Method of applying constraints against discovered attributes in provisioning computers

• US 20050177829A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vipul Vishwanath
• Original Assignee: Vipul Vishwanath
• Inventors: Vishwanath, Vipul
• Application Number:
  US10/956,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20050177829A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A method of installing software on a target computer using policies and constraints. Policies include at least one provisioning rule specifying a provisioning instruction. The provisioning instruction specifies at an action to be performed in installing software on a target computer. Constraints specify criteria a target computer must satisfy. A policy applied to a group of target computers subject to a constraint will only be applied to those target computers satisfying the constraint. Target computers satisfying the constraint will have a provisioning instruction selected from a provisioning rule, the provisioning rule selected according to attribute criteria corresponding to the attributes of the target computer.

Claims

1. A method of applying constraints in installing software on a target computer, comprising:

selecting a policy from a list of policies, wherein the policies contain at least one build operator;

selecting a constraint from a list of constraints;

applying the selected policy to a group of target computers;

applying the selected constraint to the group of target computers;

selecting, for a given target computer within said group of target computers, a build operator based on attribute criteria associated with the build operator; and

excluding target computers from the group of target computers where attributes of the excluded target computer do not satisfy the constraint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the criteria attributes of the build operator selected match the attributes of the target computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the build operators contain at least one provisioning rule.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the provisioning rules include attribute criteria, further comprising:

selecting a rule from the at least one rule of the build operator based on the attribute criteria associated of the rule.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one rule includes a least one provisioning instruction.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein executing the at least one provisioning instruction initiates using a vendor tool on the target computer.

7. A method of installing software on a target computer, said target computer having at least one attribute, comprising:

applying a policy to a target computer, said policy including at least one provisioning rule

applying a constraint to said target computer;

halting the installation process in the event the attributes of said target computer do not satisfy the constraint; and

selecting a rule from said policy based on attribute criteria associated with said provisioning rule.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the provisioning rule includes at least one provisioning instruction.

9. The method of claim 9, wherein executing the at least one provisioning instruction initiates using a vendor tool on the target computer.

10. A method of installing software on a target computer, said target computer having at least one attribute, comprising:

applying a policy to a target computer, said policy including at least one build operator;

applying a constraint to said target computer;

halting the installation process in the event the attributes of said target computer do not satisfy the constraint; and

selecting a rule from said build operator based on attribute criteria associated with said provisioning rule.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the provisioning rule includes at least one provisioning instruction.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein executing the at least one provisioning instruction initiates using a vendor tool on the target computer.

13. A method of installing software on a target computer, comprising:

selecting a provisioning instruction by;

selecting a policy from a list of policies,

selecting a constraint from a list of constraints;

selecting a build operator associated with said policy,

selecting, from said build operator, a ruleset matching a state value, and

selecting a provisioning rule from said ruleset, wherein the provisioning rule selected has attribute criteria matching the attribute criteria of said target computer; and

determining whether attributes of said target computer satisfy the constraint, in the event said target computer'"'"'s attributes satisfy the constraint executing a provisioning instruction contained within said provisioning rule.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the provisioning instruction initiates using a vendor tool on the target computer.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said policy includes at least one ruleset corresponding to the installation of an operating system.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said policy includes at least one ruleset corresponding to the installation of an operating system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said policy includes at least one rules corresponding to the installation of an operating system.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the selection of the build operator is from a list of build operators associated with said policy.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the selection is based on matching at least one attribute of said target computer to attribute criteria associated with the selected build operator.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising executing the selected provisioning instruction.