Peer-assisted deployment of resources in a network
View Patent ↗In particular embodiments, a server computing device receives one or more inputs specifying a software module and one or more portions of a network. Each of the portions of the network includes multiple client devices. For each of the client devices in a portion of the network, the server computing device determines whether the client device meets one or more criteria. For at least one portion of the network having a client device meeting the one or more criteria, the server computing device selects the client device as a master device and provides the software module to the master device. The master device is operable to download the software module from one or more server computing devices, provide the software module to the other client devices in the portion of the network, and provide status information to the server computing device.
1. A method comprising:
managing by a device manager deployment of one or more resources from a repository;
for each of one or more portions of a network, for each of a plurality of client devices in the one or more portions of the network, determining whether one or more of the plurality of client devices meets one or more criteria;
storing the one or more of the plurality of client devices that meet one or more criteria as one or more candidate devices in a list;
selecting at least one of the one or more candidate devices from the list as a master device for the one or more portions of the network;
converting the master device to a designated repository, wherein the designated repository is associated with a designated portion of the one or more portions of the network;
receiving a notification from the designated repository after completion of the conversion of the master device to the designated repository;
assigning up to a threshold of the plurality of client devices that are not the master device to the designated repository;
downloading at least one of the one or more resources to the designated repository;
notifying the assigned client devices that the at least one of the one or more resources is accessible;
receiving a connection notification for the assigned client devices that successfully connected to the designated repository; and
receiving status information associated with imaging of the at least one of the one or more resources at one or more of the assigned client devices.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more resources are selected via a graphical user interface.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the least one of the one or more resources comprises one or more of the following:
an operating system;
an image;
an add-on; or
an update.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one of the one or more resources comprises an image or an operating system;
the designated repository is currently running the operating system or the image; and
the designated repository is operable to provide the operating system or the image to any one or more assigned client devices by copying the running operating system or the image.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more portions of the network comprise one or more subnets.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more portions of the network comprise one or more sites.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the assigned client devices comprise thin client devices.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the criteria include one or more of:
a network bandwidth capability;
a number of missed check-ins with the server computing device;
an amount of available storage; or
an amount of available processing capacity.
9. An information handling system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to:
manage by a device manager deployment of one or more resources from a repository;
for each of one or more portions of a network, for each of a plurality of client devices in the one or more portions of the network, determine whether one or more of the plurality of client devices meets one or more criteria;
store the one or more of the plurality of client devices that meet one or more criteria as one or more candidate devices in a list;
select at least one of the one or more candidate devices from the list as a master device for the one or more portions of the network;
convert the master device to a designated repository, wherein the designated repository is associated with a designated portion of the one or more portions of the network;
receive a notification from the designated repository after completion of the conversion of the master device to the designated repository;
assign up to a threshold of the plurality of client devices that are not the master device to the designated repository;
download at least one of the one or more resources to the designated repository;
notify the assigned client devices that the at least one of the one or more resources is accessible;
receive a connection notification for the assigned client devices that successfully connected to the designated repository; and
receive status information associated with imaging of the at least one of the one or more resources at one or more of the assigned client devices.
10. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more resources are selected via a graphical user interface.
11. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one of the one or more resources comprises one or more of the following:
an operating system;
an image;
an add-on; or
an update.
12. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein:
the at least one of the one or more resources comprises an image or an operating system;
the designated repository is currently running the operating system or the image; and
the designated repository is operable to provide the operating system or the image to any one or more assigned client devices by copying the running operating system or the image.
13. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more portions of the network comprise one or more subnets.
14. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more portions of the network comprise one or more sites.
15. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein the assigned client devices comprise thin client devices.
16. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein the criteria include one or more of:
a network bandwidth capability;
a number of missed check-ins with the server computing device;
an amount of available storage; or
an amount of available processing capacity.
17. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:
manage by a device manager deployment of one or more resources from a repository;
for each of one or more portions of a network, for each of a plurality of client devices in the one or more portions of the network, determine whether one or more of the plurality of client devices meets one or more criteria;
store the one or more of the plurality of client devices that meet one or more criteria as one or more candidate devices in a list;
select at least one of the one or more candidate devices from the list as a master device for the one or more portions of the network;
convert the master device to a designated repository, wherein the designated repository is associated with a designated portion of the one or more portions of the network;
receive a notification from the designated repository after completion of the conversion of the master device to the designated repository;
assign up to a threshold of the plurality of client devices that are not the master device to the designated repository;
download at least one of the one or more resources to the designated repository;
notify the assigned client devices that the at least one of the one or more resources is accessible;
receive a connection notification for the assigned client devices that successfully connected to the designated repository; and
receive status information associated with imaging of the at least one of the one or more resources at one or more of the assigned client devices.
18. The information handling system of claim 17 , wherein the one or more resources are selected via a graphical user interface.
19. The information handling system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one of the one or more resources comprises one or more of the following:
an operating system;
an image;
an add-on; or
an update.
20. The information handling system of claim 17 , wherein:
the at least one of the one or more resources comprises an image or an operating system;
the designated repository is currently running the operating system or the image; and
the designated repository is operable to provide the operating system or the image to any one or more assigned client devices by copying the running operating system or the image.