JP2006243915A - Remote installation method of driver software - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remotely install and remotely install a personal computer or the like capable of improving efficiency and unattended of driver software installation and update (updating) work on a host computer, even if a server and a client exist in different networks. To provide an update method.
The server includes an installation date / time / target client setting screen, a program for sending a Wakeup signal to the client at the set date / time, and an agent running on the client.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a remote installation and remote update (update) execution system for easily installing and updating (updating) driver software on a host computer or the like as a client in a client / server configuration.

  Environment construction such as a host computer on the client side has been performed by installing driver software one by one in a stand-alone manner or selecting and installing driver software to be installed from a server one by one.

  Recently, a configuration in which a host computer, which is a client, is turned on by an instruction from a server, that is, a configuration of a Wake On LAN has been put into practical use.

  If such a Wake On LAN configuration is used, driver software can be installed and updated without directly performing operations on a host computer as a client.

Moreover, as a prior art example, patent document 1 and patent document 2 can be mention | raise | lifted, for example.
JP 2004-318329 A JP 2003-167696 A

  Conventionally, driver software must be installed or updated (updated) using each host computer for each host computer, and there has been a problem that a large amount of installation and update (update) work time is required. .

  In addition, during the installation and update (update) of the driver software and after the completion of the installation and update (update) work, the host computer is rebooted for a long period of time for normal use. There was a problem that I was allowed to.

  Furthermore, when any version of driver software is already installed on the client, it may not operate normally just by installing the driver software. In particular, when a new version of the driver software has already been installed, the new version of the driver software has a defect, and this problem has occurred remarkably when updating to the old version of the driver software. For this reason, there was a problem that the driver software had to be installed after the driver software was uninstalled.

  In recent years, with the spread of personal computers and the like, the number of host computers connected to a LAN network has increased dramatically. With this, installation of driver software on client-side host computers and the like There is a growing demand for more efficient and automated updating.

  Conventionally, starting a host computer from a network using a Wake On LAN has a limitation that the server and the client must be on the same network that does not cross the router.

  The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and the object of the present invention is that the server and the client can be installed efficiently and unmanned in driver software installation and update (update) work on the host computer. It is to provide a remote installation and remote update (update) method for a personal computer or the like that can be present even in a network.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises the following steps. The driver software is preferably installed and updated (updated) during a time period when the user is not using the client-side host computer or the like. For this reason, the server confirms that the time designated by the administrator has been reached, transmits a Wakeup signal to the client that is the target of driver software installation or update (update), and activates the client.

  Since the Wakeup signal packet sent to the client is sent to a client that is not turned on, as well as the TCP / IP protocol is not activated, it originally needs only the MAC address of the client, and the IP address is necessary. And not. Following the synchronization stream defined as 6 bytes of FFh, the data sequence need only be defined by repeating the client's hexadecimal 12-digit 48-bit Mac address 16 times.

  However, in this case, when the server and the client exist in different networks across the routers, the router connecting the different networks where the server and the client exist has only a MAC address like a broadcast packet or a multicast packet. If the packet does not have an IP address or the destination IP address is a network where the router does not need to route (forward) the packet, the packet is discarded, so the packet sent by the server to the client is sent to the client. Can not reach. For this reason, it is desirable to include the IP address of the client in the Wakeup signal packet sent to the client. As a result, the router determines that the packet needs to be routed (forwarded), and performs routing (forwarding) to reach the client, so that the wakeup signal packet sent by the server exists in a different network. To reach the client.

  When the client is started, an agent installed in advance on the client is executed on the client as a resident program.

  The server confirms that the agent is running on the client after a lapse of a certain time after sending the Wakeup signal packet to the client. Thereafter, the server sends the driver software to the agent running on the client. After the driver software has been sent, the server instructs the agent running on the client to set up the driver. The agent running on the client that has received an instruction from the server checks whether any version of the driver software is already installed regardless of the version. If any version of the driver software is already installed on the client, the agent running on the client uninstalls the driver software, and then installs the driver software sent from the server. To update the driver software. When the driver software is not installed on the client regardless of the version, the agent running on the client immediately installs the driver software sent from the server to perform the driver software installation process. After the installation and update (update) work is completed, the agent running on the client executes a shutdown process and turns off the client itself.

  In this way, it is not necessary to reboot the host computer during normal use of the user's host computer, and the user can operate the host computer without interrupting work for normal use of the host computer. The driver software can be automatically installed and updated (updated) during a time period when the host computer is not used, eliminating the burden on the user.

  In addition, even if any version of driver software has been installed regardless of the version, the driver software must be uninstalled and then installed to ensure that it is updated (updated) so that no problems will occur. Can do.

  Further, even when the server and the client are in different networks, the driver software can be installed and updated (updated) using the configuration of the Wake On LAN.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the driver software is not installed on the host computer or the like without interfering with the user's work, and the driver software is not installed or updated (updated) on the host computer for each device. In addition, it is possible to install or update (update) automatically and efficiently.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a network such as a server, a client, and a LAN showing a configuration of a remote installation and remote update (update) system as an embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, 16 is a server, 36 is a client, 41 is a network such as a LAN, and the server 16 and the client 36 are connected to a network 41 such as a LAN via network cables 42 and 43, respectively. Yes.

  The server 16 includes a CPU 1 serving as the center of arithmetic processing, and this CPU 1 can access a ROM 3 storing a RAM 2 functioning as a main memory, a work area, etc. of the CPU 1 and a program ROM via a system bus 4. A keyboard controller (keyboard CTL) 5 controls key input from the keyboard 10. Reference numeral 6 denotes a mouse controller (mouse CTL), which controls input from the mouse 11 which is a pointing device. Reference numeral 7 denotes a CRT controller (CRTCTL), which controls display on a CRT display (CRT) 12. A disk controller (DISKCTL) 8 is a hard disk (HD) for storing a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, editing files, a printer control command generation program (printer driver), a compact disk (CD), Controls access to the external memory 13 such as a flexible disk (FD). Reference numeral 9 denotes a NIC controller (NICCTL) that controls transmission / reception of packets from / to the network such as a LAN from the network I / F RJ 45 and the like 14 and executes communication control with a client connected to the network such as the LAN.

  These 1 to 9 are mounted on the mother board 15 of the server 16, and 10 to 14 are connected to corresponding connectors on the mother board 15 by cables or the like.

  The client 36 includes a CPU 21 that is the center of arithmetic processing, and the CPU 21 can access a ROM 22 that stores a RAM 22 that functions as a main memory and a work area of the CPU 21, a program ROM, and the like via a system bus 24. A keyboard controller (keyboard CTL) 25 controls key input from the keyboard 30. A mouse controller (mouse CTL) 36 controls input from the mouse 31 that is a pointing device. Reference numeral 37 denotes a CRT controller (CRTCTL), which controls display on a CRT display (CRT) 32. A disk controller (DISKCTL) 38 is a hard disk (HD) that stores a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, editing files, a printer control command generation program (printer driver), a compact disk (CD), Controls access to an external memory 33 such as a flexible disk (FD). Reference numeral 29 denotes a NIC controller (NICCTL) that controls transmission / reception of packets to / from a network such as a LAN from the network I / F RJ45 etc. 34 and executes communication control with a host computer connected to the network such as a LAN. . The NIC controller (NICCTL) 29 is connected to the WOL connector 37 via a cable 38.

  These 21 to 29 and 37 are mounted on the mother board 35 of the client 36, and 30 to 34 are connected to corresponding connectors on the mother board 35 by cables or the like.

  Further, the client 36 has a Wake On LAN function realized by a ROM (not shown) provided on the NIC controller 29. Whether the Wake On LAN function is enabled / disabled is determined by the BIOS setting of the client 36, and the setting is stored in a flash memory (not shown) provided on the NIC controller 29. Further, when the received packet is a Wakeup signal packet addressed to the NIC controller (NICCTL) 29, the NIC controller (NICCTL) 29 uses the cable 38 connected to the NIC controller (NICCTL) 29 to connect the WOL Connector 37. The Wakeup command is transmitted to a BIOS (not shown) on the mother board 35. The BIOS (not shown) on the motherboard 35 that has received the Wakeup command turns on the client and boots the client.

  In the embodiment, an agent to be installed and executed on the client 36 and driver software to be installed or updated (updated) on the client 36 are external memory such as a hard disk (HD) or a compact disk (CD) of the server 16. However, the storage medium is not limited to this, and a storage device accessible by a client such as a storage device possessed by another server on the network or a storage device possessed by an FTP server on the Internet Anything can be used.

<Agent Installation Procedure on Client 36>
It is necessary to install an agent on the client 36. Therefore, first, the user logs in to the server 16 in order to access the external memory 13 of the server 16. Next, the user sets up a setup. For installing agent software stored in the server 16. Just execute exe. By this operation, an agent resides in the client 36 and communication with the server 16 can be performed.

<Specifying client installation or update (update) date and time on server 16>
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a server program setting screen executed in the server 16 for remote installation or update (update). Reference numerals 201, 202, 203, 204, and 205 are areas for setting the year, month, day, hour, and minute for installing or updating (updating) the driver software of the client. 206, 207, 208, 209, and 210 are areas for setting which client driver software is to be installed or updated (updated) by IP address, 211, 212, 213, 214, and 215 are which client This is an area for setting by MAC address whether to install or update (update) the driver software.

  If the MAC address of the client that installs or updates (updates) the driver software is known, the MAC address may be directly input. Since most users use the TCP / IP protocol, it is possible to input the IP address used in the protocol and check the MAC address. For this purpose, reference numeral 216 denotes a button having a MAC address search function.

  When the IP address is input to 206 to 210 and the MAC address search button 216 is pressed, the MAC address is investigated by using the ARP command which is a part of the TCP / IP protocol, and the IP address is checked. The MAC addresses are displayed in 211, 212, 213, 214, and 215. However, when the client and the server exist in different networks across the routers, the MAC address of the router on the network side where the server exists is set as a return value, but there is no problem.

  Since the Wakeup signal packet sent to the client is sent to a client that is not turned on, as well as the TCP / IP protocol is not activated, it originally needs only the MAC address of the client, and the IP address is necessary. And not. Following the synchronization stream defined as 6 bytes of FFh, the data sequence need only be defined by repeating the client's hexadecimal 12-digit 48-bit Mac address 16 times.

  However, in this case, when the server and the client exist in different networks across the routers, the router connecting the network where the server and the client exist has only a MAC address like a broadcast packet or a multicast packet and has an IP address. If the packet does not have an address or if the router does not need to route (forward) the packet to the destination IP address, the packet is discarded, so the packet addressed to the client sent by the server is not sent to the client. It cannot be reached. For this reason, it is desirable to include the IP address of the client in the Wakeup signal packet sent to the client. As a result, the router determines that the packet needs to be routed (forwarded), and performs routing (forwarding) to reach the client, so that the wakeup signal packet sent by the server exists in a different network. To reach the client.

  For this reason, when the server and the client exist in different networks across routers and the like, the packet addressed to the client sent by the server should reach the client. Therefore, the client IP address should be included in the packet of the Wakeup signal. Is desirable. For this reason, it is desirable to input an IP address.

  Reference numeral 217 denotes an OK button that validates the setting and ends the process, and reference numeral 218 denotes a cancel button that invalidates the setting and ends the process.

<Remote Installation and Remote Update (Update) of Driver Software from Server 16 to Client 36>
FIG. 3 is an outline of remote installation and remote update (update) of driver software from the server 16 to the client 36.

  (1) The server 16 sends a Wakeup signal to the client 36 when the time set in 201 to 205 in FIG. 2 is reached, and turns on the client. The client 36 that has been turned on is booted, the OS is activated, and the agent is activated. (2) The server 16 confirms whether the activation of the agent of the client 36 has been completed after a lapse of a predetermined time. (3) The server 16 sends the driver software to the agent of the client 36. (4) When the agent of the client 36 receives the driver software from the server 16, the agent reports the receipt to the server 16. Thereafter, the agent of the client 36 installs the driver software received from the server 16 when any version of the driver software is not installed. When any version of the driver software is already installed on the client, the agent of the client 36 installs the driver software received from the server 16 after uninstalling the driver software. (5) The agent of the client 36 reports the driver software installation result to the server 16. Thereafter, the agent of the client 36 executes a command for shutting down the client 36 and shuts down the client 36. The BIOS of the client 36 senses that the OS has been shut down and turns off the power.

  Hereinafter, processing in the server 16 when remote installation or remote update (update) is performed as described above will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  The server 16 always monitors whether the time set in 201 to 205 in FIG. 2 has been reached. When the set time is reached (Step 401), the server 16 determines whether the client 36 is activated. Confirmation is made by attempting to communicate with the agent residing at 36 (Step 402). When the client 36 is activated, the server 16 determines that the user is using the client 36 and considers that the user's work is hindered, and performs remote installation or remote update (update). Otherwise, an error log is created (Step 416), and the process ends. When the client 36 is not activated, the server 16 initializes a counter I for calculating how many times the packet of the Wakeup signal is transmitted (Step 403), and adds 1 (Step 404).

  Thereafter, a Wakeup signal is sent to the client 36 (Step 405). The Wakeup signal needs to satisfy the basic conditions of the network used, such as SOURCE ADDRESS and DESTINATION ADDRESS. The following description is based on the assumption that the network used is Ethernet (registered trademark) defined as IEEE 802.3.

  When the Mac address of the server is 00 30 85 a1 03 b0 and the Mac address of the client is 00 30 85 a1 03 b1, the Wakeup signal is as follows.

00 30 85 a1 03 b0 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 FF FF FF FF FF FF 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1
As described above, the first 00 30 85 a1 03 b0 represents the Mac address 00 30 85 a1 03 b0 of the server that is SOURCE ADDRESS. The next 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 represents the Mac address 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 of the client that is the Destination ADDRESS. Next is the synchronization stream, defined as 6 bytes of FFh. Subsequently, the data sequence is defined by repeating the client's hexadecimal 12-digit 48-bit Mac address (00 30 85 a1 03 b1 in the above case) 16 times. This data sequence can be located anywhere in the packet, but must always follow the synchronization sequence.

  As long as it is within the same network, the Wakeup signal does not need to be conjugated to the TCP / IP protocol as described above. However, if the server and the client exist in different networks across the routers, the network where the server and the client exist When the router to be connected is a packet with only a MAC address and no IP address, such as a broadcast packet or a multicast packet, or a network where the router does not need to route (forward) the packet to the destination IP address, the router Since the packet is discarded, the packet addressed to the client sent by the server cannot reach the client. For this reason, the Wakeup signal packet sent to the client needs to use a TCP / IP packet, not a packet having only the MAC address described above.

  The server IP address is 172.20.6.1, the Mac address is 00 30 85 a1 03 b0, the IP address of the router connected to the same network as the server is 172.20.6.0, and the Mac address is 00 00 01 00 00 01, the IP address of the client is 172.20.5.1, the Mac address is 00 30 85 a1 03 b1, the IP address of the router connected to the same network as the client is 172.20.5.0, and the Mac address is 00 00 The Wakeup signal at 01 00 00 02 is sent in a TCP / IP packet as follows.

00 30 85 a1 03 b0 00 00 01 00 00 01 172.20.6.1 172.20.5.1 FF FF FF FF FF FF 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1
As described above, the first 00 30 85 a1 03 b0 represents the Mac address 00 30 85 a1 03 b0 of the server that is SOURCE ADDRESS. The next 00 00 01 00 00 01 represents the Mac address 00 00 01 00 00 01 on the same side as the server of the router which is the DESTINATION ADDRESS. The next 172.20.6.1 represents the IP address 172.20.6.1 of the server which is SOURCE ADDRESS. The next 172.20.5.1 represents the IP address 172.20.5.1 of the client that is the Destination ADDRESS. Next is the synchronization stream, defined as 6 bytes of FFh. Subsequently, a data sequence is defined by repeating the client's hexadecimal 48-bit Mac address (00 30 85 a1 03 b1 in the above case) 16 times. Since the DESTINATION ADDRESS of the Mac address of this packet is the router's Mac address 00 00 01 00 00 01, the router receives this packet. After receiving this packet, the router forwards the packet to the network where the client exists. Before the packet is transferred, the router rewrites the MAC address of the SOURCE ADDRESS with the Mac address 00 00 01 00 00 02 of the router connected to the same network as the client, and the MAC address of the DESTINATION ADDRESS is changed to the Mac address 00 30 of the client. 85 a1 03 After rewriting to b1, transfer the following packet.

00 00 01 00 00 02 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 172.20.6.1 172.20.5.1 FF FF FF FF FF FF 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 00 30 85 a1 03 b1
As described above, the first 00 00 01 00 00 02 represents the Mac address 00 00 01 00 00 02 on the same side as the client of the router that is SOURCE ADDRESS. The next 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 represents the Mac address 00 30 85 a1 03 b1 of the client that is the Destination ADDRESS. The next 172.20.6.1 represents the IP address 172.20.6.1 of the server which is SOURCE ADDRESS. The next 172.20.5.1 represents the IP address 172.20.5.1 of the client that is the Destination ADDRESS.

  Even when the client 36 is turned off, a weak current required for the Wake On LAN is supplied to the mother board 35 and the NICCTL 29 of the client 36 from the network.

  The NICCTL 29 of the client 36 uses a weak current supplied from the connected network 41 via the networkable 43 even when the client is not turned on, and the packet is always flowing through the network. Receiving and monitoring. The NICCTL 29 of the client 36 repeats a synchronization stream defined as 6 bytes of FFh, followed by a hexadecimal 12-digit 48-bit Mac address (00 30 85 a1 03 b1 in the above case) 16 times. When there is a packet that is present, this packet is recognized as a Wakeup signal for the client 36. Then, a power ON command signal is electrically transmitted to the mother board 35 via the cable 38 and the WOL Connector. The mother board of the client 36 that has received the power ON signal outputs a power ON signal to the power source. The power supply that has received it starts supplying power to the client 36, and the BIOS of the client 36 activates the OS. The OS activates an agent, which is a resident program.

  A counter J for calculating how many times the client 36 has been confirmed is initialized (Step 406), and 1 is added (Step 407). Thereafter, after two minutes have passed (Step 408), the server 16 communicates with the agent of the client 36 to confirm whether the client 36 is turned on, the OS is started, and the agent is also started normally (Step 409). . If the agent does not start normally, the confirmation is further performed four times every 2 minutes (Step 414).

  The time from when the client 36 receives the Wakeup signal packet until the agent is normally started up is the physical attributes such as the number of rotations of the hard disk of the client, the memory capacity, the type of OS used, and the residence. It depends on the software attributes such as the type and number of applications. For this reason, it is desirable that the server 16 confirms the normal activation of the agent several times at regular time intervals with respect to the client 36.

  The server 16 sends a Wakeup signal packet to the client 36 once. If the server 16 cannot confirm the normal activation of the agent of the client 36 five times every 2 minutes, the server 16 sends a Wakeup signal packet to the client 36. While confirming whether or not the agent of the client 36 has been normally activated, confirmation is performed a maximum of four times (Step 415).

  On the Ethernet (registered trademark) network, since a host computer connected to the network can send a packet at any time by its own judgment, collision (packet-packet collision) may occur. Also, the router discards packets that exceed the processing capacity of the router itself because they cannot be transferred. For this reason, the client 16 does not necessarily receive the Wakeup signal packet sent from the server 16. Therefore, it is desirable that the server 16 sends the Wakeup signal packet to the client 36 several times.

  If the server 16 does not start normally even if the server 16 confirms the normal activation of the agent of the client 36 and sends out a Wakeup signal packet to the client 36 a plurality of times, the server 16 displays an error log. Create (Step 416), and the process ends.

  Here, the interval at which the server 16 confirms whether the agent of the client 36 is normally activated is 2 minutes, the number of times is fixed to 5 times, and the number of Wakeup signal packets sent to the client 36 is fixed to 5 times. However, it may be fixed to an arbitrary value without being bound by this numerical value, and an input screen may be provided in FIG.

  If the agent of the client 36 is normally activated, the server 16 sends the driver software to the agent of the client 36, and confirms that it has been sent normally (Step 411).

  The agent of the client 36 that has received the driver software checks whether any version of the driver software is already installed regardless of the version. If any version of the driver software is already installed on the client 36 regardless of the version, the agent running on the client 36 uninstalls the driver software, and then the driver sent from the server 16 The driver software is updated (updated) by installing the software. When the driver software is not installed on the client 36 regardless of the version, the agent executed on the client 36 immediately installs the driver software sent from the server 16 to perform the driver software installation process. . Thereafter, the agent running on the client 36 notifies the server 16 of the result of the installation or update (update) work. Then, a shutdown command is issued to the OS, and the OS that is instructed to shut down executes a shutdown process and turns off the client power by itself.

  The server 16 determines whether the result of the installation or update (update) work from the client 36 is a normal end (Step 412), creates a normal end log if it is normal end (Step 413), and creates an error log if it is not normal end (Step 416), and the process ends.

  Through the above processing, the driver software can be installed or updated (updated) to the client 36 by sending a Wakeup signal packet from the server 16 at a specified time.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the server and client of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the setting screen of the remote installation / update of the server in this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the process figure which shows the process sequence of the server and client in this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the server in this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1,21 CPU
2, 22 RAM
3, 23 ROM
4, 24 System bus 9, 29 NIC CTL
14, 34 Network I / F RJ45, etc. 16 Server 36 Client 37 WOL Connector
41 Ethernet (Registered Trademark) Network 42, 43 Network Cable 200 Remote Installation / Update Setting Screen 201-205 Date / Time Setting Area 206-211 IP Address Setting Area 211-215 Mac Address Setting Area

Claims (5)

  A remote installation and remote update (update) execution method characterized in that driver software is installed and updated (updated) on a client by an agent installed on the client in advance.   A remote installation and remote update (update) execution method, characterized in that the agent is set to be shut down after completion of driver software installation and update (update) work by the agent.   A remote update (update) execution method characterized in that, when any version of driver software is already installed on a client, the driver software is installed after the driver software is uninstalled.   A remote installation and remote update (update) execution method characterized in that the server can specify driver software installation and update date and time by a server.   A remote installation and remote update (update) execution method characterized in that driver software can be installed and updated on a client even if the server and the client exist in different networks across routers.

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