Task sequence interface

• US 20040268292A1
• Filed: 06/25/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sutton, Paul C., Steeb, Curt A., Xu, Zeyong, Holladay, Martin L., Prabu, Munisamy, Pedrizetti, Raymond D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,086,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication

Abstract

According to one aspect of task sequence interfaces, a method includes exposing an interface that allows task sequences to be performed on a plurality of remote devices, and receiving requests regarding the task sequences and the plurality of remote devices via the interface. The interface comprises an object model including device objects that represent physical devices in a network, and jobs objects that represent task sequences performed on one or more of the plurality of remote devices.

Claims

1. A method, implemented in a device, the method comprising:

exposing an interface that allows task sequences to be performed on a plurality of remote devices;

receiving requests regarding the task sequences and the plurality of remote devices via the interface; and

wherein the interface comprises an object model including device objects that represent physical devices in a network, and jobs objects that represent task sequences performed on one or more of the plurality of remote devices.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the object model further includes:

sets objects that represent collections of physical devices in the network;

job templates objects that represent task sequences available to be performed on one or more of the plurality of remote devices but not currently being performed on any of the plurality of remote devices; and

images objects that represent a captured image that is available to be deployed on one or more of the plurality of remote devices.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more of the jobs objects represent task sequences currently being performed on one or more of the plurality of remote devices in response to a request received via the interface.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more of the jobs objects represent task sequences already performed on one or more of the plurality of remote devices.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the object model further includes sets objects that represent collections of physical devices in the network.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the object model further includes job templates objects that represent task sequences available to be performed on one or more of the plurality of remote devices but not currently being performed on any of the plurality of remote devices.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the object model further includes job logs objects that capture the output of task sequences that have been run on one or more of the plurality of remote devices.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the object model further includes images objects that represent a captured image that is available to be deployed on one or more of the plurality of remote devices.

9. One or more computer readable media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a controller, causes the one or more processors to:

maintain one or more control components associated with a device being managed by the controller, wherein the device can be accessed by the controller over a network, and wherein each of the one or more control components can store information regarding the device associated with the control component; and

for each of the one or more control components, expose an execute method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to execute a command on the device associated with the control component.

10. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein the command is part of a task sequence being performed on the device.

11. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 10, wherein the task sequence is a sequence of steps to automatically deploy an operating system on the device.

12. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein for each of the one or more control components, the control component includes:

an identifier property that identifies the associated device; and

an address property that indicates a network address of the associated device.

13. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein for each of the one or more control components, the control component includes:

a name property that includes a name of the associated device;

a control property that indicates whether the associated device is managed by the controller;

a state property that indicates a state of the associated device;

a job id property that identifies a job currently running on the associated device;

a job template property that identifies a job to be run on the associated device;

an automated deployment service property that identifies whether the associated device hosts an automated deployment service; and

a description property that includes a description of the associated device.

14. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein the execute method receives, when invoked:

a command input parameter that is the path of the command to be executed; and

a parameters input parameter that is one or more parameters to be passed to the command.

15. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein the execute method receives, when invoked:

a description input parameter that is a description of the command to be logged; and

a timeout input parameter that specifies the period of time that the controller will allow for the command to complete.

16. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to, for each of the one or more control components, expose a recover method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to bring the device associated with the control component back to a normal state.

17. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to, for each of the one or more control components, expose a set address method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to set a network address of the device associated with the control component.

18. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to, for each of the one or more control components, expose a set template method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to set a default job template for the device associated with the control component.

19. One or more computer readable media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a controller, causes the one or more processors to:

maintain one or more control components associated with a set of multiple devices being managed by the controller, wherein each of the multiple devices can be accessed by the controller over a network, and wherein each of the one or more control components can store information regarding the set associated with the control component; and

for each of the one or more control components, expose an execute method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to run a job on each of the multiple devices associated with the control component.

20. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein the job comprises a job to automatically deploy an operating system on each of the multiple devices.

21. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein for each of the one or more control components, the control component includes:

an identifier property that identifies the set of multiple devices; and

one or more set device components that each identify one of the multiple devices.

22. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein the execute method receives, when invoked:

a command input parameter that is the path of a command to be executed as part of the job; and

a parameters input parameter that specifies one or more arguments to be passed to the command.

23. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein the execute method receives, when invoked:

a description input parameter that is a description of a command being executed as part of the job to be logged; and

a timeout input parameter that specifies the period of time that the controller will allow for the command to complete.

24. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to, for each of the one or more control components, expose an add method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to add a device to the set of multiple devices associated with the control component.

25. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to, for each of the one or more control components, expose a remove method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to remove a device from the set of multiple devices associated with the control component.

26. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to, for each of the one or more control components, expose an add method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to add another set of devices to the set of multiple devices associated with the control component.

27. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to, for each of the one or more control components, expose a remove method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to remove a set of devices from the set of multiple devices associated with the control component.

28. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to, for each of the one or more control components, expose a rename method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to change a name property of the control component.

29. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to, for each of the one or more control components, expose a list method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to list identifiers of each of the multiple devices associated with the control component.

30. One or more computer readable media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a controller, causes the one or more processors to:

maintain one or more control components associated with a job template being maintained by the controller, wherein the job template identifies a job that can be performed by the controller on a target; and

for each of the one or more control components, expose an execute method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to perform the job on the target.

31. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 30, wherein the target comprises a remote device coupled to the controller via a network.

32. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 31, wherein the job is a sequence of steps to automatically deploy an operating system on the remote device.

33. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 30, wherein the execute method receives, when invoked:

a command input parameter that is the path of a command to be executed as part of the job; and

a parameters input parameter that specifies one or more parameters to be passed to the command.

34. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 30, wherein the execute method receives, when invoked:

a description input parameter that is a description, to be logged, of a command being executed as part of the job; and

a timeout input parameter that specifies the period of time that the controller will allow for the command to complete.

35. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 30, wherein the execute method returns a job identifier of the job being performed on the device.

36. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 30, wherein for each of the one or more control components, the control component includes:

a name property that includes an identifier of the job template;

a command property that specifies a command that will be executed on the target; and

a parameters property that specifies one or more parameters to be passed to the command.

37. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 30, wherein for each of the one or more control components, the control component includes:

a target type property that includes an identifier of a type of the target;

a target name property that includes an identifier of the target;

a reboot property that specifies whether the job will reboot the target when performed;

a timeout property that specifies a period of time that the controller will allow for the job to be performed; and

a description property that includes a description of the job.

38. One or more computer readable media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a controller, causes the one or more processors to:

maintain one or more control components associated with a job being maintained by the controller, wherein the job represents a task sequence that can be performed by the controller on a target; and

for each of the one or more control components, expose a start method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to start performing steps of the job on the target.

39. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 38, wherein the target comprises a remote device coupled to the controller via a network.

40. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 39, wherein the job is a sequence of steps to automatically deploy an operating system on the remote device.

41. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 38, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to, for each of the one or more control components, expose a stop method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to stop the job currently in progress.

42. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 38, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to, for each of the one or more control components, expose a get output method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to retrieve output from a job log associated with the job.

43. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 38, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to, for each of the one or more control components, expose a clear method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to delete at least a portion of a history of jobs that have been performed.

44. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 38, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to, for each of the one or more control components, expose a validate method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to validate the task sequence.

45. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 38, wherein for each of the one or more control components, the control component includes:

an identifier property that specifies an identifier of the job;

a type property that specifies an identifier of a type of the job; and

a state property that specifies a current status of the job;

46. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 38, wherein for each of the one or more control components, the control component includes:

an exit property that specifies an exit code returned from successful completion of the job;

a start time property that specifies when the job started;

an end time property that specifies when the job completed;

a timeout property that specifies a period of time that the controller will allow for the job to be performed;

a target type property that specifies a type of the target;

a target name property that specifies a name of the target; and

a user name property that specifies a user that started the job.

47. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 38, further comprising a job log component associated with one of the one or more control components, wherein the job log component stores one or more outputs resulting from performing the job.

48. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 47, wherein the job log component includes:

an identifier property that includes an identifier of the job;

a type property that includes a type of the one or more outputs; and

a data property that includes the one or more outputs resulting from performing the job.

49. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 47, wherein the job log component includes:

a sequence property that includes indications of the sequence in which the one or more outputs are received; and

a time property that includes one or more times at which the one or more outputs are received;

50. One or more computer readable media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a controller, causes the one or more processors to:

maintain one or more control components associated with an operating system image being maintained by an automated deployment service, wherein the operating system image can be deployed on a device that can be accessed by the automated deployment service over a network; and

for each of the one or more control components, expose a retrieve method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to retrieve the operating system image.

51. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 50, wherein for each of the one or more control components, the control component includes:

an identifier property that includes an identifier of the operating system image; and

a description property that includes a description of the operating system image.

52. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 50, wherein for each of the one or more control components, the control component includes a name property that includes a name of the operating system image.

53. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 50, wherein the retrieve method receives, when invoked:

a destination path input parameter that is a path where the retrieved image s to be copied to.

54. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 50, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to, for each of the one or more control components, expose an add method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to add a new operating system image associated with a new control component of the one or more control components.

55. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 54, wherein the add method receives, when invoked:

an identifier input parameter that includes an identifier of the new operating system image;

a description input parameter that includes a description of the new operating system image; and

a source path input parameter that includes a path of the source that is to be copied to an image repository as the new operating system image.

56. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 50, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to, for each of the one or more control components, expose a rename method that, when invoked, causes the one or more processors to change an identifier of the operating system image associated with the control component.