Specific-purpose client with configuration history for self-provisioning of configuration and obviating reinstallation of embedded image

• US 8,700,888 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Marketing Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wyse Technology L.L.C. (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Tukol, Sanmati Bahubali, Prabhala, Mohan
• Primary Examiner(s): DU, THUAN N
• Application Number:
  US13/035,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20120198221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 709/219, 709/221
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates

Abstract

Examples of specific-purpose local clients are provided for self-provisioning of configurations and for obviating reinstallation of entire windows-based embedded images onto the specific-purpose local clients. Each local client may have a windows-based embedded image with a write-filter, and may include a configuration history memory unit configured to store a plurality of extensible markup language (XML) configuration files. The configuration history memory unit may be in a persistent storage area of the local client to allow the plurality of XML configuration files to be retained on the local client when it is shut down. The local client may include a retrieval module configured to facilitate automatically locating a remote repository server containing a new XML configuration file, to facilitate automatically obtaining the new XML configuration file from the remote repository server over a network, and to facilitate automatically obtaining a previous XML configuration file from the configuration history memory unit.

Claims

1. A specific-purpose local client for self-provisioning of configuration and for obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image onto the specific-purpose local client, the specific-purpose local client having a windows-based embedded image with a write-filter, the specific-purpose local client comprising:

a configuration history memory unit configured to store a plurality of extensible markup language (XML) configuration files, wherein the plurality of XML configuration files comprise a previous XML configuration file associated with a previous configuration change successfully applied to the windows-based embedded image, wherein the configuration history memory unit is in a persistent storage area of the specific-purpose local client to allow the plurality of XML configuration files to be retained on the specific-purpose local client when the specific-purpose local client is shut down;

a retrieval module configured, for each boot up of the specific-purpose local client, to facilitate automatically locating a remote repository server containing a new XML configuration file, to facilitate automatically obtaining the new XML configuration file from the remote repository server over a network while the write-filter is enabled, and to facilitate automatically obtaining the previous XML configuration file from the configuration history memory unit;

a configuration comparison module configured to compare the new XML configuration file with the previous XML configuration file and to determine whether to save the new XML configuration file into the configuration history memory unit based at least on the comparison; and

an apply settings module configured to apply, to the windows-based embedded image, one of a new configuration change and the previous configuration change based on the comparison while the write-filter is enabled,

wherein the new configuration change is based on the new XML configuration file,

wherein the windows-based embedded image comprises the write-filter to have one or more changes applied to the windows-based embedded image with the write-filter enabled, be discarded when the specific-purpose local client is shut down,

wherein the one of the new configuration change and the previous configuration change persists across a reboot of the specific-purpose local client while obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image on the specific-purpose local client,

wherein the windows-based embedded image supports a graphical user interface and comprises an operating system and one or more applications dedicated to the specific purpose, and

wherein each of the new configuration change and the previous configuration change comprises one or more of the following;

a configuration change to a remote desktop connection, a configuration change to a device of the specific-purpose local client, and a configuration change to the operating system of the specific-purpose local client.

2. The specific-purpose local client of claim 1, wherein the configuration comparison module is configured to determine if the new XML configuration file is different from the plurality of extensible markup language (XML) configuration files, and wherein the apply settings module is configured to facilitate saving the new XML configuration file into the configuration history memory unit if the new XML configuration file is different from the plurality of extensible markup language (XML) configuration files.

3. The specific-purpose local client of claim 1, wherein the apply settings module is configured to apply, to the windows-based embedded image, the new configuration change if the new XML configuration file is different from the previous XML configuration file.

4. The specific-purpose local client of claim 3, wherein the new XML configuration file is different from the previous XML configuration file, and wherein the apply settings module is configured to, while the write-filter is enabled, facilitate saving the new XML configuration file into the configuration history memory unit that is to be retained on the specific-purpose local client across a reboot of the specific-purpose local client.

5. The specific-purpose local client of claim 3, wherein the new XML configuration file is different from the previous XML configuration file, and wherein after a reboot of the specific-purpose local client is initiated, the apply settings module is configured to automatically apply, without a user'"'"'s intervention, the new configuration change based on the new XML configuration file saved in the configuration history memory unit that is retained on the specific-purpose local client across a reboot of the specific-purpose local client, to allow the new configuration change to appear, to the user of the specific-purpose local client, to be persistent across a reboot of the specific-purpose local client.

6. The specific-purpose local client of claim 3,

wherein the new XML configuration file is different from the previous XML configuration file,

wherein the specific-purpose local client further comprises a reset check module of the specific-purpose local client configured to determine whether to reset a previous state of the windows-based embedded image based on the new XML configuration file,

wherein, if the reset check module determines that the previous state is to be reset, the apply settings module is configured to apply a default configuration to the windows-based embedded image and to apply the new configuration change based on the new XML configuration file to the windows-based embedded image after the default configuration is applied, and

wherein, if the reset check module determines that the previous state is not to be reset, the apply settings module is configured to apply the new configuration change based on the new XML configuration file, to the windows-based embedded image, while disallowing the default configuration from being applied to the windows-based embedded image.

7. The specific-purpose local client of claim 1, wherein the apply settings module is configured to apply, to the windows-based embedded image, the previous configuration change if the new XML configuration file is the same as the previous XML configuration file.

8. The specific-purpose local client of claim 1, wherein after each reboot of the specific-purpose local client is initiated, the apply settings module is configured to automatically apply one of the new configuration change and the previous configuration change to the windows-based embedded image to allow one of the new configuration change and the previous configuration change to appear, to a user of the specific-purpose local client, to be persistent across a reboot of the specific-purpose local client.

9. The specific-purpose local client of claim 1, wherein the retrieval module is configured to obtain address information of the repository server using at least one of a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) or a domain name system (DNS).

10. The specific-purpose local client of claim 1, wherein the retrieval module is configured to obtain address information of the repository server from a local registry of the specific-purpose local client.

11. A method for self-provisioning of configuration and for obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image onto a specific-purpose local client, the specific-purpose local client having a windows-based embedded image with a write-filter, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of extensible markup language (XML) configuration files in a configuration history memory unit of the specific-purpose local client, wherein the plurality of XML configuration files comprise a previous XML configuration file associated with a previous configuration change successfully applied to the windows-based embedded image, wherein the configuration history memory unit is in a persistent storage area of the specific-purpose local client to allow the plurality of XML configuration files to be retained on the specific-purpose local client when the specific-purpose local client is shut down;

facilitating automatically locating a remote repository server containing a new XML configuration file for each boot up of the specific-purpose local client;

facilitating automatically obtaining, at the specific-purpose local client, the new XML configuration file from the remote repository server over a network while the write-filter is enabled for each boot up of the specific-purpose local client;

facilitating automatically obtaining, at the specific-purpose local client, the previous XML configuration file from the configuration history memory unit for each boot up of the specific-purpose local client;

comparing the new XML configuration file with the previous XML configuration file;

determining whether to save the new XML configuration file into the configuration history memory unit based at least on the comparison; and

applying, to the windows-based embedded image, one of a new configuration change and the previous configuration change based on the comparison while the write-filter is enabled,

wherein the new configuration change is based on the new XML configuration file,

wherein the windows-based embedded image comprises the write-filter to have one or more changes applied to the windows-based embedded image with the write-filter enabled, be discarded when the specific-purpose local client is shut down,

wherein the one of the new configuration change and the previous configuration change persists across a reboot of the specific-purpose local client while obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image on the specific-purpose local client,

wherein the windows-based embedded image supports a graphical user interface and comprises an operating system and one or more applications dedicated to the specific purpose, and

wherein each of the new configuration change and the previous configuration change comprises one or more of the following;

a configuration change to a remote desktop connection, a configuration change to a device of the specific-purpose local client, and a configuration change to the operating system of the specific-purpose local client.

12. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a processing system to perform a method for self-provisioning of configuration and for obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image onto a specific-purpose local client, the specific-purpose local client having a windows-based embedded image with a write-filter, the instructions comprising code for:

storing a plurality of extensible markup language (XML) configuration files in a configuration history memory unit of the specific-purpose local client, wherein the plurality of XML configuration files comprise a previous XML configuration file associated with a previous configuration change successfully applied to the windows-based embedded image, wherein the configuration history memory unit is in a persistent storage area of the specific-purpose local client to allow the plurality of XML configuration files to be retained on the specific-purpose local client when the specific-purpose local client is shut down;

facilitating automatically locating a remote repository server containing a new XML configuration file for each boot up of the specific-purpose local client;

facilitating automatically obtaining, at the specific-purpose local client, the new XML configuration file from the remote repository server over a network while the write-filter is enabled for each boot up of the specific-purpose local client;

facilitating automatically obtaining, at the specific-purpose local client, the previous XML configuration file from the configuration history memory unit for each boot up of the specific-purpose local client;

comparing the new XML configuration file with the previous XML configuration file;

determining whether to save the new XML configuration file into the configuration history memory unit based at least on the comparison; and

applying, to the windows-based embedded image, one of a new configuration change and the previous configuration change based on the comparison while the write-filter is enabled,

wherein the new configuration change is based on the new XML configuration file,

wherein the windows-based embedded image comprises the write-filter to have one or more changes applied to the windows-based embedded image with the write-filter enabled, be discarded when the specific-purpose local client is shut down,

wherein the one of the new configuration change and the previous configuration change persists across a reboot of the specific-purpose local client while obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image on the specific-purpose local client,

wherein the windows-based embedded image supports a graphical user interface and comprises an operating system and one or more applications dedicated to the specific purpose, and

wherein each of the new configuration change and the previous configuration change comprises one or more of the following;

a configuration change to a remote desktop connection, a configuration change to a device of the specific-purpose local client, and a configuration change to the operating system of the specific-purpose local client.

13. An apparatus for self-provisioning of configuration and for obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image onto a specific-purpose local client, the specific-purpose local client having a windows-based embedded image with a write-filter, the apparatus comprising:

XML configuration files comprise a previous XML configuration file associated with a previous configuration change successfully applied to the windows-based embedded image, wherein the configuration history memory unit is in a persistent storage area of the specific-purpose local client to allow the plurality of XML configuration files to be retained on the specific-purpose local client when the specific-purpose local client is shut down;

means for facilitating automatically locating a remote repository server containing a new XML configuration file for each boot up of the specific-purpose local client;

means for facilitating automatically obtaining, at the specific-purpose local client, the new XML configuration file from the remote repository server over a network while the write-filter is enabled for each boot up of the specific-purpose local client;

means for facilitating automatically obtaining, at the specific-purpose local client, the previous XML configuration file from the configuration history memory unit for each boot up of the specific-purpose local client;

means for comparing the new XML configuration file with the previous XML configuration file;

means for determining whether to save the new XML configuration file into the configuration history memory unit based at least on the comparison; and

means for applying, to the windows-based embedded image, one of a new configuration change and the previous configuration change based on the comparison while the write-filter is enabled,

wherein the new configuration change is based on the new XML configuration file,

wherein the windows-based embedded image comprises the write-filter to have one or more changes applied to the windows-based embedded image with the write-filter enabled, be discarded when the specific-purpose local client is shut down,

wherein the one of the new configuration change and the previous configuration change persists across a reboot of the specific-purpose local client while obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image on the specific-purpose local client,

wherein the windows-based embedded image supports a graphical user interface and comprises an operating system and one or more applications dedicated to the specific purpose, and

wherein each of the new configuration change and the previous configuration change comprises one or more of the following;

a configuration change to a remote desktop connection, a configuration change to a device of the specific-purpose local client, and a configuration change to the operating system of the specific-purpose local client.