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US 8,572,362 B2Granted
Preinstalled operating system instances stored on removable storage devices
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorIsmael N. Castillo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
One or more removable storage devices inserted into a computing device store a number of different preinstalled operating system instances. The computing device has a number of logical partitions. Each logical partition is independently executed on the computing device. Each logical partition is mapped to and uses one of the different preinstalled operating system instances. As such, a given preinstalled operating system instance to which a given logical partition is mapped is used by the given logical partition without ever having to be installed on the given logical partition.
Claims18
A computing device comprising:
- one or more removable storage devices to store a plurality of different preinstalled operating system instances;
- and,
- hardware to support a plurality of logical partitions, each logical partition to be independently executed on the computing device, each logical partition is mapped to and uses one of the different preinstalled operating system instances,
- such that a given preinstalled operating system instance to which a given logical partition is mapped is used by the given logical partition without ever having to be installed on the given logical partition,
- wherein each different preinstalled operating system instance is one of:
- a different operating system as compared to an operating system of each other different preinstalled operating system instance;
- a different version of the operating system as compared to a version of the operating system of each other different preinstalled operating system instance;
- a different technology level of the version of the operating system as compared to a technology level of the version of the operating system of each other different preinstalled operating system instance;
- and,
- a different service pack of the version of the operating system as compared to a service pack of the version of the operating system of each other different preinstalled operating system instance.
7 more elements
A method comprising:
- inserting one or more removable storage devices into a computing device, the removable storage devices storing a plurality of different preinstalled operating system instances, the computing device having a plurality of logical partitions, each logical partition independently executed on the computing device;
- and,
- mapping each logical partition to one of the different preinstalled operating system instances, such that a given preinstalled operating system instance to which a given logical partition is mapped is used by the given logical partition without ever having to be installed on the given logical partition,
- wherein each different preinstalled operating system instance is one of:
- a different operating system as compared to an operating system of each other different preinstalled operating system instance;
- a different version of the operating system as compared to a version of the operating system of each other different preinstalled operating system instance;
- a different technology level of the version of the operating system as compared to a technology level of the version of the operating system of each other different preinstalled operating system instance;
- and,
- a different service pack of the version of the operating system as compared to a service pack of the version of the operating system of each other different preinstalled operating system instance.
6 more elements
A computer program product comprising a computer-readable data storage medium storing one or more computer programs that when executed by a computing device cause a method to be performed, the method comprising:
- scanning one or more removable storage devices inserted into the computing device to locate a plurality of different preinstalled operating system instances stored on the removable storage device, the computing device having a plurality of logical partitions, each logical partition independently executed on the computing device;
- and,
- permitting a user to map each logical partition to one of the different preinstalled operating system instances, such a given preinstalled operating system instance to which a given logical partition is mapped is used by the given logical partition without ever having to be installed on the given logical partition,
- wherein each different preinstalled operating system instance is one of:
- a different operating system as compared to an operating system of each other different preinstalled operating system instance;
- a different version of the operating system as compared to a version of the operating system of each other different preinstalled operating system instance;
- a different technology level of the version of the operating system as compared to a technology level of the version of the operating system of each other different preinstalled operating system instance;
- and,
- a different service pack of the version of the operating system as compared to a service pack of the version of the operating system of each other different preinstalled operating system instance.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.