Method and apparatus for sending boot programs to workstation computers over a network in a controlled process
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsKenneth Hubacher, Dennis Sposato, Philip C. Theiller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for controlling boot programs sent by a server computer system to a plurality of client computer systems in response to a plurality of requests by the client computer systems. Specifically, the invention provides for a priority boot, a paced boot or a combination priority and paced boot enabled by a remotely controlled boot process.
Claims22
A method for controlling the booting of a plurality of workstation computers having a set of RCB programs from one or more server computers having a BOOTCONTROL program comprising the steps of:
- responsive to receiving a plurality of requests for an operating system from the plurality of workstation computers, determining whether each of the workstation computers has a priority number;
- and
- responsive to determining that a workstation computer has a priority number, sending a boot program to the workstation computers based on the priority number according to instructions from the BOOTCONTROL program.
A programmable apparatus for controlling the booting of a plurality of workstations by one or more servers comprising:
- programmable hardware comprising;
- at least one server computer;
- and
- a plurality of workstation computers;
- a plurality of network interface cards connected to said programmable hardware;
- a network connecting said server computer and said workstation computers;
- a set of RCB programs installed on said workstation computers;
- a BOOTCONTROL program installed on said server computer;
- wherein, responsive to receiving a request for an operating system from a plurality of workstation computers, said server computer boots said workstation computers based on a paced boot according to instructions from said BOOTCONTROL program;
- and
- wherein the paced boot boots a number of workstation computers in a time period.
A computer readable memory in a server computer for controlling the sending of operating systems to a plurality of workstation computers having a set of RCB programs comprising:
- a server computer readable storage medium;
- a computer program stored in said storage medium;
- and
- the storage medium, so configured by said computer program, responsive to a request from one or more workstation computers, causes the server computer to control the booting of the one or more workstation computers according to either a priority boot, a paced boot, or a combined priority and paced boot;
- wherein the server computer boots the workstation computers based on the priority number;
- and
- wherein the paced boot boots a number of workstation computers in a time period.
A computer implemented process to accomplish controlled booting of a plurality of workstation computers from a network server computer comprising:
- using a workstation computer having a set of RCB programs, performing the following series of steps:
- powering the workstation computer;
- obtaining control of the workstation computer by means the set of RCB programs;
- executing, without an operating system, the set of RCB programs to communicate with a network server;
- communicating a request to said network server;
- receiving a boot program from said network server computer;
- booting the first computer from said boot program;
- using a server computer having a BOOTCONTROL program, performing the following series of steps:
- responsive to the request from the workstation computer, determining if the workstation computer has a priority number, and
- responsive to determining that the workstation computer has a priority number, sending a boot program to said workstation computers based on the priority number according to instructions from the BOOTCONTROL program.
A method for controlling at a server computer, the timing and ordering of booting of a plurality of client computers, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:
- executing instructions from a client computer first memory to load a boot code loader from a client computer second memory, wherein the client computer first memory is a BIOS ROM and the client computer second memory is a nonvolatile, read/write memory;
- executing the boot code loader to load a control program from the client computer second memory;
- executing the control program to load a set of programs from the client computer second memory without loading an operating system;
- executing the set of programs to communicate a message to a network server;
- responsive to receiving said message at the network server, executing a BOOTCONTROL program that boots the workstations computers using a paced boot;
- and
- wherein the paced boot boots a number of workstation computers in a time period.
A computer program product on a computer-readable medium for controlling the booting of a plurality of client computers without an operating system, the computer program product comprising:
- first instructions from a first memory for loading a set of programs from a second memory, wherein the first memory is a BIOS ROM and the second memory is a nonvolatile, read\write memory;
- second instructions in a set of RCB programs for communicating a request to a network server;
- third instructions in a BOOTCONTROL program in the network server for determining when to send an operating system to the client computer;
- fourth instructions in the set of RCB programs for retrieving the operating system from the network server;
- fifth instructions for initiating execution of the operating system based on a paced boot;
- and
- wherein the paced boot boots a number of workstation computers in a time period.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.