Comparing and provisioning configurations for a client having a windows-based embedded image

• US 8,938,524 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• 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): Avellino, Joseph E
• Assistant Examiner(s): McLeod, Marshall
• Application Number:
  US13/035,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20120198344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play

Abstract

Examples of methods and apparatus are provided for comparing and provisioning configurations for a local client having a windows-based embedded image. The apparatus may include a retrieval module of the local client configured to facilitate locating a remote repository server containing a new configuration file, to facilitate obtaining the new configuration file from the remote repository server, and to facilitate obtaining a previous configuration file associated with a previous configuration change successfully applied to the embedded image. The apparatus may include a configuration comparison module of the local client configured to compare the new configuration file with the previous configuration file. The apparatus may include an apply settings module of the local client configured to apply, to the embedded image, one of a new configuration change and the previous configuration change based on the comparison. The new configuration change may be based on the new configuration file.

Claims

1. An apparatus for comparing and provisioning configurations for a local client having a windows-based embedded image, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a computer readable medium communicatively coupled to the processor; and

computer-executable instructions encoded in the computer readable medium, the instructions, when executed by the processor, operable to perform operations comprising;

locating a remote repository server containing a new configuration file each time the local client boots up;

obtaining, each time the local client boots up, the new configuration file from the remote repository server each time the local client boots up while a write-filter of the windows-based embedded image is enabled, wherein the write-filter prevents one or more changes applied to the windows-based embedded image with the write-filter enabled, from persisting across a reboot of the local client;

obtaining a previous configuration file associated with a previous configuration change successfully applied to the windows-based embedded image each time the local client boots up;

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

applying, to the windows-based embedded image, one of a new configuration change and the previous configuration change based on the comparison;

wherein the new configuration change is based on the new configuration file; and

wherein the windows-based embedded image supports a graphical user interface and comprises an operating system and one or more applications.

2. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein, if the new configuration file is the same as the previous configuration file, then the computer-executable instructions encoded in the computer readable medium are operable, when executed by the processor, to apply the previous configuration change to the windows-based embedded image based on the previous configuration file;

and

wherein, if the new configuration file is different from the previous configuration file, then the computer-executable instructions encoded in the computer readable medium are operable, when executed by the processor, to apply the new configuration change to the windows-based embedded image based on the new configuration file.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions encoded in the computer readable medium are operable, when executed by the processor, to apply one of the new configuration change and the previous configuration change to the windows-based embedded image while the write-filter is enabled.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions encoded in the computer readable medium are operable, when executed by the processor, to save, while the write-filter is enabled, the previous configuration file into a storage area that is to be retained on the local client across a reboot of the local client.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein after each reboot of the local client is initiated, the computer-executable instructions encoded in the computer readable medium are operable, when executed by the processor, 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 local client, to be persistent across a reboot of the local client.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein after each reboot of the local client is initiated, the computer-executable instructions encoded in the computer readable medium are operable, when executed by the processor, to automatically locate a repository server containing a new configuration file and facilitate obtaining a new configuration file.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, 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 local client, or a configuration change to the operating system of the local client.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein after a reboot of the local client is initiated, the computer-executable instructions encoded in the computer readable medium are operable, when executed by the processor, to automatically apply, without a user'"'"'s intervention, the previous configuration change based on the previous configuration file saved in a storage area that is retained on the local client across a reboot of the local client, to allow the previous configuration change to appear, to the user of the local client, to be persistent across a reboot of the local client.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the new configuration file and the previous configuration file comprises an XML configuration file.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions encoded in the computer readable medium are operable, when executed by the processor, 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).

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein computer-executable instructions encoded in the computer readable medium are operable, when executed by the processor, to obtain address information of the repository server from a local registry of the local client.

12. A method for comparing and provisioning configurations for a local client having a windows-based embedded image, the method comprising:

locating a remote repository server containing a new configuration file locating a remote repository server containing a new configuration file each time the local client boots up;

obtaining, at the local client each time the local client boots up, the new configuration file from the remote repository server while a write-filter of the windows-based embedded image is enabled, wherein the write-filter prevents one or more changes applied to the windows-based embedded image with the write-filter enabled, from persisting across a reboot of the local client locating a remote repository server containing a new configuration file each time the local client boots up;

obtaining, at the local client, a previous configuration file associated with a previous configuration change successfully applied to the windows-based embedded image locating a remote repository server containing a new configuration file each time the local client boots up;

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

applying, to the windows-based embedded image, one of a new configuration change and the previous configuration change based on the comparison;

wherein the new configuration change is based on the new configuration file; and

wherein the windows-based embedded image supports a graphical user interface and comprises an operating system and one or more applications.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a processing system to perform a method for comparing and provisioning configurations for a local client having a windows-based embedded image, the instructions comprising code for:

locating a remote repository server containing a new configuration file locating a remote repository server containing a new configuration file each time the local client boots up;

obtaining, at the local client each time the local client boots up, the new configuration file from the remote repository server containing a remote repository server containing a new configuration file each time the local client boots up while a write-filter of the windows-based embedded image is enabled, wherein the write-filter prevents one or more changes applied to the windows-based embedded image with the write-filter enabled, from persisting across a reboot of the local client;

obtaining, at the local client, a previous configuration file associated with a previous configuration change successfully applied to the windows-based embedded image locating a remote repository server containing a new configuration file each time the local client boots up;

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

applying, to the windows-based embedded image, one of a new configuration change and the previous configuration change based on the comparison;

wherein the new configuration change is based on the new configuration file; and

wherein the windows-based embedded image supports a graphical user interface and comprises an operating system and one or more applications.