Method and apparatus for simplified administration of large numbers of similar information handling servers

In a data processing system comprising an administrative controller;

• an administrative control database containing configuration information for administered servers, connected to said administrative controller;
• and at least one group of administered servers having similar configurations with each other, and being adapted for communication with said administrative controller for administrative control thereby;
• said controller having configuration synchronization means to change the configurations of said administered servers to a new desired configuration for each administered server where said new configuration is in synchronization with the configuration of each of said other administered servers;
• a method of controlling administration of said data processing system comprising the following steps:
• connecting an administered server to said administrative controller;
• causing said administrative controller to determine the configuration state of said administered server;
• and
• causing said administrative controller to send one or more synchronization instructions, using configuration information from said administrative control database, to said administered server to cause said administered server to change its configuration from its current configuration to a new configuration in synchronization with the new configuration indicated by said synchronization instructions, and in synchronization with other similarly configured administered servers.

A method of synchronization of similarly configured administered servers from a current configuration to a predetermined configuration by an administrative control server having an administrative control database in a data processing system comprising the following steps:

• connecting an administered server to said administrative control server;
• causing said administrative control server to identify said administered server's configuration;
• causing said administrative control server to select at least one or more synchronization scripts from said administrative control database for the purpose of changing the configuration of said administered server from its current configuration to said predetermined configuration;
• causing said administrative control server to process said at least one or more synchronization scripts to produce at least one synchronization instruction for said administered server to change its configuration;
• causing said administrative control server to send said at least one synchronization instruction to said administered server;
• causing said administered server to execute said at least one synchronization instruction to change its configuration to said predetermined configuration;
• and,
• causing said administered server to notify said administrative control server of said change of configuration.

A computer program product comprising storage means and instructions stored thereon when operated in a data processing system, including an administrative controller with control database containing configuration information for administered servers, connected to said administrative controller;

• and at least one group of administered servers having similar configurations with each other, and being adapted for communication with said administrative controller for administrative control thereby;
• said controller having configuration synchronization means to change the configurations of said administered servers to a new desired configuration for each administered server where said new configuration is in synchronization with the configuration of each of said other administered servers, for executing a method of controlling administration of said data processing system comprising the following steps:
• connecting an administered server to said administrative controller;
• causing said administrative controller to determine the configuration state of said administered server;
• and
• causing said administrative controller to send one or more synchronization instructions, using configuration information from said administrative control database, to said administered server to cause said administered server to change its configuration from its current configuration to a new configuration in synchronization with the new configuration indicated by said synchronization instructions, and in synchronization with other similarly configured administered servers.

A computer program product comprising storage means and instructions stored thereon for obtaining synchronization of similarly configured servers (administered servers) from a current configuration to a predetermined configuration by an administrative control server having an administrative control database in a data processing system comprising program routines executable by a data processing system to:

• connect an administered server to said administrative control server;
• cause said administrative control server to identify said administered server's configuration;
• cause said administrative control server to select at least one or more synchronization scripts from said administrative control database for the purpose of changing the configuration of said administered server from its current configuration to said predetermined configuration;
• cause said administrative control server to process said synchronization scripts to produce at least one synchronization instruction for said administered server to change its configuration;
• cause said administrative control server to send said at least one synchronization instruction to said administered server;
• cause said administered server to execute said at least one synchronization instruction to change its configuration to said predetermined configuration;
• and,
• cause said administered server to notify said administrative control server of said change of configuration.