Software service notifications based upon software usage, configuration, and deployment topology

• US 10,067,754 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2011
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Little, Rodney A., Nigul, Leho
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US13/207,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20130042230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,581 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178, 709203, 709231, 707100, 707203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/64 Retargetable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Software configuration information and topological information associated with a group of software program instances installed on at least one computing device are tracked. An available software update is identified for at least one of the group of software program instances. At least one software update suggestion rule that specifies a target software configuration and a target topological dependency to which the available software update applies is evaluated against the tracked software configuration information and topological information. A determination is made as to whether the available software update is targeted to the tracked software configuration information and topological information based upon the evaluation of the at least one software update suggestion rule. A notification of the available software update is provided in response to determining that the available software update is targeted to the tracked software configuration information and topological information.

Claims

1. A method implemented with a processor having stored thereon executable instructions effecting functionality of an install manager module, where the instructions when executed by the processor, cause functionality of the install manager module to be carried out, comprising executing by an install manager module:

receiving a software interoperation configuration data set including information indicative of a software configuration of installation-specific processing actions performed by a target computer system as part of interoperation among a set of interoperating computer systems;

receiving a deployment topology data set including information indicative of an established inter-operational deployment topology that specifies a set of different installation-specific processing responsibilities and processing dependencies configured between the target computer system and at least one other computer system of the set of interoperating computer systems;

determining, by machine logic of the install manager module, a first fix relevancy recommendation including information indicative of relevancy of program-specific aspects of a first prospective fix with respect to the target computer system, with the determination being based, at least in part, upon programmed evaluation of;

(i) improvement of the installation-specific processing actions performed by the target computer system as specified within the software interoperation configuration data set, and (ii) improvement of the set of different installation-specific processing responsibilities and processing dependencies specified within the deployment topology data set; and

outputting the first fix relevancy recommendation as an electronic software service notification to at least the target computer system responsive to a high determined relevancy of the first prospective fix, where computing technology is improved by reducing system downtime associated with installation and system re-testing of the set of interoperating computer systems by deferring output of the first fix relevancy recommendation responsive to a low determined relevancy of the first prospective fix.

2. The method of claim 1, where the established inter-operational deployment topology includes information indicative of:

interconnectivity between the target computer system and other programs and/or devices of the set of interoperating computer systems;

different configured processing responsibilities of the target computer system relative to the other programs and/or devices of the set of interoperating computer systems between which responsibility differences are configured;

inter-product processing dependencies of the target computer system on the other programs and/or devices of the set of interoperating computer systems; and

interactions configured to be performed by the target computer system with the other programs and/or devices of the set of interoperating computer systems.

3. The method of claim 1, where the software configuration further includes information indicative of:

installation options of one or more software programs of the target computer system used to configure the target computer system for the interoperation among the set of interoperating computer systems;

different purposes for individual computer systems in the set of interoperating computer systems of which the target computer system is a part;

configurable options that define one or more behaviors of one or more programs installed with the target computer system;

how the target computer system is configured to work with one or more other program and/or device installation options of other computer systems of the set of interoperating computer systems;

how a particular program instance is configured for the target computer system to interoperate within the set of interoperating computer systems; and

user configuration options.

4. The method of claim 1, where interoperations of the set of interoperating computer systems are improved by recommending the first prospective fix responsive to the high determined relevancy.

5. The method of claim 1, where the install manager module manages installation of the first prospective fix on the target computer system in further response to the high determined relevancy.

6. A system comprising:

an output device; and

a processor programmed to execute an install manager module to;

receive a software interoperation configuration data set including information indicative of a software configuration of installation-specific processing actions performed by a target computer system as part of interoperation among a set of interoperating computer systems;

receive a deployment topology data set including information indicative of an established inter-operational deployment topology that specifies a set of different installation-specific processing responsibilities and processing dependencies configured between the target computer system and at least one other computer system of the set of interoperating computer systems;

determine, by machine logic of the install manager module, a first fix relevancy recommendation including information indicative of relevancy of program-specific aspects of a first prospective fix with respect to the target computer system, with the determination being based, at least in part, upon programmed evaluation of;

(i) improvement of the installation-specific processing actions performed by the target computer system as specified within the software interoperation configuration data set, and (ii) improvement of the set of different installation-specific processing responsibilities and processing dependencies specified within the deployment topology data set; and

output, via the output device, the first fix relevancy recommendation as an electronic software service notification to at least the target computer system responsive to a high determined relevancy of the first prospective fix, where computing technology is improved by reducing system downtime associated with installation and system re-testing of the set of interoperating computer systems by deferring output of the first fix relevancy recommendation responsive to a low determined relevancy of the first prospective fix.

7. The system of claim 6, where the established inter-operational deployment topology includes information indicative of:

interconnectivity between the target computer system and other programs and/or devices of the set of interoperating computer systems;

different configured processing responsibilities of the target computer system relative to the other programs and/or devices of the set of interoperating computer systems between which responsibility differences are configured;

inter-product processing dependencies of the target computer system on the other programs and/or devices of the set of interoperating computer systems; and

interactions configured to be performed by the target computer system with the other programs and/or devices of the set of interoperating computer systems.

8. The system of claim 6, where the software configuration further includes information indicative of:

installation options of one or more software programs of the target computer system used to configure the target computer system for the interoperation among the set of interoperating computer systems;

different purposes for individual computer systems in the set of interoperating computer systems of which the target computer system is a part;

configurable options that define one or more behaviors of one or more programs installed with the target computer system;

how the target computer system is configured to work with one or more other program and/or device installation options of other computer systems of the set of interoperating computer systems;

how a particular program instance is configured for the target computer system to interoperate within the set of interoperating computer systems; and

user configuration options.

9. The system of claim 6, where interoperations of the set of interoperating computer systems are improved by recommending the first prospective fix responsive to the high determined relevancy.

10. The system of claim 6, where the install manager module manages installation of the first prospective fix on the target computer system in further response to the high determined relevancy.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium including computer readable program code, where the computer readable program code when executed on a computer causes the computer execute an install manager module to:

receive a software interoperation configuration data set including information indicative of a software configuration of installation-specific processing actions performed by a target computer system as part of interoperation among a set of interoperating computer systems;

receive a deployment topology data set including information indicative of an established inter-operational deployment topology that specifies a set of different installation-specific processing responsibilities and processing dependencies configured between the target computer system and at least one other computer system of the set of interoperating computer systems;

determine, by machine logic of the install manager module, a first fix relevancy recommendation including information indicative of relevancy of program-specific aspects of a first prospective fix with respect to the target computer system, with the determination being based, at least in part, upon programmed evaluation of;

(i) improvement of the installation-specific processing actions performed by the target computer system as specified within the software interoperation configuration data set, and (ii) improvement of the set of different installation-specific processing responsibilities and processing dependencies specified within the deployment topology data set; and

output the first fix relevancy recommendation as an electronic software service notification to at least the target computer system responsive to a high determined relevancy of the first prospective fix, where computing technology is improved by reducing system downtime associated with installation and system re-testing of the set of interoperating computer systems by deferring output of the first fix relevancy recommendation responsive to a low determined relevancy of the first prospective fix.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, where the established inter-operational deployment topology includes information indicative of:

interconnectivity between the target computer system and other programs and/or devices of the set of interoperating computer systems;

different configured processing responsibilities of the target computer system relative to the other programs and/or devices of the set of interoperating computer systems between which responsibility differences are configured;

inter-product processing dependencies of the target computer system on the other programs and/or devices of the set of interoperating computer systems; and

interactions configured to be performed by the target computer system with the other programs and/or devices of the set of interoperating computer systems.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, where the software configuration further includes information indicative of:

installation options of one or more software programs of the target computer system used to configure the target computer system for the interoperation among the set of interoperating computer systems;

different purposes for individual computer systems in the set of interoperating computer systems of which the target computer system is a part;

configurable options that define one or more behaviors of one or more programs installed with the target computer system;

how the target computer system is configured to work with one or more other program and/or device installation options of other computer systems of the set of interoperating computer systems;

how a particular program instance is configured for the target computer system to interoperate within the set of interoperating computer systems; and

user configuration options.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, where interoperations of the set of interoperating computer systems are improved by recommending the first prospective fix responsive to the high determined relevancy.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, where the install manager module manages installation of the first prospective fix on the target computer system in further response to the high determined relevancy.