Creating customized bootable image for client computing device from backup copy

Abstract

According to certain aspects, a method of creating customized bootable images for client computing devices in an information management system can include: creating a backup copy of each of a plurality of client computing devices, including a first client computing device; subsequent to receiving a request to restore the first client computing device to the state at a first time, creating a customized bootable image that is configured to directly restore the first client computing device to the state at the first time, wherein the customized bootable image includes system state specific to the first client computing device at the first time and one or more drivers associated with hardware existing at time of restore on a computing device to be rebooted; and rebooting the computing device to the state of the first client computing device at the first time from the customized bootable image.

1 . A method of creating customized bootable images for client computing devices in an information management system, the method comprising:
 using one or more computing devices comprising computer hardware:
 creating a backup copy of each of a plurality of client computing devices, wherein the plurality of client computing devices comprises a first client computing device, wherein the backup copy comprises an image of the respective client computing device in a state at a first time, and wherein the image comprises system state of the respective client computing device at the first time, the system state of the respective client computing device comprising a kernel of the respective client computing device and a plurality of drivers installed on the respective client computing device at the first time; 
 subsequent to said creating a backup copy of each of a plurality of client computing devices, receiving a request to restore the first client computing device to the state at the first time; 
 subsequent to said receiving a request, creating a customized bootable image specific to the first client computing device, using a generic bootable image that includes a default kernel and default drivers to be installed on a client computing device, the customized bootable image comprising the system state of the first client computing device at the first time, the system state of the first client computing device comprising the kernel of the first client computing device and the plurality of drivers installed on the first client computing device at the first time, 
 wherein the customized bootable image is configured to directly restore the first client computing device to the state at the first time by booting from the kernel of the first client computing device and without first booting from the default kernel and then loading the kernel of the first client computing device, 
 and 
 wherein the customized bootable image further comprises one or more drivers associated with hardware existing at time of restore on a computing device to be rebooted to the state of the first client computing device at the first time; and 
 rebooting the computing device to the state of the first client computing device at the first time from the customized bootable image for the first client computing device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an operating system (OS) of the first client computing device is Linux. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the customized bootable image comprises data of the first client computing device at the first time. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device to be rebooted is the first client computing device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device to be rebooted is different from the first client computing device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hardware existing at the time of restore on the computing device to be rebooted comprises hardware not included on the first client computing device at the first time. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said creating a customized bootable image comprises:
 creating an initial customized bootable image that includes the system state specific to the first client computing device at the first time; and   adding to the initial customized bootable image one or more drivers associated with the hardware not included on the first client computing device at the first time to create the customized bootable image.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the customized bootable image is one or more of: a physical DVD, a virtual DVD, an ISO image, or a network portable image. 
     
     
         11 . A system configured to create customized bootable images for client computing devices in an information management system, the system comprising:
 a computing system comprising one or more computing devices comprising computer hardware, wherein the computing system:
 creates a backup copy of each of a plurality of client computing devices, wherein the plurality of client computing devices comprises a first client computing device, wherein the backup copy comprises an image of the respective client computing device in a state at a first time, and wherein the image comprises system state of the respective client computing device at the first time, the system state of the respective client computing device comprising a kernel of the respective client computing device and a plurality of drivers installed on the respective client computing device at the first time; 
 subsequent to creating the backup copy of each of the plurality of client computing devices, receives a request to restore the first client computing device to the state at the first time; 
 subsequent to receiving the request, creates a customized bootable image specific to the first client computing device, using a generic bootable image that includes a default kernel and default drivers to be installed on a client computing device, the customized bootable image comprising the system state of the first client computing device at the first time, the system state of the first client computing device comprising the kernel of the first client computing device and the plurality of drivers installed on the first client computing device at the first time, 
 wherein the customized bootable image is configured to directly restore the first client computing device to the state at the first time by booting from the kernel of the first client computing device and without first booting from the default kernel and then loading the kernel of the first client computing device, 
 and 
 wherein the customized bootable image further comprises one or more drivers associated with hardware existing at time of restore on a computing device to be rebooted to the state of the first client computing device at the first time; and 
 reboots the computing device to the state of the first client computing device at the first time from the customized bootable image for the first client computing device. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein an operating system (OS) of the first client computing device is Linux. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the customized bootable image comprises data of the first client computing device at the first time. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the computing device to be rebooted is the first client computing device. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the computing device to be rebooted is different from the first client computing device. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the hardware existing at the time of restore on the computing device to be rebooted comprises hardware not included on the first client computing device at the first time. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the computing system creates the customized bootable image by:
 creating an initial customized bootable image that includes the system state specific to the first client computing device at the first time; and   adding to the initial customized bootable image one or more drivers associated with the hardware not included on the first client computing device at the first time to create the customized bootable image.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the customized bootable image is one or more of: a physical DVD, a virtual DVD, an ISO image, or a network portable image.