Parallel diagnostic/software installation system

An information handling system (IHS), comprising:

• a communication system that includes at least one first communication interface that supports a first network connection that provides a first maximum transmission rate and at least one second communication interface that supports a second non-network connection that provides a second maximum transmission rate that is faster than the first maximum transmission rate;
• a hardware processor coupled to the communication system;
• and
• a non-transitory memory that is coupled to the hardware processor and that includes instructions that, when executed by the hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to provide a software staging engine that is configured to:
• receive a manifest of computing device software for installation on a computing device;
• retrieve, from a server device through the first connection that provides the first maximum transmission rate, at least a portion of the computing device software while the computing device is performing a diagnostic test on a first hardware configuration included in the computing device, wherein the diagnostic test on the first hardware configuration interferes with the computing device to reliably retrieve the software while the diagnostic test is being performed;
• and
• determine, via monitoring of the diagnostic test performed by the computing device using at least one of the first connection and the second connection, that the diagnostic test has completed and, in response, provide the computing device software to the computing device through the second connection that provides the second maximum transmission rate.

A method for parallel diagnostic/software installation, comprising:

• receiving, by a software staging device, a manifest of computing device software for installation on a computing device;
• retrieving, by the software staging device from a server device via a network through a first connection that provides a first maximum transmission rate, at least a portion of the computing device software while the computing device is performing a diagnostic test on a first hardware configuration included in the computing device, wherein the diagnostic test on the first hardware configuration interferes with the computing device to reliably retrieve the software while the diagnostic test is being performed;
• and
• determining, by the software staging device via monitoring of the diagnostic test performed by the computing device using at least one of the first connection and a second connection that is a non-network connection and that provides a second maximum transmission rate that is faster than the first maximum transmission rate, that the diagnostic test has completed and, in response, providing the computing device software to the computing device through the second connection.