Method of creating image files and installing software bundles on target computers

• US 7,194,738 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2002
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Synnex Technology International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Synnex Technology International Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, Hsu-Jung, Kuo, Jin-Li
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri; Anil
• Application Number:
  US10/118,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20030192043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,806 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-171, 717174-178
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order

Abstract

Software bundles are installed on target computers by initially creating a set of distinct image files, each corresponding to a software bundle resident in a reference storage medium of a reference computer built according to specified hardware and software configurations. The image files are copied into each of a plurality of target storage mediums. The target computers are built according to the specified hardware configuration of one of the previously created image files and include the target storage mediums. Each target computer then selects one of the image files in its target storage medium, the selected image file corresponding to the hardware configuration of the target computer and having a desired software configuration. The selected image file for each target computer is decoded to produce the software bundle stored in the target storage medium.

Claims

1. A method of installing software bundles on target computers, comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a set of distinct image files, each of which corresponds to a software bundle resident in a reference storage medium of a reference computer that was built according to a specified hardware and software configuration;

(b) copying the set of distinct image files into each of a plurality of target storage mediums;

(c) installing one of the target storage mediums in each of a plurality of target computers, each built according t&

the specified hardware configuration of one of the image files created in step (a);

(d) causing each of the target computers to select one of the image files in the target storage medium that is installed therein, the selected one of the image files corresponding to the hardware configuration of the target computer and having a desired software configuration;

(e) for each of the target computers, decoding the selected one of the image files stored in the medium of the particular target computer to produce the software bundle that is stored in the target storage medium which is installed in the target computer,

(f) loading the selected image files into a second space of the target storage mediums in compressed form;

(g) decoding and decompressing the compressed image files in the second spaces of the target storage mediums; and

loading the decoded and decompressed image files into a first space of the target storage mediums so any image files in the first space are overwritten by the decoded and decompressed image files;

the target computer using the decoded and decompressed image file in the first space in normal operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (a) includes:

building a plurality of the reference computers such that each of the reference computers has the specified hardware configuration;

storing software flies in the reference storage medium of each of the reference computers to produce the software bundle and to configure each of the reference computers with the specified software configuration; and

creating the image files that correspond respectively to the software bundles in the reference storage mediums of the reference computers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (b) includes:

storing the image files in a master storage terminal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step (b) further includes:

storing a subset of the image files in the master storage terminal in an auxiliary storage medium, the auxiliary storage medium having a storage capacity smaller than that of the master storage terminal and further having an access speed faster than that of the master storage terminal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said step (b) further includes:

copying the contents of the auxiliary storage medium into each of the target storage mediums.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the auxiliary storage medium and the target storage mediums are identical in construction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein in said step (c), each of the target computers includes a serial code corresponding to the selected one of the image files.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the serial code is a machine-readable code.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the machine-readable code is a bar code.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the machine-readable code resides in BIOS of the target computer.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein in said step (d), selection of one of the image flies is carried out by reading the machine-readable code.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the selected one of the image files has a file name corresponding to the machine-readable code of the target computer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the machine-readable code includes at least one of a first code portion corresponding to a desired operating system, a second code portion corresponding to a desired hardware driver software, and a third code portion corresponding to a desired application software.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein in said step (b), each of the target storage mediums has a first storage space for storing the image files therein, and a second storage space smaller than the first storage space.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said step (e) includes:

copying the selected one of the image files into the second storage space of the target storage medium; and

decoding the selected one of the image flies to produce the software bundle that overwrites the image files in the first storage space of the target storage medium.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the software bundle includes at least one of an operating system, hardware driver software, and application software.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the copying step (b) is performed while the target storage mediums are not installed in the target computers and the installing step (c) occurs after the copying step (b) has been performed.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the following steps are performed on the target storage mediums after they have been installed during step (c):

copying operating system source files corresponding to serial codes for the operating system of a particular target computer to the second storage space of the reference storage medium of the particular target computer;

installing the operating system in the first storage space by using the source files stored in the second storage space of the particular target computer;

installing software for the hardware driver and application software in the first storage space so a software bundle corresponding to the serial code is stored in the first storage space of the particular target computer; and

creating an image code by coding and compressing the contents of the first storage space of the particular target computer.

19. A method of installing software bundles on target computers, comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a set of distinct image files, each of which corresponds to a software bundle resident in a reference storage medium of a reference computer that was built according to a specified hardware and software configuration;

(b) copying the set of distinct image files into each of a plurality of target storage mediums;

(c) installing one of the target storage mediums in each of a plurality of target computers, each built according to the specified hardware configuration of one of the image files created in step (a);

(d) causing each of the target computers to select one of the image files in the target storage medium that is installed therein, the selected one of the image files corresponding to the hardware configuration of the target computer and having a desired software configuration;

(e) for each of the target computers, decoding the selected one of the image files stored in the medium of the particular target computer to produce the software bundle that is stored in the target storage medium which is installed in the target computer,

(f) loading the selected image files into a second space of storage arrangements in compressed form;

(g) decoding and decompressing the compressed image files in the second spaces; and

loading the decoded and decompressed image files into a first space of the target storage mediums so any image files in the first space are overwritten by the decoded and decompressed image files;

the target computer using the decoded and decompressed image file in the first space in normal operation.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said step (a) includes:

building a plurality of the reference computers such that each of the reference computers has the specified hardware configuration;

storing software tiles in the reference storage medium of each of the reference computers to produce the software bundle and to configure each of the reference computers with the specified software configuration; and

creating the image files that correspond respectively to the software bundles in the reference storage mediums of the reference computers.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said step (b) includes:

storing the image files in a master storage terminal.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the copying step (b) is performed while the target storage mediums are not installed in the target computers and the installing step (c) occurs after the copying step (b) has been performed.