System and method for management and installation of operating system images for computers

Abstract

Shown is a method and system for provisioning a target computer with an operating system, which calls for booting the target computer in a pre-operating system environment, collecting configuration information for the target computer, and transmitting the configuration information to a predetermined server. The approach shown also provides for searching a database in the server for a pre-existing operating system image corresponding to the configuration information from the target computer. If a corresponding operating system image is found, then the present approach involves transferring the pre-existing operating system image to the target computer and installing the pre-existing operating system image on the target computer.

1 . A method comprising:
 prior to loading one of a plurality of operating system images on a computer, running a processor-based agent on the computer to gather information about configuration characteristics of the computer, wherein no operating system is running on the computer during the running of the processor-based agent to gather the information; and   selectively installing one of the plurality of operating system images on the computer based at least in part on the information gathered by the running of the processor-based agent.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 submitting a request to another computer for an operating system image, the request comprising data indicative of the information,   wherein the installation of the operating system image on the computer is based at least in part on a response of said another computer to the request.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 loading the operating system image onto the computer from another computer.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the running the processor-based agent comprises executing a boot file. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 requesting the boot file from another computer.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the running the processor-based agent comprises:
 running the agent under control of a basic input output system (BIOS) of the computer.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the agent comprises a PXE agent. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using the agent to gather data indicative of one or more of a processor type, a memory size and a computer identification of the computer. 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 a network interface; and   a processor to communicate through the network interface with an agent of a client computer to receive an inventory of configuration characteristics of the client and determine whether an operating system image is available for the client based on the inventory, wherein no operating system is running on the client while the agent is collecting the inventory of configuration characteristics.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a computer other than the client to provide an operating system image to the client in response to the determination by the processor.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor communicates an indication to the client indicating unavailability of the operating system image. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a boot server to provide a boot file to the client to boot up the client into the pre-operating system environment.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the boot file is further adapted to create the agent on the client. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is part of a first server, the system further comprising:
 another server to provide the operating system image to the client.   
     
     
         15 . An article comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to:
 collect characteristics of the computer while no operating system is running on the computer; and   selectively install one of the operating system images on the computer based at least in part on the collected characteristics.   
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 15 , the storage medium storing instructions that when executed by the computer cause the computer to receive the operating system image that is installed from another computer. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 15 , the storage medium storing instructions that when executed by the computer cause the computer to load the operating system image into local storage of the computer and initiate bootup of an operating system from the local storage. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 17 , the storage medium storing instructions that when executed by the computer cause the computer to execute a boot file to collect the characteristics. 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 15 , the storage medium storing instructions that when executed by the computer cause the computer to collect the characteristics under the control of a basic input output system (BIOS). 
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 15 , the storage medium storing instructions that when executed by the computer cause the computer to use a PXE agent to collect the characteristics.