# US 2026/0093473 A1 · Storage system repurposing with preservation of cluster configuration deltas and data in-place > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0093473 A1 - Document ID: US20260093473A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/903,522 - Filed: 2024-10-01 - Published: 2026-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2024-10-01 - Assignees: Dell Products L.P. - Applicants: Dell Products L.P. - Inventors: Steven Soumpholphakdy; Anton Rang; David T. Leimbach - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260093473A1 ## CPC - G06F 8/65: Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) - G06F 8/63: {Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order} - G06F 9/4406: {Loading of operating system} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A method facilitating storage system repurposing with preservation of cluster configuration deltas and data in-place includes removing, by a node device including at least one processor, a volume associated with the node device from a file system of a computing cluster in which the node device operates in response to an operating system upgrade instruction being received by the node device; in response to determining that the volume has successfully been removed from the file system of the computing cluster, populating, by the node device, a partition of the volume with cluster configuration data representative of a configuration of the computing cluster; and booting, by the node device based on the cluster configuration data as stored on the partition of the volume, the node device from an operating system image installed on the volume. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising: removing a storage drive, of a node device of a computing system, from a file system used by the computing system in response to receiving an operating system upgrade instruction for the node device; in response to determining that the storage drive has successfully been removed from the file system, populating a partition of the storage drive with system configuration data representative of a configuration of the computing system; and booting, based on the system configuration data as stored on the partition of the storage drive, the node device from an operating system image installed on the storage drive. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: in further response to determining that the storage drive has successfully been removed from the file system, installing the operating system image on the storage drive. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operating system image corresponds to a first operating system, wherein the storage drive is a first storage drive of the node device, and wherein the first storage drive is different from a second storage drive of the node device from which a second operating system, different from the first operating system, is executed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise: in response to receiving an upgrade commit instruction, removing the second operating system from the second storage drive of the node device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: recording configuration change data, representative of a change to the configuration of the computing system made after completion of the booting, to the partition of the storage drive. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the operating system image is a first operating system image, wherein the storage drive is a first storage drive, and wherein the operations further comprise: in response to receiving a rollback instruction, booting, based on the system configuration data and the configuration change data, the node device from a second operating system image stored on a second storage drive of the node device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: selecting the storage drive of the node device from a group of storage drives of the node device in response to determining that the storage drive contains no partitions that are mirrored to other node devices, other than the node device, of the computing system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the node device is a first node device, wherein the partition of the storage drive is a first partition, and wherein the operations further comprise: migrating, prior to the removing of the storage drive from the file system, a second partition of the storage drive that is mirrored to a second node device of the computing system from the first node device to a third node device of the computing system that is not the first node device or the second node device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the partition of the storage drive is a first partition, and wherein the operations further comprise: transferring stored contents of the storage drive to other storage drives, other than the storage drive, associated with the computing system; and removing second partitions of the storage drive from a partition structure of the storage drive, wherein the removing of the storage drive from the file system is further in response to successful completion of the transferring and the removing of the second partitions. ### Claim 10 A method, comprising: removing, by a node device comprising at least one processor, a volume associated with the node device from a file system of a computing cluster in which the node device operates in response to an operating system upgrade instruction being received by the node device; in response to determining that the volume has successfully been removed from the file system of the computing cluster, populating, by the node device, a partition of the volume with cluster configuration data representative of a configuration of the computing cluster; and booting, by the node device based on the cluster configuration data as stored on the partition of the volume, the node device from an operating system image installed on the volume. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: installing, by the node device in further response to determining that the volume has successfully been removed from the file system of the computing cluster, the operating system image on the volume. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein: the operating system image corresponds to a first operating system, the volume is a first volume of the node device, the first volume is different from a second volume of the node device from which a second operating system, distinct from the first operating system, is executed, and the method further comprises: removing, by the node device in response to an upgrade commit instruction being received by the node device, the second operating system from the second volume of the node device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: recording, by the node device, configuration change data, representative of a change to the configuration of the computing cluster made after completion of the booting, to the partition of the volume. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the operating system image is a first operating system image, wherein the volume is a first volume, and wherein the method further comprises: in response to a rollback instruction being received at the node device, booting, by the node device based on the cluster configuration data and the configuration change data, the node device from a second operating system image stored on a second volume of the node device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the partition of the volume is a first partition, and wherein the method further comprises: transferring, by the node device, stored contents of the volume to other volumes, other than the volume, associated with the computing cluster; and removing, by the node device, second partitions of the volume from a partition structure of the volume, wherein the removing of the volume from the file system is further in response to successful completion of the transferring and the removing of the second partitions. ### Claim 16 A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising: removing, in response to receiving an operating system upgrade instruction, a volume of a computing device from a file system of a computing cluster in which the computing device operates; in response to determining that the volume has successfully been removed from the file system of the computing cluster, populating a partition of the volume with cluster configuration data representative of a configuration of the computing cluster; and booting, based on the cluster configuration data, the computing device from an operating system image installed on the volume. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise: installing, in further response to determining that the volume has successfully been removed from the file system of the computing cluster, the operating system image on the volume. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein: the operating system image corresponds to a first operating system, the volume is a first volume of the computing device, the first volume is different from a second volume of the computing device on which a second operating system, different from the first operating system, is stored, and the operations further comprise: removing, in response to receiving an upgrade commit instruction, the second operating system from the second volume of the computing device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the operating system image is a first operating system image, wherein the volume is a first volume, and wherein the operations further comprise: recording configuration change data, representative of a change to the configuration of the computing cluster after the booting, to the partition of the volume; and in response to receiving a rollback instruction, booting, based on the cluster configuration data and the configuration change data, the computing device from a second operating system image stored on a second volume of the computing device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the partition of the volume is a first partition, and wherein the operations further comprise: transferring stored contents of the volume to other volumes, other than the volume, associated with the computing cluster; and removing second partitions of the volume from a partition structure of the volume, wherein the removing of the volume from the file system is further in response to successful completion of the transferring and the removing of the second partitions.