Method and apparatus for installing and upgrading an application in a computer system

• US 20020144249A1
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Favre, James E., Hanson, Shawn Michael, Dull, Samuel Daniel III
• Granted Patent: US 7,458,074 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

A method of distributing and executing upgrade/installation instructions as data objects. These instructions can then be completed automatically requesting user interaction only when required. This method would allow someone with little knowledge of the application and/or internal implementation of said application to perform an upgrade to the application.

Claims

1. A method of upgrading a computer program on a computer system, the computer system including an instruction processing program, the method comprising:

receiving an upgrade object associated with the computer program, the upgrade object including an instruction set adapted for use by the instruction processing program; and

executing the instruction set with the instruction processing program.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising instructing the instruction processing program to execute the instruction set.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the upgrade object is associated with one or more prerequisites;

and further comprising determining if the one or more prerequisites have been met.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising reporting that the instruction set has been executed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the upgrade object is suitable for transmission by electronic mail.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the instruction set comprises binary instructions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the instruction set comprises a script.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the instruction processing program is adapted to compile and execute the script.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the upgrade object requires the instruction processing program to be executed by the computer system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the upgrade object is not independently executable.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the upgrade object presents the end user with instructions to perform a task.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the upgrade object prompts the end user to indicate that the task has been performed.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the instruction set comprises a script and wherein the instruction processing program is adapted to compile and execute the script.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the instruction set comprises a script and wherein the instruction processing program is adapted to compile and execute the script.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the upgrade object is associated with one or more prerequisites;

and further comprising determining if the one or more prerequisites have been met.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising reporting that the instruction set has been executed.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the upgrade object comprises a script suitable for transmission by electronic mail.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the installation object presents the end user with instructions to perform a task.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the installation object prompts the end user to indicate that the task has been performed.

12. A method of upgrading a computer program on a computer system, the computer system including an instruction processing program, the method comprising:

creating an upgrade object associated with the computer program, the upgrade object including an instruction set adapted for use by the script processor; and

transmitting the upgrade object to the computer system; and

instructing an end user to execute the instruction set with the instruction processing program.

16. A method of upgrading a computer program on a computer system, comprising:

(I) installing a script processing program on the computer system;

(ii) receiving an upgrade object associated with the computer program, the upgrade object including a script adapted for use by the script processing and a prerequisite field containing one or more prerequisites; and

(iii) instructing the computer system to process the installation object, whereby the upgrade object causes the computer system to;

determine if the one or more prerequisites have been met; and

instructing the script processor to execute the script with the script processor; and

reporting that the script has been executed.

17. A computer program product, comprising:

(a) a upgrade object configured to upgrade a software program on a computer system having an instruction processing program, the upgrade object including an instruction set capable of causing the instruction processing program to perform one or more upgrade tasks; and

(b) a signal bearing media bearing the upgrade object.

18. A method of installing a computer program on a computer system, the computer system including an instruction processing program, the method comprising:

receiving an installation object associated with the computer program, the installation object including an instruction set adapted for use by the instruction processing program; and

executing the instruction set with the instruction processing program.

23. A method of installing a computer program on a computer system, the computer system including an instruction processing program, the method comprising:

creating an installation object associated with the computer program, the upgrade object including an instruction set adapted for use by the instruction processing program; and

transmitting the installation object to the computer program; and

instructing an end user to execute the instruction set with the instruction processing program