Distributed installation configuration system and method

1. A distributed installation configuration system, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

a processor, the processor operable to execute a program of instructions encoded on the computer-readable medium, the program of instructions comprising:

an installer module operable to collect a first set of one or more configuration settings needed for installing a plurality of product components on one or more machines before installing the plurality of product components, the installer module operable to install the one or more of the plurality of components; and

a configuration agent module operable to store and manage the collected first set of one or more configuration settings, the configuration agent module operable to provide data associated with the collected first set of one or more configuration settings,

the installer module further operable to determine whether the plurality of product components are being installed for the first time, and if the plurality of product components are being installed for the first time, the installer module further operable to create the configuration agent module;

if one or more of the plurality of product components were installed previously, the installer module further operable to determine a location of the configuration agent module, whether on a local machine or a remote machine, retrieve the collected first set of one or more configuration settings from the configuration agent module, collect a second set of one or more configuration settings related to localized information from a user, continue with installing one or more of the plurality of product components using the collected first set of one or more configuration settings and the second set of one or more configuration settings.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the installer module is further operable to store additional information collected during one or more subsequent installation of one or more of the plurality of product components in the configuration agent module.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the configuration agent module is located centrally.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more product components are installed on a plurality of machines.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more product components are distributed installed across a plurality of machines in a network.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the configuration agent module is further operable to update the collected first set of one or more configuration settings.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer program further comprises:

a user interface module operable to provide a list of products and associated components to install, the user interface module further operable to invoke the installer module.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein communications between the configuration agent module and the installer module are encrypted.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the installer module is further operable to provide updated installation progress as the installer module is collecting the first set of one or more configuration settings.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the location comprises a port number of a server associated with the configuration agent module.

11. A distributed installation configuration method, comprising:

determining whether one or more product components associated with a suite of products being installed were previously installed on one or more local or remote machines;

if one or more product components associated with a suite of products being installed were previously installed, determining a location of a configuration system agent, retrieving a first set of one or more configuration settings related to a current installation being performed on a current machine from the configuration system agent, obtaining a second set of one or more configuration settings related to localized information from a user, and installing one or more product components on the current machine using the retrieved first set of one or more configuration settings and the second set of one or more configuration settings related to localized information;

if one or more product components associated with a suite of products being installed were not previously installed, obtaining the first set of one or more configuration settings associated with all product components in the suite of products being installed, creating a configuration system agent and storing the first set of one or more configuration settings with the configuration system agent, and installing on a current machine one or more product components selected for the current machine using at least some of the first set of one or more configuration settings.

12. The method of claim 11 , further including:

providing a list of additional machines on which the one or more product components need installation based on the first set of one or more configuration settings in the configuration system agent.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the location of the configuration system agent is centralized.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the location of the configuration system agent comprises a port number of a server associated with the configuration system agent, wherein local or remote or both local and remote processes can connect to the port number for communicating with the configuration system agent about the information.

15. The method of claim 11 , further including:

updating the first set of one or more configuration settings in the configuration system agent; and

determining which machine installations are affected by the update.

16. The method of claim 15 , further including:

notifying a user about the machine installations determined to be affected by the update.

17. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a distributed installation configuration method, comprising:

determining whether one or more product components associated with a suite of products being installed were previously installed on one or more local or remote machines;

if one or more product components associated with a suite of products being installed were previously installed, determining a location of a configuration system agent, retrieving a first set of one or more configuration settings related to a current installation being performed on a current machine from the configuration system agent, obtaining a second set of one or more configuration settings related to localized information from a user, and installing one or more product components on the current machine using the retrieved first set of one or more configuration settings and the second set of one or more configuration settings related to localized information;

if one or more product components associated with a suite of products being installed were not previously installed, obtaining the first set of one or more configuration settings associated with all product components in the suite of products being installed, creating a configuration system agent and storing the first set of one or more configuration settings with the configuration system agent, and installing on a current machine one or more product components selected for the current machine using at least some of the first set of one or more configuration settings.

18. The program storage device of claim 17 , further including:

providing a list of additional machines on which the one or more product components need installation based on the first set of one or more configuration settings in the configuration system agent.