indicating that the first component was successfully installed at the first device; and

subsequent to receiving the results message, sending a further sequence of tasks to the device to proceed with an installation of the dependent component at the device, the further sequence of tasks tailored to install the dependent component at the device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

broadcasting an invite message across a network; and

receiving a response from a specific number of clients.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a further results message from a further device, from among the plurality of other devices, the further results message indicating that a further component, from among the one or more other components, was successfully installed at the further device, the dependent component dependent on the further component; and

wherein sending a further sequence of tasks to the device to proceed with installation of the dependent component comprises sending a further sequence of tasks to the device to proceed with an installation of the dependent component in response to receiving the results message and the further results message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving a further results message indicating that a further component was successfully installed at a further device comprises receiving a results message indicating that the further component was successfully installed at one of the plurality of other devices.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

displaying an overall status, said overall status comprising status from the master device and one of the plurality of other devices.

6. The method of claim 1, the distributed installation master process comprising at least a portion of at least one of a group composed of a network installation, a directory system installation, and a messaging system installation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein installation of a dependent component, from among the plurality of components, at a device, from among of the plurality of devices, being dependent on successfully completing installation of one or more other components, from among the plurality of components, at one or more an other devices comprises the component being dependent on successful installation of a component at the master device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the component being dependent on successful installation of a component at the master device comprises one of a backup service, an email service, and an antivirus service being dependent on a directory service installed at the master device.

9. A computer readable storage medium not comprising a signal but comprising computer executable instructions adapted to perform the method of claim 1.

10. At a master device, a method comprising:

beginning a distributed installation client in parallel at the master device a first client device, and a second client device, the distributed installation client for installing a first component at the first client device and installing a second dependent component at the second client device, the second dependent component dependent on successful installation of the first component;

sending a sequence of tasks to the first client device to install the first component at the first client, the sequence of tasks tailored for installing the first component;

pausing the distributed installation client process on the first client device and the second client device at a first checkpoint, said first checkpoint having a first configuration state for each of the first and second client devices;

receiving a results message from the first device indicating that the first component was successful installed at the first device; and

in response to receiving the results message, sending a further sequence of tasks to the second client device to install the second dependent component at the second client, the further sequence of tasks tailored for installing the second dependent component.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

sending a broadcast message requesting participants in a distributed installation process; and

receiving a participate message from the first client device and the second client device.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving a registration message to from the first client device and the second client device registering for a distributed installation process.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving a status message from the first device, said status message comprising a degree of completion of installing the first coponent.

14. The method of claim 10, the distributed installation client process comprising at least a portion of at least one of a group composed of a network installation, a directory system installation, and a messaging system installation.

15. A computer readable storage medium not comprising a signal but comprising computer executable instructions adapted to perform the method of claim 10.

16. A system comprising:

a network;

a plurality of other devices;

a master device connected to the network and adapted to perform a method of;

beginning installation functions at the master device and each of the plurality of other devices in parallel by beginning a distributed installation master process for installing a plurality of different components across the master device and the plurality of other devices in parallel, installation of a dependent component, from among the plurality of components, dependent on successful installation of one or more other components, from among the plurality of components;

sending a sequence of tasks proceed with an installation action, the sequence of tasks tailored to install a first component, from among the one or more other components, at a first device, from among the one or more other devices;

pausing installation on the device until the one or more other components are successfully installed;

receiving a first results message indicating that the first component was successfully installed at the first device

subsequent to receiving the results message, sending a further sequence of tasks to the device to proceed with an installation of the dependent component at the device, the further sequence of tasks tailored to install the dependent component at the device; and

receiving a second results message from the device;

if the second results message comprises a failed message, sending a revert message to each of the plurality devices to rollback to said first configuration state.

17. The system of claim 16, the master device being further adapted to:

broadcasting an invite message across a network; and

receiving a response from one of the plurality of other devices.

18. The system of claim 16, the master device being further adapted to:

receiving a further results message from a further device, from among the plurality of other devices, the further results message indicating that a further component, from among the one or more other components, was successfully installed at the further device, the dependent component dependent on the further component; and

wherein sending a further sequence of tasks to the device to proceed with installation of the dependent component comprises sending a further sequence of tasks to the device to proceed with an installation of the dependent component in response to receiving the results message and the further results message.

19. The system of claim 16, the master device being further adapted to:

displaying an overall status, said overall status comprising status from said at least two client devices.

20. The system of claim 16, the distributed installation master process comprising at least a portion of at least one of a group composed of a network installation, a directory system installation, and a messaging system installation.