Abstract:
A software preload arrangement uses a central server to store the software repository(ries) for various computer instruction files offered for preload into a system being manufactured. To execute the preload, a client workstation is used to execute the actual preload steps for a system under test (SUT). When the SUT needs a given piece of the software release, data is moved down to the client from the server and cached there for delivery to the system under test. In accordance with an important characteristic of this invention, the caching is predictive. That is, data is held in or moved to the client workstation based upon recent activity, so that the time needed to prepare a preload for a system under test is shortened.

Description:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to the installation of software onto information handling systems, sometimes also herein called computer systems, from repositories of software. While the discussion hereinafter will be focused on installation of operating system (OS) software onto systems being manufactured and assembled before delivery to an end user, the method, apparatus and program product will be appreciated to have broader application. 
         [0002]    Information handling systems destined to be high-end servers, in particular, are often delivered to an end user with a software pre-install (preload) that can be one of a number of operating systems (AIX, Linux, i5OS, zOS, etc). In order to keep costs low and maintain a high level of quality, the pre-installation process needs to be cost effective and efficient. As a result, it is desirable that the software pre-install process be executed from a test execution platform that can support the various operating systems types as part of a manufacturing and configuring process. Each OS (operating system) has its own delivery mechanism and install image archive that must be maintained. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The innovation described here will cache software moving from a common repository to a SUT (System Under Test) independent of the delivery mechanism for a given OS, independent of the manner of packaging the install images for a given OS, and using a common manner of storage and dissemination. An arrangement contemplated as being used for software preload uses a central server to store the software repository(ries) for various operating systems (OS) (for example) that are offered for preload. To execute the preload, a client workstation (such as a notebook computer system) is used to execute the actual preload steps (and can be the same client that was used to test the SUT). When the SUT needs a given piece of the software release, data is moved down to the client from the server and cached there for delivery to the system under test. In accordance with an important characteristic of this invention, the caching is predictive. That is, data is held in or moved to the client workstation based upon recent activity, so that the time needed to prepare a preload for a system under test is shortened. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    Some of the purposes of the invention having been stated, others will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of information handling systems among which the present invention is implemented; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of the software stack involved in implementation of this invention; 
           [0007]      FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5  are flow charts illustrating steps in the implementation of this invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 6  is a representation of the elements of an information handling system such as those of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 7  is an illustration of a non-transitory computer readable medium (here an optical disc) on which computer executable instructions are placed in the program product form of this invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
       [0010]    While the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown, it is to be understood at the outset of the description which follows that persons of skill in the appropriate arts may modify the invention here described while still achieving the favorable results of the invention. Accordingly, the description which follows is to be understood as being a broad, teaching disclosure directed to persons of skill in the appropriate arts, and not as limiting upon the present invention. 
         [0011]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an environment in which the present invention is exercised is there shown. An upstream server system  210  functions as a repository of software to ultimately be pre-installed or preloaded into target end user systems  220  through the intervening client workstations  230 . As illustrated, the end user systems  220  may be systems of varying types undergoing manufacture, test and configuration while the client workstations may be notebook systems. While this environment is used to illustrate the description which follows, the reader will understand that varying types of computer systems may be used in implementing the processes, hardware and executable programs here described. The reader should be careful of the arrows extending from reference characters  210 ,  220  and  230  to identify systems and the other arrows indicating data flows as will be described more fully hereinafter. 
         [0012]    The software stored on and residing in the server  210  as a repository is made available to be stored on the other systems in accordance with what will be described with reference to  FIG. 2 through 5 .  FIG. 2  illustrates a software stack which, when executing, communicates with a system  220  under test, manages communication protocols, and manages a software cache repository.  FIG. 3  illustrates the creation of a software repository, here contemplated as related to operating systems to be available for pre-installation on a system under test  220 , to be managed by the software represented in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 4  addresses the management of the software cache from which a file is to be delivered.  FIG. 5  addresses the management of an addition to a software cache from which software is transferred to a system under test  220 . 
         [0013]    A cache manager is used to reduce server load and speed up transfer of large (&gt;1 MB) files. When a file to be used with cache manager is placed on the repository server ( FIG. 3 ), a program executes which creates a unique 11 character key for the file, independent of the file name. The file is parsed or divided into 512 byte sectors, then grouped into 4096 sectors to make 2 MB segments. A 32 bit cyclic redundancy check (CRC) value for is determined for each segment. A control file is created containing the key, some additional header information, and the CRC value for each segment. Once created, both the original and control files may be transferred to repository servers and/or client workstations at other sites if manufacture, test and pre-install are to be performed at scattered sites, with no additional processing required at such local sites. 
         [0014]    Following a file request from a system under test  220 , a client system  230  (e.g. preload server) determines the data segment containing the file, then opens the file, using the name that the file has on the server  210  ( FIG. 4 ). The server returns the key for the file and the list of CRC values for the segments. The cache manager client reads the file by requesting data starting with a given sector number. The cache manager determines which segment the requested sector is in, then checks to see if that segment is already cached in RAM in the client system. If it is, the data is delivered to the system under test. If the data is not in RAM, the cache manager checks to see if it already has the required segment on disk. If the segment is on disk, it is read into storage and the CRC is checked with the values loaded from the server. If the CRC is correct, the data is delivered to the system under test. 
         [0015]    If the segment is not available locally, a broadcast message is sent to nearby client systems containing the key for the file and the requested segment. If a client system responds that it has the requested data, the segment is read from that location, and the CRC is checked. If the CRC is good, the segment is delivered to the system under test. If the CRC is not good, the data is not used, and the manager waits for a response from the repository server. 
         [0016]    If no nearby client system responds with data that is usable within a fixed period of time (such as one second), the requested segment is read directly from the repository server  210 . The CRC is checked, and if good the segment is delivered. If the CRC is bad, the read from server will be retried up to two times. If the retries also fail an error is returned to the client system. 
         [0017]    When a new segment is loaded, the cache is checked for available space. Available space is determined by both number of bytes in the cache, and available space on the cache file system. Both are configurable. If no space is available, space is made in the cache ( FIG. 5 ) and the segment is added to the cache. Caching is done by key and segment number. The process of maintaining the cache enters into the predictive characteristic of the process described. The cache manager will sort the access times of all segments of all files in the cache. If the oldest segment is more than 24 hours old or there are less than 10 segments cached, caching is stopped. Then the manager deletes approximately 10% of the cache (oldest first) or until a file is encountered that is less than 24 hours old. If the oldest segment is less than 24 hours old or if there are fewer than 50 segments cached, caching is stopped. Then the manager randomly deletes approximately 2% of the cache. 
         [0018]    An advantage of this cache management process is that it is entirely automatic—there need be no human involvement once file is placed on site server. Data integrity is guaranteed because of CRC checking of segments each time they are used. Damaged caches are automatically fixed. The use of a unique key ensures that replacing a file on site server automatically invalidates cache on all client systems. Local caches in client systems will only contain portions of the file that were actually requested by the client. There is no need for all data requested by client to reside in the cache at any one time (although in practice it is best if it does, and it usually does). Use of local caching, and ability to fetch segments from client system&#39;s cache greatly reduces load on the repository server (once data has been cached, site server only needs to be accessed for key and CRC info, approx 0.0002% of the file size). Random discards of recent cache data increases the chance that another client system will have the requested data, even if the data is too large to be cached on one client system. 
         [0019]    Yet another advantage, and a characteristic of this invention, is that the cache functions as a predictive cache. That is, data which has been recently requested for preload into a system under test is readily available in the event that the next system to be processed will require the same preload. In an active manufacturing environment, there is a substantial probability that successive systems under test will in fact request the same preload. 
         [0020]    The data to be preloaded onto a system under test is contained in the file system in multiple volumes, each approximately 500 MB in size. Use of volumes and their size facilitates distribution requirements. A failure when transferring to a remote site (or damage at any site) only requires resending individual volumes, which can fit on a CD and be distributed that way if required. Each volume is one file on the repository server and is seen as one file by the cache manager. 
         [0021]    Turning now to  FIG. 6 , the term “circuit” or “circuitry” may be used herein in the summary, description, and/or claims. As is well known in the art, the term “circuitry” includes all levels of available integration, e.g., from discrete logic circuits to the highest level of circuit integration such as VLSI, and includes programmable logic components programmed to perform the functions of an embodiment as well as general-purpose or special-purpose processors programmed with instructions to perform those functions. 
         [0022]    While various exemplary circuits or circuitry are discussed,  FIG. 6  depicts a block diagram of an illustrative exemplary computer system  100 . The system  100  may be a desktop computer system or a workstation computer; however, as apparent from the description herein, a client device, a server or other machine may include other features or only some of the features of the system  100 . The system  100  may function in the arrangements of  FIG. 1  as any or all or the systems  210 ,  220  and  230 . 
         [0023]    The system  100  of  FIG. 6  includes a so-called chipset  110  (a group of integrated circuits, or chips, that work together, chipsets) with an architecture that may vary depending on manufacturer (e.g., INTEL®, AMD®, etc.). The architecture of the chipset  110  includes a core and memory control group  120  and an I/O controller hub  150  that exchange information (e.g., data, signals, commands, etc.) via a direct management interface (DMI)  142  or a link controller  144 . In  FIG. 1 , the DMI  142  is a chip-to-chip interface (sometimes referred to as being a link between a “northbridge” and a “southbridge”). The core and memory control group  120  include one or more processors  122  (e.g., single or multi-core) and a memory controller hub  126  that exchange information via a front side bus (FSB)  124 ; noting that components of the group  120  may be integrated in a chip that supplants the conventional “northbridge” style architecture. 
         [0024]    In  FIG. 6 , the memory controller hub  126  interfaces with working memory  140  (e.g., to provide support for a type of RAM that may be referred to as “system or working memory”). The memory controller hub  126  further includes a LVDS interface  132  for a display device  192  (e.g., a CRT, a flat panel, a projector, etc.). A block  138  includes some technologies that may be supported via the LVDS interface  132  (e.g., serial digital video, HDMI/DVI, display port). The memory controller hub  126  also includes a PCI-express interface (PCI-E)  134  that may support discrete graphics  136 . In  FIG. 1 , the I/O hub controller  150  includes a SATA interface  151  (e.g., for longer term, non-transitory memory such as HDS, SDS, etc.), a PCI-E interface  152  (e.g., for wireless connections  182 ), a USB interface  153  (e.g., for input devices  184  such as keyboard, mice, cameras, phones, storage, etc.), a network interface  154  (e.g., LAN), a GPI interface  155 , a LPC interface  170  (for ASDICS  171 , a T.M.  172 , a super I/O  173 , a firmware hub  174 , BIOS support  175  as well as various types of memory  176  such as ROM  177 , Flash  178 , and VRAM  179 ), a power management interface  161 , a clock generator interface  162 , an audio interface  163  (e.g., for speakers  194 ), a TO interface  164 , a system management bus interface  165 , and SC. Flash  166 , which can include BIOS  168  and boot code  190 . The I/O hub controller  150  may include gigabit Ethernet support. 
         [0025]    The system  100 , upon power on, may be configured to execute boot code  190  for the BIOS  168 , as stored within the SCI. Flash  166 , and thereafter processes data under the control of one or more operating systems and application software (e.g., stored in system memory  140 ). An operating system may be stored in any of a variety of locations and accessed, for example, according to instructions of the BIOS  168 . As described herein, a device may include fewer or more features than shown in the system  100  of  FIG. 6 . 
         [0026]    One or more aspects of the present invention can be included in an article of manufacture (e.g., one or more computer program products) having, for instance, non-transitory, tangible computer readable media, indicated at  300  in  FIG. 7 . The media has embodied therein, for instance, computer readable program code for providing and facilitating the capabilities of the present invention. The article of manufacture can be included as a part of a computer system or sold separately. Machine readable storage mediums may include fixed hard drives such as those mentioned above, optical discs such as the disc  300 , magnetic tapes, semiconductor memories such as read only memories (ROMs), programmable memories (proms of various types), flash memory, etc. The article containing this computer readable code is utilized by executing the code directly from the storage device, or by copying the code from one storage device to another storage device, or by transmitting the code on a network for remote execution. 
         [0027]    In the drawings and specifications there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are used, the description thus given uses terminology in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.