Software provisioning in multiple network configuration environment

• US 9,021,470 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: DeHaan, Michael Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEBERT, THEODORE E
• Application Number:
  US12/202,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20100054156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,433 Days
• Field of Search: 717/177
• US Class Current: 717/177
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• 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

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for provisioning software to machines in a set of diverse networks. A provisioning (or “cobbler”) server can interact with a remote installation client to initiate a software provisioning process to machines installed on two or more diverse networks, such as local area, wide area, virtual private, or other networks. The remote installation clients in different networks can report the network interface types and configurations of their networks to the cobbler server. During provisioning, the administrator can specify one software distribution to the entire set of diverse networks, and the cobbler server can generate different distribution versions tailored to the network configurations of the various different networks. In embodiments, the cobbler server can maintain a set of network configuration templates to automatically set network settings such as static IP addresses, gateway information, hostname information, network mask information, and other settings for the different network types.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a resource associated with a target machine;

determining a function to be performed by the target machine in view of the identified resource associated with the target machine;

receiving, from the target machine, a request for a profile;

generating, by a processor, the profile, wherein the profile associates a software distribution with the function to be performed by the target machine, and wherein the profile links a configuration file to the software distribution;

receiving a request for the initiation of a software provisioning process on a plurality of different networks, wherein each of the plurality of different networks comprises a respective network interface type;

for a first different network in the plurality of different networks;

receiving, from a network management engine in the first different network, a network interface type for the first different network,

communicating with a remote installation client in the first different network to provision software to a plurality of machines in the first different network, and

generating a distribution configuration for the first different network in view of the network interface type for the first different network, wherein the distribution configuration for the first different network comprises a first software to communicate using a first network communication protocol; and

for a second different network in the plurality of different networks;

receiving, from a network management engine in the second different network, a network interface type for the second different network,

communicating with a remote installation client in the second different network to provision software to a plurality of machines in the second different network, and

generating a distribution configuration for the second different network in view of the network interface type for the second different network, wherein the distribution configuration for the second different network comprises a second software to communicate using a second network communication protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different networks comprise two of a personal area network, a local area network, a metropolitan area network, a wide area network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network, a peer-to-peer network, or a wireless self-configuring network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution configuration for the first different network is generated in view of one of a plurality of configuration templates, wherein each of the configuration templates being associated with the respective network interface type.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of configuration templates comprises one of static IP (Internet protocol) information, gateway information, hostname information, netmask information, a port configuration setting, a physical layer specification setting, a data link layer specification setting, a network layer specification setting, a transport layer specification setting, an encryption setting, or a user authentication setting.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioned software comprises one of an operating system software or an application software.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network interface type for a network of the plurality of different networks is configured via user input.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the network interface type for a network of the plurality of different networks is configured via an automatic detection process.

8. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor, operatively coupled to the memory, to;

identify a resource associated with a target machine;

determine a function to be performed by the target machine in view of the identified resource associated with the target machine;

receive, from the target machine, a request for a profile;

generate the profile, wherein the profile associates a software distribution with the function to be performed by the target machine, and wherein the profile links a configuration file to the software distribution;

receive a request for the initiation of a software provisioning process on a plurality of different networks;

for a first different network in the plurality of different networks;

receive, from a network management engine in the first different network, a network interface type for the first different network,

communicate with a remote installation client in the first different network to provision software to a plurality of machines in the first different network, and

generate a distribution configuration for the first different network in view of the network interface type for the first different network, wherein the distribution configuration for the first different network comprises a first software to communicate using a first network communication protocol; and

for a second different network in the plurality of different networks;

receive, from a network management engine in the second different network, a network interface type for the second different network,

communicate with a remote installation client in the second different network to provision software to a plurality of machines in the second different network, and

generate a distribution configuration for the second different network in view of the network interface type for the second different network, wherein the distribution configuration for the second different network comprises a second software to communicate using a second network communication protocol.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of different networks comprise two of a personal area network, a local area network, a metropolitan area network, a wide area network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network, a peer-to-peer network, or a wireless self-configuring network.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the distribution configuration for the first different network is generated in view of one of a plurality of configuration templates, wherein each of the configuration templates being associated with the respective network interface type.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of configuration templates comprises one of static IP (Internet protocol) information, gateway information, hostname information, netmask information, a port configuration setting, a physical layer specification setting, a data link layer specification setting, a network layer specification setting, a transport layer specification setting, an encryption setting, or a user authentication setting.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the provisioned software comprises one of an operating system software or an application software.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the network interface type for a network of the plurality of different networks is configured via user input.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the network interface type for a network of the plurality of different networks is configured via an automatic detection process.

15. A plurality of different networks, communicably coupled to a processor, the processor to:

identify a resource associated with a target machine;

determine a function to be performed by the target machine in view of the identified resource associated with the target machine;

receive, from the target machine, a request for a profile;

generate the profile, wherein the profile associates a software distribution with the function to be performed by the target machine, and wherein the profile links a configuration file to the software distribution;

receive a request for the initiation of a software provisioning process on the plurality of different networks;

for a first different network in the plurality of different networks;

receive, from a network management engine in the first different network, a network interface type for the first different network,

communicate with a remote installation client in the first different network to provision software to a plurality of machines in the first different network, and

generate a distribution configuration for the first different network in view of the network interface type for the first different network, wherein the distribution configuration for the first different network comprises a first software to communicate using a first network communication protocol; and

for a second different network in the plurality of different networks;

receive, from a network management engine in the second different network, a network interface type for the second different network,

communicate with a remote installation client in the second different network to provision software to a plurality of machines in the second different network, and

generate a distribution configuration for the second different network in view of the network interface type for the second different network, wherein the distribution configuration for the second different network comprises a second software to communicate using a second network communication protocol.

16. The plurality of different networks of claim 15, wherein the plurality of different networks comprise two of a personal area network, a local area network, a metropolitan area network, a wide area network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network, a peer-to-peer network, or a wireless self-configuring network.

17. The plurality of different networks of claim 15, wherein the distribution configuration for the first different network is generated in view of one of a plurality of configuration templates, wherein each of the configuration template templates being associated with the respective network interface type.

18. The plurality of different networks of claim 17, wherein the plurality of configuration templates comprises one of static IP (Internet protocol) information, gateway information, hostname information, netmask information, a port configuration setting, a physical layer specification setting, a data link layer specification setting, a network layer specification setting, a transport layer specification setting, an encryption setting, or a user authentication setting.

19. The plurality of different networks of claim 15, wherein the provisioned software comprises one of an operating system software or an application software.

20. The plurality of different networks of claim 15, wherein the network interface type for a network of the plurality of different networks is configured via user input.

21. The plurality of different networks of claim 15, wherein the network interface type for a network of the plurality of different networks is configured via an automatic detection process.