Patent ID: 8091085

Claim:
A method comprising: querying a target device to build an inventory of a plurality of components installed within the target device, the target device having a boot process by which the target device is employed within a production environment; receiving updated software for each component installed within the target device from an update server, based on the inventory built; configuring the boot process of the target device so that the target device installs the updated software for each component a next time the target device boots, instead of being employed within the production environment, by: preparing a logical storage volume on one or more storage devices accessible by the target device; populating the logical storage volume with the updated software for each component installed within the target device; and, specifying a logical boot storage volume of the target device as the logical storage volume; causing the target device to boot such that the target device boots from the logical storage volume and installs the updated software for each component installed within the target device; upon successful completion of the target device installing the updated software for each component, reconfiguring the boot process so that a next time the target device boots the target device is again employed within the production environment; and, causing the target device to boot such that the target device boots from the original storage volume and is again employed within the production environment.