International Business Machines Corporation

Brian Keith Howe

Stanley Alan Smith

Chakkalamattam Jos Paul

Radhakrishnan Sethuraman

Manuel Silveyra

Randall M George

Michael Wayne Brown

David Paul Dutcher

Randy George

Khoa D Huynh

Michael Wilfrid Brown

Stanley Allen Smith

Provided is a method for assigning a domain host configuration protocol (DHCP) server from a list of available DHCP servers based upon user selected criteria. When a network router receives a request for an IP address from a computer, or 'client,' connected to a network, the request is analyzed for information related to both the client and the available DHCP servers. The analysis may be based upon a number of factors such as the number of previous requests to a particular DHCP server and the proximity of the servers to the computer requesting the IP address. Once the router determines an appropriate DHCP server for a particular IP address request, the client request is forwarded to that DHCP server. The process is completely transparent to both the requesting client and to the selected DHCP server.

Dynamically configuring a router to find the best DHCP server

A system and method to uniquely identify identically configured branches in a distributed enterprise such that branch specific configuration information may be used to configure computing devices in the identified branch are provided. With the system and method, upon being deployed in a branch location, the computing device sends a communication to a centralized configuration server using an address provided in default initial configuration information. The communication is sent from the computing device to a branch router which adds its address to the communication. The branch router address is then used by the centralized configuration server to identify the branch and thus, configuration information for computing devices of the branch. The configuration information may then be provided to the computing device for configuration of the computing device for branch-specific operation.

System and method to uniquely identify identically configured branches in a distributed enterprise

A method, apparatus and program for updating client computers with user specific application enablement are provided. The invention involves creating a component control file on a network server, which defines the actions to be performed to install an enablement component needed to run an application on a client and creating an installation control file which contains a list of the enablement components needed to run the set of applications that have been assigned to a user. The enablement components are changes to the operating system's configuration. When a user logs onto a client computer, a mechanism in the client reads the user's installation control file from the server and then installs the necessary enablement components on the client operating system, if those components are not already installed. In one embodiment, the user receives a prompt before the components are installed, in case the user does not want to use the entire set of assigned applications.

Mechanism to dynamically update a windows system with user specific application enablement support from a heterogeneous server environment

The present invention provides a method for distributing system files and system registry changes dynamically. An 'application package' consisting of system files and registry changes is added to a user. When the user logs on, the detection of a 'package' is made if the package is not already installed on the client machine, a batch file is used to copy the files and make the registry changes to the local machine. A &#x201c;key&#x201d; is then set on the machine indicating that the files/registry entries are installed.

Method and apparatus for dynamic distribution of system file and system registry changes in a distributed data processing system

A method and system for capturing and storing system changes for application to multiple users and systems in a heterogeneous server environment is provided. A data processing system is initialized for a capture of an initial state of the data processing system. The data processing system is modified. The modified state of the data processing system is captured. The differences between the initial state and the modified state are stored as a set of configuration parameters in a depository, and the set of configuration parameters may be used to manage configurability of a data processing system within the distributed data processing system.

Method and system for capturing and storing system changes for application to multiple users and systems in a heterogeneous server environment

A method and apparatus in a data processing system for managing registries. A user is detected at a client data processing system, wherein a change has occurred in access for the user. A registry file is sent containing user specific information for the user to the client data processing system. A registry on the client data processing system is updated using the registry file using commands specific to the platform, wherein an updated registry is created including the user specific information. The updated registry is sent to a depository.

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Round Rock, TX, United States of America

Brian Keith Howe