System and method for information handling system image network communication

• US 8,972,545 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2004
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Hanes, Kevin, Cox, Tim W., Jarvis, Marc, Kamalanathan, Chandar
• Primary Examiner(s): Mejia, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US10/979,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20060095755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,773 Days
• Field of Search: 382/232, 382/233, 348/384, 709/220, 709/224, 709/247, 709/200, 709/222, 717/121, 713/100
• US Class Current: 709/222
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A system and method for information handling system manufacture analyzes an image to determine a traits definition that identifies the operating system, applications and unique information of the image, such as in a XML file. The image traits definition may be communicated to a manufacture site over a network and used to re-create the image for copying to a manufactured information handling system. Communication of the image traits definition consumes less network and storage resources than communication of the image, thus reducing the time and expense of image transfers to manufacture information handling systems.

Claims

1. A system for manufacture of information handling systems to include an image loaded in non-transitory memory of the information handling system, the system comprising:

a first information handling system having a processor and memory;

a second information handling system having a processor and memory;

an image analyzer executing on the processor of the first information handling system, the image analyzer operable to accept an image and generate an image traits definition from the image, the image traits definition having a manifest of software characteristics and customization settings that are associated with the image, the image analyzer further operable to communicate the image traits definition through a network; and

a remote image rebuilder executing on the processor of the second information handling system distal to and interfaced with the image analyzer through the network, the remote image rebuilder operable to receive the image traits definition and apply the image traits definition to an image components library to rebuild the image at the second information handling system; and

an information handling system burn rack interfaced with the remote image rebuilder and operable to receive the rebuilt image from the remote image rebuilder and to copy the rebuilt image to a manufactured information handling system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the image analyzer comprises:

an image decompressor operable to decompress the image;

a settings engine operable to determine customization settings of the decompressed image and to store the settings in the image traits definition; and

an application engine operable to determine the software characteristics and to store the software characteristics in the image traits definition.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein customization settings comprise video resolution, network and power management settings.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein software characteristics comprise application names, application templates, application forms and application settings.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the image traits definition is an XML file having a schema with plural elements.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the elements comprise an operating system, application, operating system update, custom configuration and desktop setting elements.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the image analyzer is proximate an information handling system manufacturer order site operable to receive images from customers.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the image analyzer is proximate an information handling system customer order site operable to communicate an information handling system order to a manufacturer.

9. A method for manufacture of an information handling system having an image, the method comprising:

creating the image in a non-transitory memory of an information handling system at a customer location, the image having an operating system, plural applications and unique information;

analyzing the image at the customer location to create an image traits definition that identifies the operating system, plural applications and unique information;

communicating the image traits definition over a network to an information handling system manufacture site located distal the customer location;

re-creating the image at the information handling system manufacture site from the image traits definition and a component library having the operating system and plural applications; and

copying the re-created image to a manufactured information handling system.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein creating the image further comprises creating the image at a customer site to interact with the customer site in a desired manner.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising shipping the manufactured information handling system to the customer site.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

testing the re-created image before communicating the image traits definition to the manufacture site.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the image traits definition is an XML file.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the unique information comprises configuration settings and application templates and forms.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the configuration settings comprise hard disc drive partitions, the operating system, applications, user profile information, video resolution, power management and network settings.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the network comprises the Internet.

17. A method for manufacture of an information handling system with an image stored in non-transitory memory, the method comprising:

analyzing the image at a first information handling system located in a first network site to create an image traits definition XML file, the image traits definition identifying the image operating system, applications and unique settings;

communicating the image traits definition from the first network site to a distal manufacture site;

re-creating the image at the distal manufacture site with the image traits definition applied to a component library; and

copying the re-created image to an information handling system.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the analyzing further comprises comparing a registry template with the registry of the image to determine at least some of the unique settings.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein analyzing further comprises determining templates and forms associated with at least one image application and storing the templates and forms as unique settings.