Registry key federation systems and methods

• US 8,495,420 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Gokhale, Parag, Karandikar, Amey Vijaykumar
• Primary Examiner(s): BONZO, BRYCE P
• Application Number:
  US12/895,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20120017075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 714/15
• US Class Current: 714/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

According to certain aspects, a method is disclosed for registry key management in a network. The method includes detecting registry keys stored in a registry of a plurality of client computing devices and storing on a remote database a copy of the registry keys. The remote database is in communication with each of the client computing devices. The method further includes tracking with a management module running on the client computing devices modifications made to the registry of the first client device. In addition, the method includes modifying the copy of the registry keys on the remote database to reflect the modifications to the registry of the first client computing device; detecting a rebuild operation of the first client computing device; and automatically reinstalling registry keys on the first client computing device based on the copy of the registry keys stored on the remote database.

Claims

1. A method for registry key management in a computer network, the method comprising:

detecting registry keys stored in a registry of each of a plurality of client computing devices;

storing on a remote database a copy of the registry keys of each of the plurality of client computing devices, the remote database being in network communication with each of the plurality of client computing devices;

tracking with a management module executing on a first one of the plurality of client computing devices modifications made to the registry of the first client computing device;

modifying the copy of the registry keys on the remote database to reflect said modifications to the registry of the first client computing device;

detecting a rebuild operation for upgrading or changing an operating system installed on the first client computing device;

accessing a data structure in the remote database that indicates whether the first client computing device is a part of a group for which one or more particular ones of the registry keys are to be installed; and

automatically reinstalling registry keys on the first client computing device based on the copy of the registry keys stored on the remote database and the information in the data structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said tracking is performed with a user interface configured to receive registry changes input by a user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting registry keys comprises identifying the registry keys based on predetermined criteria.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising replicating according to one or more policies at least one registry key between at least two of the plurality of client computing devices.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said rebuild operation comprises an installation of an operating system on the first client computing device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the operating system comprises a different operating system than a previous operating system installed on the first client computing device prior to said rebuild operation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said reinstalling registry keys comprises translating at least one registry key from a first format corresponding to the previous operating system to a second format corresponding to the different operating system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting registry keys is performed with one or more application programming interfaces (APIs).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said modifying the copy of the registry keys comprises adding a new registry key to the copy of the registry keys.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting a rebuild operation comprises detecting a failure of the client computing device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said storing the copy of the registry keys comprises storing fewer registry keys than those detected in the registries of the plurality of client computing devices.

12. A system for managing registry keys in a computer network, the system comprising:

a plurality of client computing devices each comprising a registry having a plurality of registry keys;

at least one management server in network communication with the plurality of client computing devices, the at least one management server being configured to;

detect registry keys stored in the registry of each of the plurality of client computing devices; and

maintain in a database a copy of the registry keys installed in each registry of the plurality of client computing devices; and

a management module executing on a first one of the plurality of client computing devices, the management module being configured to;

automatically track modifications made to the registry of the first client computing device; and

instruct the at least one management server to update the copy of the registry keys to reflect said modifications,

wherein the at least one management server is further configured to;

modify the copy of the registry keys on the database to reflect said modifications to the registry of the first client computing device;

detect a rebuild operation for upgrading or changing an operating system installed on the first client computing device;

access a data structure in the database that indicates whether the first client computing device is a part of a group for which one or more particular ones of the registry keys are to be installed; and

automatically reinstall registry keys on the first client computing device based on the copy of the registry keys stored on the database and the information in the data structure.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the indication the copy of the registry keys comprises a full copy of the registry keys installed on the plurality of client computing devices.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the indication the copy of the registry keys comprises a list of the registry keys installed on the plurality of client computing devices.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the management module is configured to reinstall the registry keys of the first client computing device to the first client computing device during a rebuilding of the first client computing device.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one management server further comprises a translation module configured to translate one of the registry keys associated with a first format corresponding to a first operating system to a second format corresponding to a second operating system.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one management server further accesses at least one predetermined policy to replicate at least one of the registry keys on one client computing device to a second client computing device.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the management module comprises a user interface configured to receive registry key changes input by a user.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions for registry key management in a computer network, that cause a processor to:

detect registry keys stored in a registry of each of a plurality of client computing devices;

store on a remote database a copy of the registry keys of each of the plurality of client computing devices, the remote database being in network communication with each of the plurality of client computing devices;

track with a management module executing on a first one of the plurality of client computing devices modifications made to the registry of the first client computing device;

modify the copy of the registry keys on the remote database to reflect said modifications to the registry of the first client computing device;

detect a rebuild operation for upgrading or changing an operating system installed on the first client computing device;

access a data structure in the remote database that indicates whether the first client computing device is a part of a group for which one or more particular ones of the registry keys are to be installed; and

automatically reinstall registry keys on the first client computing device based on the copy of the registry keys stored on the remote database and the information in the data structure.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions that cause the processor to replicate according to one or more policies at least one registry key between at least two of the plurality of client computing devices.