State-based provisioning of a client having a windows-based embedded image

• US 9,762,440 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• 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): WON, MICHAEL YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US15/179,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20160359667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 709203, 709220, 709221, 709223, 709230, 709246, 717168, 714 381, 713100
• 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 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• 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

Examples of methods and apparatus are provided for state-based provisioning of a local client having a windows-based embedded image. The apparatus may include a retrieval module of the local client that facilitates locating a remote repository server containing a configuration file and that facilitates obtaining the configuration file from the remote repository server. The apparatus may include a reset check module of the local client that determines whether to reset a previous state of the image based on the configuration file. The apparatus may include an apply settings module of the local client that applies, to the image, one of a first configuration change and a second configuration change based on the determination. The first configuration change may include a configuration update to the previous state of the image. The second configuration change may include a change to the image independent of the previous state of the image.

Claims

1. A method for state-based provisioning of a local client having a windows-based embedded image, the method comprising:

receiving at the local client a configuration file from a remote repository server;

determining whether to reset a previous state of the windows-based embedded image based on a reset flag of the configuration file; and

applying, to the windows-based embedded image, one of a first configuration change and a second configuration change based on the determination, the first configuration change comprising a configuration update to the previous state of the windows-based embedded image, the second configuration change comprising a change to the windows-based embedded image independent of the previous state of the windows-based embedded image,

wherein, if it is determined that the previous state of the windows-based embedded image is to be reset, the method further comprises applying a default configuration to the windows-based embedded image and applying a configuration based on the configuration file to the windows-based embedded image after the default configuration is applied, wherein the second configuration change comprises the default configuration and the configuration, and

wherein, if it is determined that the previous state of the windows-based embedded image is not to be reset, the method further comprises applying the configuration based on the configuration file, to the windows-based embedded image, while disallowing the default configuration from being applied to the windows-based embedded image, wherein the first configuration change comprises the configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the default configuration is applied based on a default configuration file contained in the local client.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the windows-based embedded image comprises a write-filter, and the method further comprises enabling the write-filter, such that the write filter prevents one or more changes applied to the windows-based embedded image from persisting across a reboot of the local client.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, while the write-filter is enabled, obtaining the configuration file from the remote repository server and applying one of the first configuration change and the second configuration change to the windows-based embedded image.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising, while the write-filter is enabled, saving the configuration file into a storage area that is to be retained on the local client across a reboot of the local client while the write-filter is enabled.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising initiating a reboot of the local client, and, after the reboot is initiated, applying one of the first configuration change and the second configuration change to the windows-embedded image.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising initiating a reboot of the local client, and, after the reboot is initiated, locating a repository server containing a configuration file and obtaining the configuration file.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the first configuration change and the second 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.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising initiating a reboot of the local client, and, after the reboot is initiated, applying one of the first configuration change and the second configuration change based on the configuration file saved in a storage area that is retained on the local client across a reboot of the local client.

10. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions

executable by a processing system to perform a method for state-based provisioning of a local client having a windows-based embedded image, the instructions comprising code for:

receiving a configuration file from a remote repository server;

determining whether to reset a previous state of the windows-based embedded image based on a reset flag of the configuration file; and

applying, to the windows-based embedded image, one of a first configuration change and a second configuration change based on the determination, the first configuration change comprising a configuration update to the previous state of the windows-based embedded image, the second configuration change comprising a change to the windows-based embedded image independent of the previous state of the windows-based embedded image;

wherein, if it is determined that the previous state of the windows-based embedded image is to be reset, the method further comprises applying a default configuration to the windows-based embedded image and applying a configuration based on the configuration file to the windows-based embedded image after the default configuration is applied, wherein the second configuration change comprises the default configuration and the configuration, and

wherein, if it is determined that the previous state of the windows-based embedded image is not to be reset, the method further comprises applying the configuration based on the configuration file, to the windows-based embedded image, while disallowing the default configuration from being applied to the windows-based embedded image, wherein the first configuration change comprises the configuration.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the default configuration is applied based on a default configuration file contained in the local client.

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

receiving a configuration file from a remote repository server;

determining whether to reset a previous state of the windows-based embedded image based on a reset flag of the configuration file; and

applying, to the windows-based embedded image, one of a first configuration change and a second configuration change based on the determination, the first configuration change comprising a configuration update to the previous state of the windows-based embedded image, the second configuration change comprising a change to the windows-based embedded image independent of the previous state of the windows-based embedded image,

wherein, if it is determined that the previous state of the windows-based embedded image is to be reset, the method further comprises applying a default configuration to the windows-based embedded image and applying a configuration based on the configuration file to the windows-based embedded image after the default configuration is applied, wherein the second configuration change comprises the default configuration and the configuration, and

wherein, if it is determined that the previous state of the windows-based embedded image is not to be reset, the method further comprises applying the configuration based on the configuration file, to the windows-based embedded image, while disallowing the default configuration from being applied to the windows-based embedded image, wherein the first configuration change comprises the configuration.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the windows-based embedded image comprises a write-filter, and the method further comprises enabling the write-filter, such that the write filter prevents one or more changes applied to the windows-based embedded image from persisting across a reboot of the local client.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising, while the write-filter is enabled, obtaining the configuration file from the remote repository server and applying one of the first configuration change and the second configuration change to the windows-based embedded image.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising, while the write-filter is enabled, saving the configuration file into a storage area that is to be retained on the local client across a reboot of the local client while the write-filter is enabled.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising initiating a reboot of the local client, and, after the reboot is initiated, applying one of the first configuration change and the second configuration change to the windows-embedded image.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising initiating a reboot of the local client, and, after the reboot is initiated, locating a repository server containing a configuration file and obtaining the configuration file.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein each of the first configuration change and the second 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.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising initiating a reboot of the local client, and, after the reboot is initiated, applying one of the first configuration change and the second configuration change based on the configuration file saved in a storage area that is retained on the local client across a reboot of the local client.