Abstract: Task sequences are used to manage devices. According to one aspect, a user-defined or user-selected task sequence is received. The task sequence is converted into an ordered series of steps, and the series of steps are performed, in accordance with their order, in managing a device over a network. In certain implementations, the ordered series of steps are steps for automatically deploying an operating system on the device.

Abstract: A system and method for purposing a computing device is disclosed. The computing devices in a network are organized into groups referred to as Pods, each Pod of computing devices further comprising an aggregation node. The aggregation node monitors and controls the computing devices in the Pod. The aggregation node is used to copy a system image from the pristine partition of another computer device or from a library of system images to a target partition of the computer to be repurposed. Because the computing devices in the network are organized into Pods, with each Pod having an aggregation node, there is no single point of failure for the entire management and control of the network. The aggregation nodes for each Pod in the network can communicate with one another to most efficiently allocate resources among the various tasks to be performed by the computing resources in the network. Computing devices in the network can be repurposed and/or reassigned to different Pods based on the various criteria.

Abstract: According to one aspect of task sequence interfaces, a method includes exposing an interface that allows task sequences to be performed on a plurality of remote devices, and receiving requests regarding the task sequences and the plurality of remote devices via the interface. The interface comprises an object model including device objects that represent physical devices in a network, and jobs objects that represent task sequences performed on one or more of the plurality of remote devices.

Abstract: A pay-per-use or pay-as-you-go computer uses a secure memory to store individual unique program identifiers. Each unique program identifier is associated with a particular hardware or software component, or service, or the entire computer available to a user. By combining the unique program identifier with a computer hardware identifier uniquely identified transactions may be tracked for both billing and reconciliation. Certificates associated with each unique program identifier, and coupled to the hardware identifier, provide a cryptographic basis for mutual verification of messages, requests, configuration instructions, and provisioning.

Abstract: Sharing and exchanging sessions between devices and users in a Shared Resource Computing (SRC) environment are disclosed. Example systems include a shared resource computing server and a plurality of peripheral devices. The SRC server (“SRC Box”) may include functionality configured to share and exchange sessions between the peripheral devices and the users, including functionality to map graphical representations of sessions to sessions and to map graphical representations of users to users, and functionality to display the representations of sessions and users within a graphical user interface. Alternate embodiments may also include functionality for transferring a saved session between devices.

Abstract: Sharing and exchanging information in a Shared Resource Computing (SRC) environment are disclosed. Example systems include a shared resource computing server and a plurality of peripheral devices. The SRC server may include functionality configured to share and exchange information between the peripheral devices, including functionality to determine the physical position of the peripheral devices, functionality to associate avatars to the peripheral devices, and functionality to display the avatars within a representation of the environment. Alternate embodiments may also include functionality for user authentication and functionality for sending a document between peripheral devices.

Abstract: Task sequences are used to manage devices. According to one aspect, a user-defined or user-selected task sequence is received. The task sequence is converted into an ordered series of steps, and the series of steps are performed, in accordance with their order, in managing a device over a network. In certain implementations, the ordered series of steps are steps for automatically deploying an operating system on the device.

Abstract: Task sequences are used to manage devices. According to one aspect, a user-defined or user-selected task sequence is received. The task sequence is converted into an ordered series of steps, and the series of steps are performed, in accordance with their order, in managing a device over a network. In certain implementations, the ordered series of steps are steps for automatically deploying an operating system on the device.

Abstract: In an implementation of administrative security systems and methods, access to administrative functions is controlled according to access privileges. A security process can be executed with administrative privilege to initiate an administrative function, and a user process can be executed with non-administrative privilege such that access to the administrative function is restricted. The user process can request initiation of the administrative function via the security process with parameters that include an identification of the administrative function and input arguments to the administrative function.

Abstract: A system and method for purposing a computing device is disclosed. A management controller system is used to copy a system image from a library of system images to a target partition of the computer to be repurposed. The system image may include a configured copy of an operating system and an application program. The system image may also include logic for generating and assigning a unique security identifier to the computer. The invention includes a managed node service for monitoring the status of the computer and for performing some of the necessary steps in purposing the computer. Additionally, the invention includes facilities for loading a default operating system on the computer when the computer is first connected to a network.

Abstract: Multiple devices on which operating systems can be automatically deployed are managed. According to one aspect, an apparatus manages installation of operating systems on a plurality of computing devices. The installation is performed across the plurality of computing devices both concurrently and asynchronously.

Abstract: A multiple device management method and system that executes commands on one controller computer, such as in a data center, to initiate operations on controlled computers containing agent software. An operation may comprise the execution of script, execution of a binary program, or other operations. The mechanism works with sets of computers as if they were a single computer, whereby, for example, management of computing devices is greatly simplified, and the cost of managing computing devices in a data center is significantly reduced. The controller communicates with the nodes using a messaging format, and provides a schema to represent the available nodes in the data center, their organization into sets, and the results of ongoing and completed operations. The schema may also be used to manage jobs to perform on nodes and sets of nodes.

Abstract: A method and system for booting a computer system to a known state at system start-up or in the event of an error or failure while the system is running or operating. The method and system of the invention automatically executes all the necessary procedures to boot the computer system to a known state, without any human intervention. The invention uses information about the state of the computer system during previous boot attempts to determine the logical steps performed to ensure that the system boots to a known state.

Abstract: In an implementation of administrative security systems and methods, access to administrative functions is controlled according to access privileges. A security process can be executed with administrative privilege to initiate an administrative function, and a user process can be executed with non-administrative privilege such that access to the administrative function is restricted. The user process can request initiation of the administrative function via the security process with parameters that include an identification of the administrative function and input arguments to the administrative function.

Abstract: Task sequences are used to manage devices. According to one aspect, a user-defined or user-selected task sequence is received. The task sequence is converted into an ordered series of steps, and the series of steps are performed, in accordance with their order, in managing a device over a network. In certain implementations, the ordered series of steps are steps for automatically deploying an operating system on the device.

Abstract: Multiple devices on which operating systems can be automatically deployed are managed. According to one aspect, an apparatus manages installation of operating systems on a plurality of computing devices. The installation is performed across the plurality of computing devices both concurrently and asynchronously.

Abstract: According to one aspect of task sequence interfaces, a method includes exposing an interface that allows task sequences to be performed on a plurality of remote devices, and receiving requests regarding the task sequences and the plurality of remote devices via the interface. The interface comprises an object model including device objects that represent physical devices in a network, and jobs objects that represent task sequences performed on one or more of the plurality of remote devices.

Abstract: A computer such as a network appliance executes an administrative security process configured to run under an administrative privilege level. Having an administrative privilege level, the administrative security process can initiate administrative functions in an operating system function library. A user process executing under a non-administrative privilege level can initiate a particular administrative function that the process would not otherwise be able to initiate by requesting that the administrative security process initiate the function. In response to a request to initiate a particular function from a process with a non-administrative privilege level, the administrative security process determines whether the requesting process is authorized to initiate the particular administrative function based on information accessed in a data store. If the requesting process is authorized, the administrative security process initiates the particular administrative function.

Abstract: A multiple device management method and system that executes commands on one controller computer, such as in a data center, to initiate operations on controlled computers containing agent software. An operation may comprise the execution of script, execution of a binary program, or other operations. The mechanism works with sets of computers as if they were a single computer, whereby, for example, management of computing devices is greatly simplified, and the cost of managing computing devices in a data center is significantly reduced. The controller communicates with the nodes using a messaging format, and provides a schema to represent the available nodes in the data center, their organization into sets, and the results of ongoing and completed operations. The schema may also be used to manage jobs to perform on nodes and sets of nodes.

Abstract: A system and method for purposing a computing device is disclosed. The computing devices in a network are organized into groups referred to as Pods, each Pod of computing devices further comprising an aggregation node. The aggregation node monitors and controls the computing devices in the Pod. The aggregation node is used to copy a system image from the pristine partition of another computer device or from a library of system images to a target partition of the computer to be repurposed. Because the computing devices in the network are organized into Pods, with each Pod having an aggregation node, there is no single point of failure for the entire management and control of the network. The aggregation nodes for each Pod in the network can communicate with one another to most efficiently allocate resources among the various tasks to be performed by the computing resources in the network. Computing devices in the network can be repurposed and/or reassigned to different Pods based on the various criteria.