Operating system migration while preserving applications, data, and settings
AssigneeVMware, Inc.
InventorTal Zamir
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An enterprise management system is described for efficient operating system migration, preserving applications, data, and settings. A staging area, such as an empty folder, is created on a client device. A base layer for the new operating system and application layers for applications that will be installed on the computing device are downloaded to the staging area. After the base layer and application layers are downloaded, the layers are merged onto the computing device to instantly install the operating system and the applications. User settings, data, and other applications can be migrated to corresponding locations in the new operating system from the old operating system.
Claims20
A method for efficient management of operating systems and applications on computing devices, said method comprising:
- receiving a request to migrate a computing device on a network from a legacy operating system to a new operating system, the network comprising a plurality of computing devices centrally managed by a central server;
- creating a staging area on the computing device;
- receiving a base layer for the new operating system from the central server;
- storing the base layer in the staging area;
- receiving one or more application layers from the central server, the application layers corresponding to one or more applications that will be installed on the computing device;
- storing the one or more application layers in the staging area;
- and
- merging the base layer and the application layers onto the computing device to migrate the computing device from the legacy operating system to the new operating system with the one or more applications installed on the new operating system.
A computing device, comprising:
- at least one processor;
- and
- memory including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to:
- receive a request to migrate a computing device on a network from a legacy operating system to a new operating system, the network comprising a plurality of computing devices centrally managed by a central server;
- create a staging area on the computing device;
- receive a base layer for the new operating system from the central server;
- store the base layer in the staging area;
- receive one or more application layers from the central server, the application layers corresponding to one or more applications that will be installed on the computing device;
- store the one or more application layers in the staging area;
- and
- merge the base layer and the application layers onto the computing device to migrate the computing device from the legacy operating system to the new operating system with the one or more applications installed on the new operating system.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising one or more sequences of instructions, the instructions when executed by one or more processors causing the one or more processors to execute the operations of:
- receiving a request to migrate a computing device on a network from a legacy operating system to a new operating system, the network comprising a plurality of computing devices centrally managed by a central server;
- creating a staging area on the computing device;
- receiving a base layer for the new operating system from the central server;
- storing the base layer in the staging area;
- receiving one or more application layers from the central server, the application layers corresponding to one or more applications that will be installed on the computing device;
- storing the one or more application layers in the staging area;
- and
- merging the base layer and the application layers onto the computing device to migrate the computing device from the legacy operating system to the new operating system with the one or more applications installed on the new operating system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.