HK1100790B - System and method for information handling system custom application ordering and installation - Google Patents

Description

System and method for information handling system application customization and installation

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to the field of information handling system manufacturing, and more particularly to a system and method for information handling system custom application customization (ordering) and installation.

Background

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. Information handling systems typically process, compile, store, and/or communicate information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. As technology and information processing needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems also vary in terms of what information is manipulated, how the information is manipulated, how much information is processed, stored, or transferred, and how quickly and efficiently the information is processed, stored, or transferred. Variations of information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be either general, or configured for a particular user, or for a particular use, such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, an information handling system may include a variety of hardware and software components configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.

Information handling systems have become a powerful tool for businesses or individuals to a large extent due to the flexibility available to configure systems for desired solutions. At the physical level, most components can build an information handling system within the required cost and performance constraints. For example, the computing power, memory capacity, and bus speed of the CPU all vary based on the components selected for the information system, which generally increases cost due to the more powerful components of the information system. Thus, businesses and individuals often choose information handling systems that are physically configured for a particular task to balance the cost of systems with complex and important tasks. In terms of software, information handling systems typically configure end users to run desired applications. For example, a variety of operating systems are available to coordinate the operation of physical components in different environments, such as a server versus desktop environment. Most information handling systems have installed common applications such as word processing applications and specific applications adapted to the needs of the system user.

One problem caused by the flexibility of information handling systems is that businesses with many systems have difficulty tracking the structure and use of the systems. Often, businesses employ information technology personnel to help them ensure proper operation of information handling systems, including system integration with a variety of architectures. Many information technology professionals plan to purchase new or replacement information handling systems by custom-to-order (build) manufacturers. In a custom-built manufacturing model, the customer specifies the configuration of the software and hardware components, and the manufacturer builds the information handling system to the customer's specifications. Custom-built manufacturing is a powerful tool for information technology professionals to efficiently schedule information technology resources, however, the number of different systems involved in a larger business presents an insurmountable logistical problem for customizing new and replacement systems. Once a new or replacement system is present, it often takes a significant amount of time for an information technology professional to configure and install an application specifically for the system. User configuration costs are increased due to complexity, internal labor, third party labor, hardware requirements, scheduling, and lost end user productivity.

Disclosure of Invention

There is therefore a need for a system and method that can automatically customize a custom-made information handling system as an alternative to a legacy (legacy) information handling system.

In accordance with the present invention, a system and method are provided that substantially reduce the disadvantages and problems associated with previous methods and systems for building customized information handling systems. An asset discovery tool associated with a configuration site (deployment site) automatically discovers the configuration of a legacy information handling system on the configuration site and passes the legacy configuration to the manufacturing site. An asset translation engine associated with the manufacturing site analyzes the discovered legacy configurations to determine replacement configurations for building a customized replacement information handling system.

More specifically, the configuration site has a plurality of conventional information handling systems connected to a network, each having a conventional configuration of hardware components and software applications. An asset discovery tool associated with the configuration site interfaces with the legacy information handling systems via a network to discover the legacy configuration of each legacy system. The legacy configuration is stored in a discovered assets table and is in communication with the manufacturing site. An asset analyzer associated with the manufacturing site analyzes the legacy configuration to generate planned customizations for one or more replacement information handling systems to replace custom legacy systems identified by a customization tool (order tool) of one or more configured sites. An asset translation engine associated with the manufacturing site translates the legacy configuration into an alternate configuration by applying translation rules. The conversion rules identify replacement components for legacy components based on the capabilities of the configuration site. The replacement configuration is used to build a replacement information handling system that is transported from the manufacturing site to the configuration site to replace one or more legacy information handling systems.

The present invention provides a number of important technical advantages. One example of an important technical advantage is that automated asset discovery of network information handling system resources allows for full picture analysis of business assets. The conversion rules provide information technology professionals with replacement system customization recommendations that include upgraded hardware and a complete list of applications that respond to existing systems. Automatically tracking replacement units of conventional systems ensures that the correctly configured system is delivered for the required location. The resources required to install the replacement system are reduced, thus saving time and money for the enterprise.

Drawings

The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features, and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. Like reference symbols in the several drawings indicate like or similar elements.

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of an automated management system that may automatically determine replacement configurations to replace a legacy information handling system;

FIG. 2 depicts a flow diagram of an automated management system that can automatically decide on replacement configurations to replace a legacy information handling system.

Detailed Description

Replacement configurations for replacement information handling systems are translated from the legacy configuration of networked legacy information handling systems at a configuration site with automated asset discovery. For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, and functionality, and price. The information handling system may include Random Access Memory (RAM), one or more processing resources (e.g., a Central Processing Unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic), ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a block diagram depicts an automated management system that may automatically determine replacement configurations to replace a conventional information handling system. Conventional information handling system 10 is coupled to a configuration site 14 via an intranet 12, such as a local area network server of a business organization. The configuration site 14 includes an asset discovery tool that can query the legacy information handling systems 10 in a discovered assets table 18 to determine their configuration and list the discovered legacy configurations. For example, asset discovery tool 16 is a commercially available tool that can automatically scan information handling systems connected to a network to collect hardware and software configurations of the systems, e.g., Absolute, Altitis, and AssetMetrix. For example, the discovered assets table 18 is a list of all conventional information handling systems identified by unique identifiers of hardware and software components loaded on each system. The configuration site 14 also includes an application package tool 20 that packages selected applications 22 located on the legacy information handling system 10 for automatic installation onto other information handling systems, such as SMS, Marimaba, Managesoft, Altiris, and Novadigm.

Configuration site 14 is connected to manufacturing site 28 via internet 26, and information handling systems are customized on-the-fly at manufacturing site 28. For example, manufacturing site 28 is a series of server information handling system servers that can fetch and fulfill the configuration set up information handling systems defined for the customer. An asset database 30 of the manufacturing site 28 is connected to the configuration site 14 via the internet 26 for periodic retrieval of the discovered assets table 18. The asset analyzer 32 of the configuration site 28 analyzes the discovered assets tables 18 from the assets database 30 for each managed configuration site 14 and applies rules to determine which legacy information handling systems 10 need replacement. For example, customization tool 24 defines rules for automatically generating proposed customizations for replacement information handling system based on analysis of discovered assets table 18, and then submits customizations for manufacturing replacement information handling systems. The rules for automatic customization depend on the needs of the configuration site 14 and may include factors such as processor speed, system lifetime, memory speed, available memory, network performance, or other parameters of commercial importance to the configuration site.

Once customization tool 24 passes the customization for manufacture, asset translation engine 34 retrieves one or more legacy configurations of the system to be replaced and translates the legacy configurations into replacement configurations based on translation rules. For example, predetermined versions of processing systems or applications built on legacy information handling systems are replaced with defined replacement versions. In other words, the predetermined settings in the legacy configuration result in the selection of a defined replacement application for the replacement configuration. As another example, legacy hardware components are mapped to replacement hardware components, such as CPU types, memory capacities, or other component parameters, for establishing a physical system. Client specific applications, such as those packaged by the application packaging tool 20, are stored in the client application database, while more commonly available commercially available applications are stored in the manufacturer application database 38. In one embodiment, the asset translation engine 34 will compare the traditionally configured applications in the manufacturer application database 38 and the client application database 36 and require that the application be lost (missing) from the application packaging tool 20. The application identified by the replacement configuration is distributed to the manufacturing process by application distribution tool 40.

After determining the hardware and software configurations for the replacement information handling system, customization engine 42 initiates the assembly of the physical components on hardware build 44. The assembled replacement information handling system interfaces with image server 46 and image engine 48 so that the software configuration is copied to persistent storage, such as firmware and hard drives. Image server 46 creates an image with the application received from application distribution tool 40. The application installation engine 50 installs applications on the replacement information handling system that are not installed as part of the image. Once the software configuration is established on the replacement configuration determined by asset translation engine 34, replacement information handling system 52 is transmitted to configuration site 14. Through the build process, customization tool 24 interacts with customization engine 42 to monitor and pass through the selections made when requested by the user.

With reference now to FIG. 2, a flowchart depicts a process by which an alternative configuration may be automatically determined to replace automatic management of a legacy information handling system. The process begins at step 54 with the asset discovery tool operating at the configuration site to generate a discovered assets table. For example, the discovery asset table lists all of the legacy information handling systems connected to the network and lists the software applications and hardware components discovered to be built for each legacy system. At step 56, applications found to be unavailable at the manufacturing site in the asset table are packaged for communication with the manufacturing site. At step 58, the discovery asset form and packaging application is transmitted from the configuration site to the manufacturing site. At step 60, the discovered assets table is analyzed to determine the customization of the replacement information handling system. For example, due to the need for replacement, rules defined by a user associated with the configuration site are applied to identify one or more legacy systems. At step 62, the discovered assets of the legacy system are all converted from the legacy configuration to an alternate configuration. For example, replacement hardware components are identified as physical systems for assembly, and replacement software components are identified as assembled replacement systems for imaging. At step 64, the replacement information handling system is custom-built to replace the configuration and is transmitted to the configuration site.

Although the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (12)

1. A system for managing replacement of a legacy information handling system connected to a network of configuration sites, the system comprising:

an asset discovery tool at the deployment site having a plurality of networked legacy information handling systems, each legacy information handling system having a hardware and software configuration, the asset discovery tool configured to automatically discover the hardware and software configurations of the legacy information handling systems over a network to generate a discovered assets table, the discovered assets table comprising a list of hardware devices loaded on each legacy information handling system;

a customization tool at the configuration site configured to communicate the discovered assets table to a manufacturing site over a network, the customization tool further configured to customize replacement information handling systems in the discovered assets table for one or more of the legacy information handling systems;

an asset analyzer at the manufacturing site configured to interface with the customization tool, the asset analyzer further configured to analyze the discovered assets table to create suggested customizations for the replacement information handling system; and

an asset translation engine located at the manufacturing site, the asset translation engine configured to translate the hardware and software configurations of the one or more legacy information handling systems into alternative hardware and software configurations to build the replacement information handling system, wherein translating the hardware and software configurations of the one or more legacy information handling systems into alternative hardware and software configurations comprises mapping legacy hardware components to alternative hardware components to physically build the replacement information handling system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the hardware and software configuration includes a list of applications loaded on each legacy information handling system.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

an application packaging tool configured to package selected applications discovered by the asset discovery tool and deliver the packaged applications to the manufacturing site; and

an application distribution tool configured to receive the packaged application and distribute the packaged application to a replacement information handling system having a configuration of the packaged application.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a client application database configured to store the packaged applications; and

a manufacturer application database configured to store predetermined common applications.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the customization tool is further configured to define parameters for the asset analyzer to apply to analyzing the discovered assets table.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the customization tool is further configured to interface with the asset translation engine to define rules for the asset translation engine to translate legacy configurations into alternative hardware and software configurations.

7. A method for managing replacement of a legacy information handling system connected to a network of configuration sites, the method comprising:

running an asset discovery tool on the configuration site to automatically discover hardware and software configurations of the legacy information handling systems over a network, wherein the hardware and software configurations include a list of hardware devices loaded on each legacy information handling system;

communicating the hardware and software configuration of the legacy information handling system to a manufacturing site over a network;

selecting one or more of the legacy information handling systems to replace;

running an asset analyzer at said manufacturing site analyzing said hardware and software configuration to create suggested customizations for said replacement information handling system;

translating, at the manufacturing site, the hardware and software configuration of the selected legacy information handling system into an alternate hardware and software configuration, wherein translating the hardware and software configuration of the legacy information handling system into the alternate hardware and software configuration comprises mapping legacy hardware components to alternate hardware components to physically build an alternate information handling system; and

a replacement information handling system having a replacement hardware and software configuration is established at the manufacturing site.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein running an asset discovery tool further comprises discovering a software application configuration of the legacy information handling system.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

packaging one or more applications at the configuration site;

communicating the packaged application to the manufacturing site over a network;

determining that a legacy configuration includes the packaged application; and

installing the packaged application on the replacement information handling system.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

analyzing the discovered hardware and software configurations to customize the replacement information handling system to prioritize according to one or more predetermined factors; and

presenting the preferred customization at the configuration site.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

setting the one or more predetermined factors from the configuration site.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

one or more rules are set at the configuration site to translate the legacy configuration into an alternate configuration.