Multiple saved kernel configurations

• US 20040236931A1
• Filed: 05/19/2003
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Roth, Steven, Chandramouleeswaran, Aswin
• Granted Patent: US 7,167,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A method, and a corresponding mechanism, are used for generating and managing multiple saved kernel configurations. The method includes retrieving an existing kernel configuration, applying a kconfig command, by which a second kernel configuration is generated, and saving the second kernel configuration.

Claims

1. A method for managing multiple saved kernel configurations, comprising:

retrieving an existing kernel configuration;

applying a kconfig command, wherein a second kernel configuration is generated; and

saving the second kernel configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a kernel configuration includes all data needed to describe the configuration of the kernel.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying one of an all flag, a verbose flag, and a Parse flag to the retrieved kernel configuration.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying details of the retrieved kernel configuration.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second kernel configuration is saved with the existing kernel configuration.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the kconfig command comprises a kconfig -s command.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the kconfig command comprises a kconfig -c command.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the kconfig command comprises a kconfig -e command and a kconfig -i command, and wherein application of the kconfig command exports the retrieved kernel configuration from a first system and imports the retrieved kernel configuration to a second system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the retrieved kernel configuration is described by a system file.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising designating an exact version of the kernel configuration to be imported, the designating step comprising applying a V flag.

11. A computer readable medium comprising routines to manage multiple saved kernel configurations, the routines, when executed, comprising the steps of:

retrieving an existing kernel configuration;

applying a kconfig command, wherein a second kernel configuration is generated; and

saving the second kernel configuration.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the steps further comprise applying one of an all flag, a verbose flag, and a Parse flag to the retrieved kernel configuration.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the steps further comprise displaying details of the retrieved kernel configuration.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the second version of the kernel configuration is saved with the existing kernel configuration.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the kconfig command comprises a kconfig -s command.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the kconfig command comprises a kconfig -c command.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the kconfig command comprises a kconfig -e command and a kconfig -i command, and wherein application of the kconfig command exports the retrieved kernel configuration from a first system and imports the retrieved kernel configuration to a second system.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the retrieved kernel configuration is described in a system file.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the steps further comprise designating an exact version of the kernel configuration to be imported, the designating step comprising applying a -V flag.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein a kernel configuration includes all data needed to describe the configuration of the kernel.

21. A mechanism for managing multiple saved kernel configurations, comprising:

a saved kernel configuration directory, wherein multiple kernel configurations are maintained; and

a kconfig module that receives a kernel configuration, the kconfig module comprising kconfig commands capable of being applied to the kernel configuration, wherein at least a second kernel configuration is generated.

22. The mechanism of claim 21, wherein the kconfig command comprises one of kconfig -s and kconfig -c, wherein the second kernel configuration is, respectively, saved in the directory and copied to a system.

23. The mechanism of claim 22, wherein the kconfig commands comprise an export command and an import command, wherein the retrieved kernel configuration is exported from a first system and imported to a second system.

24. The mechanism of claim 23, further comprising a strict version command, wherein the imported kernel configuration is an exact copy of the exported kernel configuration.