TW498276B - Method and system for fast on site deployment of computer equipment in a network computer environment - Google Patents

Abstract

In a network computer system including computer units connected through a network, a method for rapid installation of a unit includes the following steps: (a) at a unit manufacturing stage: preparing at least one master disk image containing a plurality of computer programs and associated parameters, assigning to each master disk image a unique software code value representative of a software configuration corresponding to the contents of said master disk image; during the manufacture of each unit, loading into a mass memory thereof the contents of a selected master disk image and providing on said unit readable information representative of the software code value assigned to said selected master disk image; (b) when a unit is to be installed on the network: determining a software code value identifying the software configuration to be used in said computer unit, by using said readable information, selecting from a set of units one having said software code value, connecting said selected unit to the network, and performing a soft installation of said unit involving communication between said unit and a remote configuration server of the network and providing to the unit data for finely tuning the contents of the mass memory of the unit.

Description

498276 Printed by the Consumer Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs A7 V. Description of the Invention (1) The present invention relates to the placement of computer equipment in a computer system based on the Internet in general, especially in factories to control and monitor various types of equipment in the field Equipment operation system. 5 Placement here refers to the installation and replacement (both from a hardware or software perspective) of a piece of equipment, such as a PC box. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Currently, the complexity of the number of equipment involved in such systems is increasing, including the hardware architecture of a conventional personal computer (hereafter referred to as a pc) that is available in other laid computers, and microprocessing. Devices, a sufficient amount of volatile and nonvolatile memory, input / output ports, a large amount of storage such as hard disks, etc ... In the event of a failure in the operation of such computers, conventional solutions include replacing the entire hard disk of the faulty equipment. This new hard disk is generally filled with only the basic operating system and applications, or it is empty. Therefore, it is a major project to make the large amount of memory of the new PC system reach the same or at least similar state to that of the original PC system. Such tasks generally include the installation of multiple selected applications and the setting of related parameters for such applications. 20 Actually, “this kind of work will take a few hours when all the conditions are ready”. If there are installation or parameter setting problems (incompatibility, etc.), it will take a few hours. In such cases, if the installed PC system is used to manage the indispensable automatic operations in the industrial process, such as the production process, the stagnation period of the entire 25 process may be very long. Of course, for this industry Process II i II I --- — — — — — — — (Please read the notes on the back before filling this page)

498276 A7, Invention Description (15 Printed by the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Employee Consumer Cooperative, Printed by 20 25, The production rate of the company's operating process is hindered, and it can lead to serious damage such as financial loss and reduced customer trust. So 'in this type of industry In the computer network, no matter how to add or replace faulty parts, the software installation of new computer equipment needs to be relatively fast and more reliable, so that it can quickly and efficiently restore production capacity and minimize such injuries. Another object of the present invention is to rely on a script-based engine to program and execute such software installation and configuration. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide such a method To achieve this, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for quickly installing an individual computer unit is provided in a network computer system including a plurality of individual computer units connected to each other via a network. Includes the following steps: b) At the manufacturing stage of each individual computer unit:-preparing at least one master disk backup, which contains multiple computer processes And related parameters,-Each unique backup of the main disk is given a unique software code value to represent the software configuration corresponding to the backup content of the main disk,-In the process of manufacturing individual computer units, the selected The main disk backup content is loaded into a large amount of memory of the individual computer unit 'and will represent the designated main disk backup. The paper size applies the Chinese National Standard (CNS) A4 specification (210 x 297 mm) ( Please read the precautions on the back before filling this page.) • MM MM I Μ · I MW MM _ MB Μ · MM should be provided to the unit with readable information of the software code value of A7 V. Invention Description B7 15; C ) When installing individual computer units in the network:-determine the software code value, identify the software configuration that should be used in that computer unit, _ use the readable information to select a tool from a group of individual computer units The software code unit, • actually connect the selected unit to the network, and-perform a soft installation of the selected unit, which includes 5 the selected unit and the established remote in the network Configure server-to-server communication And provide information to the unit, and fine-tune the contents of the large amount of memory in the unit. According to a second aspect of the present invention, a network computer system is also provided, which includes a plurality of individual computer units connected to each other via a network, and includes a soft womenswear and a configuration means for quickly installing the individual computer units. The system also includes a large number of storages containing at least one master disk backup. The master disk backup contains a plurality of computer programs and related parameters. Each master disk backup is given a unique software code value to represent The software configuration corresponding to the backup content of the master disk allows the selected master disk backup content to be initially loaded into a large amount of memory in each individual computer unit, where the unit contains readable information, which represents a given The software code value of the selected master disk backup, and where the soft installation and configuration means include the following to add each additional unit to the system:-means to determine the software code value, the identification should be used in the computer unit Software configuration, M. ------- ^ --------- (Please read the notes on the back before filling this page) Member of Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs X Consumer Cooperative 20 25

A7 A7 Printed by the Consumer Cooperatives of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. 5. Description of the invention (4)-Means of selecting the early value of the software code from a group of individual computer units,-Implementation of the soft installation means of the selected unit It includes 5 communication between the selected unit and the remote configuration server already established in the network computer system, and provides data to the unit, finely adjusting the contents of a large amount of memory in the unit. Brief description of the M diagram For other aspects, purposes, and advantages of the present invention, it will become clearer with reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings. Diagrams: Figure 1 shows the user interface of the self-configuration and placement auxiliary components of the present invention, Figure 2 shows the overall implementation of such components, and Figure 3 shows the state diagram of the component. 4 is a schematic diagram of a general structure of a component based on a description language program according to the present invention, and is used for the configuration, parameter setting and programming of the system according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is an embodiment of a draft produced with the component of FIG. 4, 20 Figure 6 shows the description language program item and its corresponding image list. Figure 7 shows the tree structure of the first example description language program. Figure 8 shows the source code of the method included in the example script in Figure 7. It is implemented by dynamic link library. Figure 9 shows the tree structure of the second example description language program. (Please read the precautions on the back before filling this page.) Install -------- Order --- # 7

498276 A7 Printed by the Consumer Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs

Description of the invention (B7 15 20 Figure 10 is the source code included in the method of the example description language program and is implemented by the dynamic link library. Figure 11 is an example of a placement table printed after the placement according to the present invention, and then 2 This is to confirm the implementation of this example after the placement of the card. The detailed description of the example of blanket fish encounters ^ The purpose of the invention is to generate the soft inspection, such as in the conventional ΓΓ, flash memory, health The equivalent of industrial buckle, or the eight-series pre-completion in similar devices', and when the PC is operating in the health system, or replacing the network with such a PC For incomplete PCs, only a small amount of human health configuration is required. The basic steps of the method according to the present invention will be described below. The initial steps of STEiM are-in red computerized scales, PC training and monitoring- Known steps in industrial manufacturing process. Such steps include analysis, execution and testing of operating systems, application programs' resources, parameters, data sets, etc. These need to be stored in the permanent memory of the PC. Operation. She shouted with Long Xu as "Wei Disk Backup (functional disk i mage) ^ 〇 The initial process of this step includes the following sub-steps: You 1MA • Analyze the relationship between the customer's m, I Wei and the network environment, especially the network architecture;-I1M2: choose the appropriate application software (most Common tools include public automation software>, operating system and additional software] (Please read the precautions on the back before filling this page) 25

This paper size applies the Chinese National Standard (CNS) A4 specification (210 X 297 mm) 498276 A7 _B7_ V. Description of the invention (6) -SSTEP-1.3: Preparation of installed software details < 0S, auxiliary tools, automation software 〉; (Please read the precautions on the back before filling this page) -SSTEP-1.4: Define the typical operating system and application parameters 5 configuration parameters, such as network parameters, access permissions, parameters, etc .; these automated software The parameters are determined in a known manner, depending on the automation equipment connected to the PC box, and the operations to be performed by the equipment in the industrial process of the employer; -SSTEP-1.5: Preparation of the entire description line Participant's article, 俾 Generate the reference disk backup, and the specific software code of the reference disk backup generated in this way; -SSTEP-1.6: Confirm the selected software and related parameters, especially the acquisition of the software And its operational stability; _ SSTEP-1.7: a reference file prepared in accordance with SSTEP-1.5, 15 generates a reference disk backup with a suitable installation and parameter setting procedure; printed by the Consumer Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs -SSTEP-1.8: Initial test the reference disk backup on a special platform used to simulate the customer's on-site cooking; if there are any flaws in the test, re-run from 20SSTEP_1.1 to SSTEP-1.7 as needed -SSTEP-1.9: As long as the test in SSTEP-1.8 is successful, this sub-step is included in the reference disk backup test at the customer's site. The placement procedure will be detailed later, and reiterated here. 25 At any time, as long as there are any flaws found in such on-site tests 9 This paper size applies to China National Standard (CNS) A4 (210 X 297 mm) 498276 A7 V. Description of the invention (15 Intellectual Property Bureau Employees Consumer Cooperatives If you print 20 25 defects, you can perform the sub-steps from SSTEp_u to SSTEP-1.7 again if necessary, and make appropriate corrections. As long as the field test is successful, you can confirm the reference disk backup and refer to the reference files prepared in SSTEP-1.5. Take proper protection to prevent it from being changed except under special circumstances, this reference disk backup can be used as the main disk backup (MDJ) in the process of pc box. It should be noted that, corresponding to the operating environment in which the PC box is located, and the _ manufactured by the PC box, in practice, there are backups of the master disk with their own special code; for example: each master disk contains the same Different versions of the operating system, different versions of the same automation software, various types of automation or auxiliary software programs, etc ... The next step-STEP0 is included in the relevant stages of the PC box manufacturing process-to initiate a disk backup. This step includes The following sub-steps: " ^ SIEPOJ: Format and split the hard disk drive if necessary;-HEQ2: Copy the relevant main disk backup content to the PC hard disk; -ssimi: Hard disk by input Individualization (for example, via a keyboard connected to a PC box), and write various data on the hard disk to describe the contents of the hard disk, especially: * Assigned to the PC is related to the master disk backup used in SSTEP 0.2 Software code; This paper size is in accordance with Chinese National Standard (CNS) A4 (210 X 297 mm). Please read the precautions on the back before filling this page.) -------- Order ---- Printed by the Consumer Cooperatives of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 498276 A7 B7_ , Invention is described in (8) * PC boxes and the serial number; * operating system's serial number; * Disk authorized number of each application, regardless of when to use; * 5 PC's Internet Protocol (IP, Internet

Protocol), whether it is manual or automatic; * The name of the PC assigned to the Intranet (the most common is the serial number of the PC); * A variety of other system parameters; ίο-SSTEP0.4: Included by the PC Manufacture of related computer files, this file also constitutes a confirmation certificate for the PC. The next step, STEP1, includes the necessary operations to test and confirm the entire PC box (hardware and software) at the end of the PC box manufacturing process. This step includes: is-SSTEPl.l: The first startup of the PC must be completed successfully, and the system must be confirmed, and the PC is placed in the factory for operation (compared with STEP2); the implementation system of SSTEP1.1 Initiated by a specific placement program (SDP), and in its first mode, it is called the test boot mode; 20-SSTEP1.2: finally starts and writes the parameters in the PC box to the hard disk of the PC box ; -SSTEP1.3: Start a specific test program as a guide for semi-automatic function testing of PC boxes, and the relationship between specific test benches on the test network at the PC box manufacturing site; 25-SSTEPL4: Run in SSTEP1.3 Opened test procedure 11 This paper size is applicable to China National Standard (CNS) A4 specification (210 X 297 mm) ----------- • Installation -------- Order ---- ----- ^ • 1 (Please read the precautions on the back before filling out this page) 498276 A7 _____________ Β7 V. Description of the invention (The test specified by the formula, and the test results will be recorded in the relevant manufacturing follow-up files; —EPL5: If the test in the previous sub-step is successful, then confirm the result, otherwise you must make appropriate corrections and return to S STEP1.3; Printed by the Consumer Cooperatives of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs-SSTEP1.6: After the above confirmation sub-steps, a standard is set in the special resettlement program SDP. Execute under the boot mode;-: In the test bench described in SSTEP 1.3, print out the follow-up files, which contributes to the consistency of the individual confirmation of the PC box, and contains the necessary information on the hardware and software , And all related installation and testing procedures. At this point, the PC box can be handed over to the customer. The following steps (STEP 2) are the first on-site placement of the submitted PC box. This step involves the execution of a specific placement program SDp in the second operation, And includes the following operations: physical installation of the PC box 'and the actual connection at the customer's factory; • Turn on the PC box and turn on the specific installation program in its second mode (on-site booting). This opening will cause the following operations (SSTEP2. 1 Display a page, so that the site-specific data enters the relevant input factory (It should be noted here that although the basic PC box does not include a display screen connected to it in general use, For this paper size, the Chinese National Standard (CNS) A4 specification (210 X 297 mm) can be applied. ------------ Installation -------- Order ------ --- (Please read the precautions on the back before filling out this page) 498276 Printed by A7, Consumer Cooperatives, Intellectual Property Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs V. Invention Description (1) The purpose is to temporarily connect the display screen; such information is generally Contains the necessary PC box name on the network; * Using the input of the network name, it will appropriately search the remote configuration 5 files server to automatically search for various parameters and configurations ('' config, ) Files, program updates, drivers, or services, which are contained in a specific directory corresponding to the network name; this search: to make sure that the PC box operating system is correctly integrated in 10 channels of the industrial network; • make application software use config file for automatic configuration (SSTEP ^ J); • Load the software version of the PC box hard disk in SSTEP0 · 2, which is older than the version 15 stored in the configuration file server (SSTEP2.3). Application software can be updated to the new version; * Self-test of the connected PC box (SSTEP2.4), if successful Then, to confirm its installation and validation procedures, after serving 20 can provide a variety of business application software turns on automatically. It should be noted that step 2 is performed whether the PC box is installed in an industrial environment for the first time, or when a PC box is used to replace an existing faulty PC box. Therefore, the replacement procedure for a defective PC box is approximately the same as the installation procedure for a new PC box. 25 After STEP2 is executed, the PC box is ready to be used in the network — — — — — — — — — — — --1 ---- ^ «— — — — — — — — — (Notes on the back then fill out this page)

A7 A7 15 Printed by the Consumer Cooperatives of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 20 B7 V. Description of the invention (Η) Effective operation in the road system The next step STEP3 includes the start or start of the automation software. In the configuration file server, search for the appropriate automated software configuration file. If necessary, as is well known, every time you open the automation software, you will search for such configuration files, and load any updated configuration in the PC box during the same period. Attention should be paid here to the important updates of the parent or the new version of the application software used by the PC box. It is best to re-execute the entire on-site placement procedure as formulated by STEP2. The specific placement procedures sdp described in STEP1 to STEP2 will be detailed here. First, the overall placement program is based on a host computer that contains software contained in a pc box. The user interface of this placement program is shown in Figure 1 in the figure. The "Microsoft Windows" type window shown has a display area, an item column, and three buttons, Next ,,,,, Back, and "Quit" . This column informs the user of the status of the placement software. The "Ready for Production" at the end of this column informs the user that the placement and related tests specified in STEP1 and / or STEP2 have been successfully performed. As shown in FIG. 2, the deployment program Deploy included in the PC box software system SYST includes a graphical user interface GUI that cooperates with a copying machine. The script machine is connected to the factory server through the factory network, and to (ii) the locally arranged script stored in the hard disk of the PC box. The system SYST can

Aw M ------- ^ --------- (Please read the notes on the back before filling this page) 25

A7 V. Description of the invention (15 Printed by the Consumer Cooperatives of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 20 25 Calling the operating system-related programs (APIs) and screaming the utility programs belonging to the operating system. Figure 3 shows the status of the software installation. The diagram contains the basic states corresponding to the above STEP0, STEP1, STEP2 and STEP3. The transition is:-from STEP0 to STEP1 or vice versa;-from STEP1 to STEP2 (that is, to start the placement program SDP) or vice versa;-from STEP2 to STEP3 (that is, jump out of the placement program SDP) or vice versa (that is, to start the placement program SDP again). In STEP2, the sub-steps from SSTEP2.1 to SSTEP2 · 4 are also shown. It is used to perform SSTEP2 · 3 The configuration of the engine based on the description language program will be described in detail later. The engine's stupid work is based on the description language a program, which is basically based on the predetermined macro language and the transition between the structure and state of the diagram. The written instruction text file. This engine is programmed, that is, the description language program is written, which is performed by the operator by the description language program editor. This description language program does not need to be compiled. The overall architecture and related environment of the description language program engine is shown in Figure 4. It contains the description language program engine itself (state engine), which can be received from (i) standard dynamic link libraries (DLLs) 102 'and (ϋ) additional The description language program function executed by the special dynamic link library. 15 This paper size applies the Chinese National Standard (CNS) A4 specification (210 X 297 mm) ----------- install ------丨 —Order --------- (Please read the notes on the back before filling out this page) 498276 Printed by the Consumers ’Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs A7 B7 1 Q ---- Description of Invention () This The engine can access (丨) the text of configuration parameters and the text files from (ii) state logic program through Gongwei network. These text files are generated / corrected by special file editors. 5 Descriptors for these fresh DLLs Silk office k fresh function group code 0 These special DLLs contain additional code for extended functions, which are specially made according to the special application program for PC box. Generally speaking, these functions are related to the driver specially developed according to the application program. Corresponding. Ίο Special DLLs attached Programmable in a conventional compilable language. For example, a special DLL used by a female program contains special functions related to the PC box operating system. For example, if it is a Lion system, Windows NT (Windows NT) ' , (Microsoft trademark), such functions are generally 15 ΑΠ interface, or a more common interface using the operating system's utility program. Another special DLL is a human / machine interface as briefly described above, which can be displayed and entered Placement information. An example of a description language program for the placement program is shown in FIG. This description language program has been produced by a basic and widely known description language program, the State Model Builder. Figure 5 describes the types of items in the language program and the corresponding images, as shown in Figure 6. 25 Figures 5 and 6 are included in this description after consideration. This paper size applies to China National Standard (CNS) A4 specification (210 X 297 public love) I--I ------- in ---- Order --- IIIII (Please read the precautions on the back before filling in this (Page) 498276 A7 B7 V. Description of the invention () Figure 7 shows a special, system, DLL embodiment used in a placement program, corresponding to the restart of the PC box. (Please read the note on the back first Please fill in this page again.) This DLL includes a "Reboot" state, which means that there are no child states and no special variables. There are two actions in this "reboot" state, which are listed under "Acti〇ns". "Enter" means that the action has been started "Reb〇t, status event processing, and possibly The start of 10 "ButtonlPressed" is the user presses the "Reb 〇t validati〇n" button on the man / machine interface, the trigger will trigger this action. Call four processing methods, SetButtons "," "Setlnfo", ",", "SetStep" and "Reboot (Reb〇t),". The first three methods are the basic 15 setting steps, and the Reboot method corresponds to its restarting action. As shown in the Reboot method, this method neither calls the parameters nor returns any results. The above "’ Reboot "method code is implemented by a" System "special DLL, as shown in Figure 8. Printed by the Consumer Cooperatives of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 20 This code contains a standard API function

Abool: = InitiateSystemShutdown (nil, 0, True, True) Figure 9 shows a more complex placement program function, which is the allocation function of the network name of the PC box. This description language program also includes a "SetComputerName", 25 actions, which is to change the network name as the parameter Name = EqpName transmitted. The paper size applies to the Chinese national standard specification (21 × X 297 mm) 498276 A7 B7 5. Description of the invention (15) Method. If the name change result is wrong, the parameter Error / Code = ErrCode ° will be returned (please read the precautions on the back before filling this page). This description language program also includes the change "StateName = Reboot" When restarting at 5 as shown in Figures 7 and 8, if there is no error, the reboot is necessary to recognise the new network name. The example code of the "SetComputerName" method is shown in Figure 10. It also contains the "SetNetBiosName" function, and can call various special tools for copying system parameters, and implement the NetBi0sName 10 change in the system. Although the foregoing can be applied to "Windows NT" (registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation) ) Operating system, those familiar with this technology can easily make necessary adjustments to other operating systems, such as "Unix" based operating systems. Similarly, 'although the PC box described in this article is familiar with the PC architecture,' it will be understood that the present invention can be used with any processor device, memory device, mass storage device, input / output device, and other as needed. Computer equipment for the appropriate device. Figure 11 shows the resettlement report generated by the resettlement program SDP in the second mode. Printed by the Intellectual Property Bureau's Consumer Cooperatives of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 20 Figure 12 shows the confirmation certificate related to the given PC box and generated by the placement program SDP in the first mode, especially including the software code ,, ST8AL1.1, indicates the master disk backup contained in the given box. 25 This paper size applies to China National Standard (CNS) A4 (210 X 297 public love)

Claims (1)

Printed by the Consumer Cooperatives of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs1. A method for quickly installing individual computer units, in a network computer system, the system contains a plurality of individual computer units connected to each other via the network, the method Contains the following steps: a) In the manufacturing stage of each individual computer unit:-Prepare at least one master disk backup, which contains multiple computer programs and related parameters,-Give each master disk backup a unique one, respectively The software code value represents the software configuration corresponding to the backup content of the master disk,-in the process of manufacturing an individual computer unit, the selected master disk backup content is loaded into a large amount of memory of the individual computer unit, and Provide readable information representing the software code value assigned to the selected master disk backup; b) When individual computer units are installed on the network ...-Determine the software code value, and identify The software configuration that should be used in the computer unit,-using the readable information, select the unit with the software code value from a group of individual computer units, The selected unit is connected to the network, and-a soft installation of the selected unit is performed, which includes the communication between the selected unit and the remote configuration server already established in the network, and provides data to the unit. Adjust the contents of the large amount of memory in the unit. 2. If the method of applying for the first item of the patent scope, in which the execution step, the paper size is applicable to the Chinese National Standard (CNS) A4 specification (210 X 297 mm) ----------- installed --- ----- Order --------- ^^ 1 (Please read the notes on the back before filling out this page) 498276 6. The scope of application and patent is realized by a description language program engine. System 3 ·-a kind of network computer system and system, including individual touch units connected to each other via the network, and including soft installation and non-disposition means, used for the domain-side computer unit. This thread also includes bribes at least A large amount of storage for a main disk backup. The main disk backup contains a number of computer programs and related parameters. In each case, the main magnetic disk is given a _unique soft_value 'to represent the corresponding charm_backup. The software configuration, the main location of the main body of the t-rider, the initial load-riding of the individual computer single 70, has been recalled, in which the unit contains readable information, which represents ... The software code value of the disk backup, and its ten soft installation and configuration methods include the following to add each additional unit to the department 15 Printed by the Intellectual Property Bureau Staff Consumer Cooperatives of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 20 25 Identify the software configuration that should be used in the computer unit, select the means with the software code value from a group of individual computer units, and execute the soft installation means of the unit it took, including the selected single male network Lai secret distal end of the towel is provided with both of the opposing servo track (iv), and provide information to the unit, to serve a lot of memory finely adjust the content of the cell body. Thread x 297 paper standard (CNS) A4 specification (21〇 20