System and methods for software distribution and management

Abstract

A method and system for controlling and obtaining service from a pull-based management server is presented. A BIOS of a client indicates whether a previous boot up of the client was to the pull-based management server. An indicator in the BIOS is checked by a checking mechanism. A changing mechanism will change a boot sequence of the client if the indicator signifies that the previous boot up was to the pull-based management server. The changing mechanism orders the boot sequence of the client to boot to a local computer-readable medium before booting to a remote management server. Additionally, a boot sequence setting mechanism on a remote computer will have the client boot to a remote management server before booting to a local computer-readable medium.

1 . A method for controlling an obtaining of service from a pull-based management server over a network, the method comprising: 
 providing an indicator in a basic input/output system (BIOS) of a client, the indicator signifying whether a previous boot up of the client was to the pull-based management server;    checking, by a first mechanism, the indicator at a boot up of the client; and    changing, by a second mechanism, a boot sequence in the BIOS of the client if the indicator signifies that the previous boot up of the client was to the pull-based management server.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pull-based management server comprises a preboot execution environment (PXE) server.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator comprises a flag in the BIOS of the client.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the flag comprises a counter.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the checking and the changing are performed by the BIOS.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing of the boot sequence includes ordering a local computer-readable medium before a remote management server in the boot sequence.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further including setting, in accordance with the changing of the boot sequence, the indicator to specify that the previous boot up of the client was not to the pull-based management server.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further including setting, by a remote computer, the boot sequence on the client, the setting of the boot sequence including ordering a remote management server before a local computer-readable medium in the boot sequence.  
   
   
       9 . A system for controlling an obtaining of service, comprising: 
 a pull-based management server to control an obtaining of a service over a network; and    a client, coupled to the pull-based management server, the client including: 
 an indicator configured to signify whether a previous boot up of a client was to the pull-based management server,  
 a checking mechanism configured to check the indicator at a boot up of the client, and  
 a changing mechanism configured to change a boot sequence on the client if the indicator signifies that the previous boot up of the client was to the pull-based management server.  
   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the pull-based management server includes a preboot execution environment (PXE) server.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the client includes a preboot execution environment (PXE) server.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the indicator comprises a flag in a basic input/output system (BIOS) of the client.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the flag comprises a counter.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the checking mechanism and the changing mechanism are implemented in a basic input/output system (BIOS) of the client.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the changing mechanism is configured to order a local computer-readable medium before a remote management server in the boot sequence.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 9 , further includes a setting mechanism configured to set, in accordance with a changing by the changing mechanism, the indicator to specify that the previous boot up of the client was not to the pull-based management server.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 9 , further includes a remote computer, coupled to the management server and the client over the network, the remote computer including a boot sequence setting mechanism configured to order a remote management server before a local computer-readable medium in the boot sequence on the client.  
   
   
       18 . A computer-readable medium encoded with a plurality of instructions, which when executed cause a client to: 
 provide an indicator, the indicator signifying whether a previous boot up of the client was to a pull-based management server;    check, by a first mechanism, the indicator at a boot up of the client; and    change, by a second mechanism, a boot sequence on the client if the indicator signifies that the previous boot up of the client was to the pull-based management server.    
   
   
       19 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the indicator comprises a flag in a basic input/output system (BIOS) of the client.  
   
   
       20 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the changing of the boot sequence includes ordering a local computer-readable medium before the pull-based management server in the boot sequence.