Automated Driver Detection During Dissimilar System Restore
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of restoring or transferring data to a computer system is often complicated due to differences in hardware between the source and target systems, particularly when the target system's operating system lacks necessary device drivers or functionality, requiring substantial human intervention and leading to error-prone, tedious, and time-consuming tasks.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of program instructions that use a first operating system to determine device identifiers, identify required device drivers, and create driver packages by querying databases and prompting users for missing drivers, thereby automating the configuration and update process for the target computer system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual configuration of device drivers is performed during restore operations, then hardware compatibility can be achieved, but the process becomes time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The restore operating system automatically detects new hardware devices on the target computer system and self-configures the necessary device drivers without requiring manual user intervention. The system queries databases to identify missing drivers, retrieves them from server systems, and installs them automatically, enabling the restore process to service itself regarding driver configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
Device drivers are pre-stored in databases on server systems before the restore operation begins. The system performs preliminary queries against these databases to identify which drivers are needed and retrieves them in advance, so that when the restore operation proceeds, the drivers are already available for automatic installation, eliminating time delays during the actual restore process.
2Extent of automation
If the restore operating system includes comprehensive device driver functionality, then hardware detection and driver installation can be automated, but the operating system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Databases on server systems serve as intermediaries between the restore operating system and the device driver files. Rather than embedding all driver functionality directly in the OS, the system uses these databases as a middle layer to store driver information, identify missing drivers, and facilitate automatic retrieval and installation, thereby maintaining OS simplicity while enabling automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex device driver storage and management functionality is extracted from the restore operating system itself and placed into separate databases on server systems. This extraction allows the OS to remain relatively simple while still providing automated driver detection and installation capabilities by querying these external databases for driver information.
3Reliability
If device drivers are manually transferred between systems, then driver availability can be ensured, but the process becomes tedious and requires substantial human intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The restore operating system automatically identifies which device drivers are missing by querying databases, retrieves the necessary drivers from server systems, and installs them without requiring manual user actions. This self-service approach ensures driver availability while eliminating the tedium of manual driver transfer and installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the restore operating system continuously queries databases to monitor driver availability status, identifies missing drivers based on detected hardware, and automatically initiates retrieval and installation processes. This closed-loop feedback ensures that driver availability is maintained without manual intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and computer-readable memory media for performing various computer configuration tasks are disclosed. One such configuration task is dissimilar system restore (DSR). Another such task is software deployment. In various embodiments, these configuration tasks operate on a target computer system using a utility operating system to perform detection of certain target system devices, determination of critical device classes on the source computer system, and updating of target computer configuration settings. Other tasks may be performed upon a computer system such as a backup server. These tasks include locating device drivers for the target operating systems and the installing utility operating system, as well as creating device driver packages that are usable to install device drivers for a plurality of devices.