Software setup system

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for automatic system setup. At least one embodiment of the present invention stores the setup configuration information (e.g., in files and/or in directory servers). The setup configuration information is stored (e.g., using a configuration file naming scheme) so that the configuration information for a particular machine can be found. A setup daemon on the machine searches for suitable configuration information in a number of places, such as: in a location in a local file system, in locations in mounted file volumes, and directory servers. The configuration information may be encrypted, and the setup daemon searches for the decryption key in a similar fashion.

1 . A machine readable medium containing executable computer program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause said system to perform a method to set up software on a storage device of the data processing system, the method comprising:
 automatically searching in a plurality of locations for configuration information, including locations on a network; and   setting up the software to install the software on the storage device of the data processing system using first configuration information found in at least one of the plurality of locations.   
     
     
         2 . The medium of  claim 1 , wherein the first configuration information comprises:
 a decryption key; and   encrypted configuration information decryptable with the decryption key.   
     
     
         3 . The medium of  claim 2 , wherein the decryption key and the encrypted configuration information are found in different locations of the plurality of locations. 
     
     
         4 . The medium of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of locations comprise one default location on a storage device attached fixedly and locally to the data processing system. 
     
     
         5 . The medium of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of locations further comprise one location in a removable medium locally attached to the data processing system. 
     
     
         6 . The medium of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of locations further comprise a remote location accessible to the data processing system through a network connection. 
     
     
         7 . The medium of  claim 1 , wherein the software is a portion of an operating system of the data processing system. 
     
     
         8 . The medium of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a plurality of identifications of the data processing system;   wherein said searching uses the plurality of identifications to find configuration information suitable for the data processing system.   
     
     
         9 . The medium of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of identifications comprise one of:
 a) a network address of the data processing system;   b) a hostname of the data processing system;   c) a hardware serial number of the data processing system; and   d) a hardware address of a network interface device of the data processing system.   
     
     
         10 . The medium of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of identifications comprise one identification that matches any data processing system. 
     
     
         11 . A method to set up software on a storage device of a data processing system, the method comprising:
 automatically searching in a plurality of locations in a network for configuration information; and   setting up the software to install the software on the storage device of the data processing system using first configuration information found in at least one of the plurality of locations.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the software is a portion of an operating system of the data processing system. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of locations are periodically searched. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of locations comprise one default location on a storage device attached fixedly and locally to the data processing system. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of locations further comprise one of:
 location in a removable medium locally attached to the data processing system; and   a directory server.