Workgroup network manager for controlling the operation of workstations ...

1. A method for testing the integrity of select plural files on a workstation comprising the steps of:

providing a workstation where said select plural files are currently configured, said workstation being identified as any of one or more host workstations;

generating, for said one or more host workstations, a set of check values from the contents of said select plural files and combining said check values with other file attributes from said select plural files;

providing one or more client workstations maintaining copies of said select plural files, where the integrity of said file copies is to be checked;

generating, for said one or more client workstations, a set of check values from the contents of said select plural files and combining said check values with other file attributes from said select plural files;

comparing the file attribute data and check values gathered from said client workstation and said host workstation;

said comparison of file attribute and check values indicating a discrepancy or missing file on said client workstation; and

replacing said select file where said comparison indicates a discrepancy or missing file to maintain said copies of said select plural files corresponding to said select plural files of said host workstation.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, said method further comprising the steps of:

determining which files are located at a host workstation and not at said client workstation based on said file name comparison step; and

moving the files located at the host workstation and not at said client workstation from the host workstation.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, said method further comprising the steps of:

saving at least one of said host workstation check values and file attributes as a record of the state of the corresponding host workstation for use in later analysis of the workstations;

on at least one later date, once again generating client workstation file attribute records for the workstations;

carrying out said comparison step by comparing the once again generated file attributed and check values gathered from said client workstation and said host workstation; and

following each such comparison, repeating said replacement step if necessary.

4. A method of computer management automatically re-executing system configuration instructions in dependence upon their execution status and the current condition of a workstation in a system having multiple workstations networked together with a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

organizing a group of multiple workstations into at least one workgroup based upon tasks, projects, or departments of users;

defining at least one workstation as a host workstation for each workgroup;

using the host workstation, generating a workgroup specification defining the configuration of the workstations in one of said workgroups and containing said configuration instructions;

maintaining for each workstation in said one workgroup a record of at least some of said instructions which have previously been executed including in said record the status of instruction execution; and

enabling each workstation in said one workgroup to compare the workgroup specification instructions to the record of any of said instructions which have been executed previously, or also to examine the workstation's current condition, and then to re-execute those instructions in the workgroup specification that should be executed based upon their prior execution status and on the workstations' current condition.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the instruction status is whether or not the instruction, when previously executed, was prevented from performing some action by the condition of the workstation.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein the condition of the workstation was whether a specified directory existed on a workstation, the absence of which directory prevented an instruction from performing some action.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein the instruction is a file copy instruction which only copies a file into a designated directory if the designated directory existed on a workstation.

8. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein the instruction was a create directory instruction which only created a new directory within a designated directory if the designated directory exists on a workstation.

9. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein the instruction was one which creates or modifies a system configuration file or registry only if a designated directory exists on a workstation.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the file created or modified is an "ini" system configuration file.

11. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein the condition of the workstation was whether a specified file existed on the workstation, the absence of which file prevented an instruction from performing some action.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the instruction is a refresh instruction which only causes a file to be replaced if the file already exists on a workstation.

13. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein the condition of the workstation was whether a problem with the network existed the presence of which problem prevented one or more instructions from performing some action.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the instruction is a file copy instruction which can only copy a file across the network if the network is operating properly.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the instruction is a refresh instruction which can only replace a file across the network if the network is operating properly.

16. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein the condition of the workstation was whether a system configuration file or registry did or did not contain certain information.

17. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the instruction execution status is the precise identity and configuration of the system elements affected by instruction execution following instruction execution.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein the instruction copies a file and the precise configuration of the file is recorded as the status of instruction execution.

19. A method in accordance with claim 18 wherein the configuration of the file includes its name and most recent modification date.

20. A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein the instruction creates or modifies a system configuration file or registry and the information which the instruction adds to the file created or modified is recorded as the status of execution.

21. A method in accordance with claim 20 wherein the information added to the system configuration file or registry affects and configures the operation of an executable program that operates on the workstation.

22. A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein the current condition of the workstation examined includes the current status of at least some system elements whose status was recorded earlier as instruction execution status information, and wherein an instruction is re-executed if at least some of the instruction's recorded status information does not correspond precisely to the current status of these system elements, whereby the workstation is automatically reset to and maintained in a preferred proper state.

23. A method in accordance with claim 22 wherein the instruction copies a file and the precise configuration of the file is recorded as the status of instruction execution, wherein the current condition of the workstation includes the current status of the same file, and wherein the instruction is re-executed if the file has been deleted or otherwise modified in any way, thereby restoring the file to a preferred proper state.

24. A method in accordance with claim 23 wherein the directory in which a deleted file previously resided is restored, if it is missing, when the instruction is re-executed to recreate the file.

25. A method in accordance with claim 23 wherein the instruction execution status information which is compared to information derived from the current configuration of the workstation includes file size and file most recent modification date.

26. A method in accordance with claim 23 wherein the instruction creates or modifies a system configuration file or registry, the status information is specific information placed in that file or registry, the current condition of the workstation includes the existence of that file or registry and whether it still contains the specific information, and wherein the instruction is re-executed if the system configuration file or registry either does not exist or does not contain the correct information, thereby restoring the proper system configuration to support a preferred proper state of program execution.

27. A method of computer management automatically resetting the system to a preferred configuration by executing system configuration instructions in dependence upon a comparison of prior system status to the current condition of a workstation in a system having multiple workstations networked together with a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

organizing a group of multiple workstations into at least one workgroup based upon tasks, projects or departments of users;

generating a workgroup specification defining the configuration of the workstations in one of said workgroups and containing said configuration instructions;

maintaining for each workstation in said one workgroup a record of the preferred configuration status established by execution of the instructions, wherein said status includes the identity and configuration of system elements directly affected by the instructions following their execution; and

enabling each workstation in said one workgroup to compare the preferred configuration status to the workstation's current condition and then to execute those instructions in the workgroup specification that should be executed to reset the system to the preferred configuration, said workstation's current condition being defined by and including at least some of the same type of information included in said preferred configuration status.

28. A method in accordance with claim 27 wherein an instruction copies a file and the configuration of the file is recorded as the preferred status, wherein the current condition of the workstation includes the current configuration of the same file, and wherein the instruction is executed if the file has been deleted or otherwise modified in any way, thereby restoring the file to a preferred configuration.

29. A method in accordance with claim 28 wherein the directory in which a deleted file previously resided is restored, if it is missing, when the instruction is executed to recreate the file.

30. A method in accordance with claim 28 wherein the preferred status information compared to information derived from the current configuration of the workstation includes file size and file most recent modification date.

31. A method in accordance with claim 26 wherein the instruction creates or modifies a system configuration file or registry, the preferred status information is specific information placed in that file or registry, the current condition of the workstation includes the existence of that file or registry and whether it contains the specific information, and wherein the instruction is executed if the system configuration file or registry either does not exist or does not contain the correct information, thereby restoring the preferred system configuration for program execution.

32. A method of computer management automatically resetting a computer to a preferred configuration by executing system configuration instructions in dependence upon a comparison of prior computer status to the current condition of the computer, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a computer specification defining the configuration of the computer and containing said configuration instructions;

maintaining in said computer a record of the preferred configuration status established by execution of the instructions, wherein said status includes the identity and configuration of system elements directly affected by the instructions following their execution; and

enabling the computer to compare the preferred configuration status to the computer's current condition and then to execute those instructions in the specification that should be executed to reset the system to the preferred configuration, said workstation's current condition being defined by and including at least some of the same type of information included in said preferred configuration status.

33. A method in accordance with claim 32 wherein an instruction copies a file and the configuration of the file is recorded as the preferred status, wherein the current condition of the workstation includes the current configuration of the same file, and wherein the instruction is executed if the file has been deleted or otherwise modified in any way, thereby restoring the file to a preferred configuration.

34. A method in accordance with claim 33 wherein the directory in which a deleted file previously resided is restored, if it is missing, when the instruction is re-executed to recreate the file.

35. A method in accordance with claim 33, wherein the preferred status information compared to information derived from the current configuration of the workstation includes file size and file most recent modification date.

36. A method in accordance with claim 32 wherein the instruction creates or modifies a system configuration file or registry, the preferred status information is specific information placed in that file or registry, the current condition of the workstation includes the existence of that file or registry and whether it contains the specific information, and wherein the instruction is executed if the system configuration file or registry either does not exist or does not contain the correct information, thereby restoring the preferred system configuration for program execution.