OS Upgrade Scheduling via Boot Pointer Update
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Solution Overview
Problem
In mission-critical computer systems, unscheduled reboots due to bug fixes cause downtime, forcing users to choose between immediate reboot risks and potential system instability, leading to increased overall downtime and user dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that allows users to schedule OS upgrades without immediate system interruption, enabling a future installation of a new OS level, which can be canceled or updated, and automatically switches to a new OS level upon reboot, ensuring minimal downtime and user satisfaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users immediately reboot to install bug fix levels, then system reliability is improved, but system downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by allowing users to schedule and prepare OS upgrades in advance without immediate execution. The system stores upgrade information and automatically applies it during the next scheduled or unscheduled reboot, eliminating the need for immediate downtime while ensuring reliability improvements are implemented.
2Loss of time
If users delay OS upgrades to avoid immediate reboot, then system downtime is reduced, but system reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by automatically detecting when an unscheduled reboot occurs and responding by applying the scheduled OS upgrade during that reboot event. This closed-loop approach ensures that reliability improvements are eventually implemented without requiring planned downtime, as the system adapts to actual reboot events.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the system returns to existing software level after unscheduled reboot, then system stability is maintained, but opportunity to install bug fixes is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two separate events - the unscheduled reboot caused by system instability and the scheduled OS upgrade - into a single combined operation. By detecting the unscheduled reboot and automatically applying the pending upgrade during that same reboot cycle, the system achieves both stability (by returning to a known good state) and reliability improvement (by installing available bug fixes) simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for specifying an operating system (OS) file to use in a computing system after a system reboot begins by copying at least one new OS file to a system disk. An OS file to be installed is selected from the new OS files on the disk. The system is booted into the selected OS file, the selected OS file becoming the currently running OS on the system. A boot pointer on the system disk is updated to point to the selected OS file, such that any subsequent reboot will be into the selected OS file.