Method and apparatus for restoring computer resources

A method for restoring resources on a computer, comprising:

• providing a configuration database including resource information;
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• and
• providing the restorable resource to the computer, wherein providing the restorable resource comprises providing an encrypted restorable resource.

A method for restoring resources on a computer, comprising:

• providing a configuration database including resource information;
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• providing the restorable resource to the computer;
• and
• encrypting the restorable resource with a public key associated with the computer.

A method for restoring resources on a computer, comprising:

• providing a configuration database including resource information;
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• providing the restorable resource to the computer;
• and
• billing a user based on the restoration request.

A method for restoring resources on a computer, comprising:

• providing a configuration database including resource information;
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• providing the restorable resource to the computer;
• registering a plurality of installed resources associated with the computer in the configuration database;
• and
• billing a user based on the plurality of installed resources registered.

A method for restoring resources on a computer, comprising:

• providing a configuration database including resource information;
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• and
• providing the restorable resource to the computer, wherein providing the restorable resource comprises:
• sharing a secret key with the computer;
• encrypting a random number with the secret key;
• generating a session key based on the secret key and the encrypted random number;
• and
• providing the restorable resource using the session key.

A method for restoring resources on a computer, comprising:

• providing a configuration database including resource information;
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• providing the restorable resource to the computer;
• registering a set of installed resources for a plurality of computers;
• billing a user at a first rate for installed resources that are unique to one of the computers;
• and
• billing the user at a second rate, different than the first rate, for installed resources that are common to at least two of the computers.

A method for restoring resources on a computer, comprising:

• providing a configuration database including resource information;
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• providing the restorable resource to the computer;
• registering a plurality of installed resources associated with the computer in the configuration database, wherein registering the plurality of installed resources includes at least one of providing an address for the installed resource and storing the installed resource;
• billing a user at a first rate for installed resources that registered by providing the address for the installed resource;
• and
• billing the user at a second rate, different than the first rate, for installed resources that are registered by storing the installed resource.

A method for restoring resources on a computer, comprising:

• providing a configuration database including resource information;
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• providing the restorable resource to the computer;
• identifying an available upgrade for the restorable resource;
• and
• offering the upgrade of the restorable resource in lieu of the restorable resource.

A computer system, comprising:

• a computer having a plurality of installed resources;
• a configuration manager coupled to the computer to store a configuration database including resource information associated with the computer, receive a restoration request from the computer including a computer identifier associated with the computer, access the configuration database to identify a restorable resource based on the computer identifier associated with the computer, and provide the restorable resource to the computer;
• and
• a server coupled to the computer to receive the restorable resource and install the restorable resource on the computer,
• wherein the configuration manager provides an encrypted restorable resource to the server, the encrypted restorable resource is encrypted with a private key, and the configuration manager provides a public key corresponding to the private key to the server.

A computer system, comprising:

• a computer having a plurality of installed resources;
• a configuration manager coupled to the computer to store a configuration database including resource information associated with the computer, receive a restoration request from the computer including a computer identifier associated with the computer, access the configuration database to identify a restorable resource based on the computer identifier associated with the computer, and provide the restorable resource to the computer;
• and
• a server coupled to the computer to receive the restorable resource and install the restorable resource on the computer,
• wherein the configuration manager encrypts the restorable resource with a public key associated with the computer and wherein the server decrypts the encrypted restorable resource using a private key corresponding to the public key and install the restorable resource on the computer.

A computer system, comprising:

• a computer having a plurality of installed resources;
• and
• a configuration manager coupled to the computer to store a configuration database including resource information associated with the computer, receive a restoration request from the computer including a computer identifier associated with the computer, access the configuration database to identify a restorable resource based on the computer identifier associated with the computer, and provide the restorable resource to the computer;
• wherein the computer registers a plurality of installed resources associated with the computer in the configuration database and wherein the configuration manager stores billing information based on the plurality of installed resources registered.

A computer system, comprising:

• a computer having a plurality of installed resources;
• a configuration manager coupled to the computer to store a configuration database including resource information associated with the computer, receive a restoration request from the computer including a computer identifier associated with the computer, access the configuration database to identify a restorable resource based on the computer identifier associated with the computer, and provide the restorable resource to the computer;
• and
• a plurality of computers, each having installed resources registered in the configuration database,
• wherein the configuration manager generates billing information using a first rate for installed resources that are unique to one of the computer and generates billing information using second rate, different than the first rate, for installed resources that are common to at least two of the computers.

A computer system, comprising:

• a computer having a plurality of installed resources;
• and
• a configuration manager coupled to the computer to store a configuration database including resource information associated with the computer, receive a restoration request from the computer including a computer identifier associated with the computer, access the configuration database to identify a restorable resource based on the computer identifier associated with the computer, and provide the restorable resource to the computer,
• wherein the computer registers a plurality of installed resources associated with the computer in the configuration database and, wherein the configuration manager provides the restorable resource by performing at least one of providing an address for the installed resource and providing a previously stored installed resource, and the configuration manager also generates billing Information using a first rate for installed resources that registered by providing the address for the Installed resource, and generates billing information using a second rate, different than the first rate, for installed resources that are registered by storing the installed resource.

A program storage device, comprising:

• a configuration database including resource information;
• program instructions, that when executed by a processing device perform a method for restoring a resource on a computer, the method comprising:
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• providing the restorable resource to the computer;
• and
• authenticating the restoration request.

A program storage device, comprising:

• a configuration database including resource information;
• program instructions, that when executed by a processing device perform a method for restoring a resource on a computer, the method comprising:
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• and
• providing the restorable resource to the computer, wherein providing the restorable resource comprises providing an encrypted restorable resource.

A program storage device, comprising:

• a configuration database including resource information;
• program instructions, that when executed by a processing device perform a method for restoring a resource on a computer, the method comprising:
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• providing the restorable resource to the computer;
• and
• encrypting the restorable resource with a public key associated with the computer.

A program storage device, comprising:

• a configuration database including resource information;
• program instructions, that when executed by a processing device perform a method for restoring a resource on a computer, the method comprising:
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• providing the restorable resource to the computer;
• and
• generating billing information based on the restoration request.

A program storage device, comprising:

• a configuration database including resource information;
• program instructions, that when executed by a processing device perform a method for restoring a resource on a computer, the method comprising:
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• providing the restorable resource to the computer;
• and
• generating billing information based on the resource information in the configuration database.

A program storage device, comprising:

• a configuration database including resource information, wherein the configuration database includes information related to installed resources on a plurality of computers;
• program instructions, that when executed by a processing device perform a method for restoring a resource on a computer, the method comprising:
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• providing the restorable resource to the computer;
• generating billing information using a first rate for installed resources that are unique to one of the computers;
• and
• generating billing information using a second rate, different than the first rate, for installed resources that are common to at least two of the computers.

A program storage device, comprising:

• a configuration database including resource information;
• program instructions, that when executed by a processing device perform a method for restoring a resource on a computer, the method comprising:
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• providing the restorable resource to the computer, wherein providing the restorable resource comprises at least one of providing an address for the restorable resource and providing a previously stored copy of the restorable resource;
• generating billing information using a first rate for providing the address for the restorable resources;
• and
• generating billing information at a second rate, different than the first rate, for providing the previously stored copy of the restorable resource.

A program storage device, comprising:

• a configuration database including resource information;
• program instructions, that when executed by a processing device perform a method for restoring a resource on a computer, the method comprising:
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• and
• providing the restorable resource to the computer, wherein providing the restorable resource comprises:
• sharing a secret key with the computer;
• generating a session key based on the secret key and a random number;
• and
• providing the restorable resource using the session key.

A program storage device, comprising:

• a configuration database including resource information;
• program instructions, that when executed by a processing device perform a method for restoring a resource on a computer, the method comprising:
• receiving a restoration request including a computer identifier associated with the computer;
• accessing the configuration database based on the computer identifier to identify a restorable resource associated with the computer;
• providing the restorable resource to the computer;
• identifying an available upgrade for the restorable resource;
• and
• offering the upgrade of the restorable resource in lieu of the restorable resource.