System and method for installation and Integration of component datamodels

• US 20040123287A1
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fox, James E., McMahan, Paul F., Leah, Robert C., Magee, Erich S., Sizemore, Robert C., Joshi, Niraj P.
• Application Number:
  US10/324,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20040123287A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A system and method that provides platform independent retrieval of software component data is provided. The discovered system and method manage conflicts, co-requisites, and pre-requisites associated with installing a software component by including such information in a software description which is retrieved in a platform-neutral manner. The system and method can be initiated by the target computer system or it can be driven by a application server that connects to the target computer system through a computer network. In a target initiated environment, the target computer system resolves conflict and co-/pre-requisite issues identified in the component description before installing the component software. In a server-initiated process, the server resolves the identified conflict and co-/pre-requisite issues on behalf of the target system and installs the software component on the target system.

Claims

1. A method of installing software components over a computer network, said method comprising:

receiving, over the computer network, a request from an installation target computer system, the request identifying a software component;

locating an interface corresponding to the requested software component;

retrieving a component description by using the identified interface;

analyzing the component description, the analysis resulting in an identification of one or more component files used to install the requested software component; and

returning a response relating to the requested software component to the installation target computer system.

2. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the software component request includes a SOAP request and wherein the response includes a SOAP response.

3. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

requesting, over the computer network, the component files from a file server;

receiving the requested component files; and

transmitting the received component files to the installation target computer system.

4. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the component description includes identifications of one or more co-requisite software components, the method further comprising:

returning the co-requisite software component identifiers with the response;

receiving, over the computer network, a second request from an installation target computer system, the second request identifying one of the co-requisite software components;

locating a second interface corresponding to the requested co-requisite software component;

retrieving a second component description by using the second interface;

analyzing the second component description, the analysis resulting in an identification of one or more co-requisite component files used to install the requested co-requisite software component; and

returning a response relating to the second requested software component to the installation target computer system.

5. The method as described in claim 4 wherein at least one of the co-requisite files is a pre-requisite file.

6. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the locating further comprises:

requesting a home interface corresponding to an Enterprise Java Bean that relates to the requested software component.

7. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the retrieving of the component description further comprises:

calling an Enterprise Java Bean find method, wherein the Enterprise Java Bean includes the located interface.

8. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the software component request includes a registration request, the method further comprising:

registering the request with a Java Message Service, wherein the request corresponds to the requested software component; and

receiving a notification from the Java Message Service, the notification indicating that the description corresponding to the requested software component has been changed.

9. The method as described in claim 8, wherein the registration request includes installation target access information, the method further comprising:

accessing the installation target computer system using the installation target access information in response to receiving the notification; and

installing, over the computer network, one or more of the component files on the installation target computer system.

10. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

one or more nonvolatile storage devices accessible by the processors;

a network interface connecting the information handling system to a computer network; and

an installation tool for installing component files over the computer network, the installation tool including;

receiving logic for receiving a request from an installation target computer system over the computer network, the request identifying a software component;

location logic for locating an interface corresponding to the requested software component;

retrieval logic for retrieving a component description by using the identified interface;

analysis logic for analyzing the component description, the analysis resulting in an identification of one or more component files used to install the requested software component; and

transmittal logic for returning a response relating to the requested software component to the installation target computer system.

11. The information handling system as described in claim 10 wherein the software component request includes a SOAP request and wherein the response includes a SOAP response.

12. The information handling system as described in claim 10 further comprising:

requesting logic for using the network interface to request the component files from a file server;

network logic for receiving the requested component files from the file server; and

transmittal logic for transmitting the received component files to the installation target computer system.

13. The information handling system as described in claim 10 wherein the location logic further comprises:

request logic for requesting a home interface corresponding to an Enterprise Java Bean that relates to the requested software component.

14. The information handling system as described in claim 10 wherein the retrieval logic for retrieving the component description further comprises:

interface logic for calling an Enterprise Java Bean find information handling system, wherein the Enterprise Java Bean includes the located interface.

15. The information handling system as described in claim 10 wherein the software component request includes a registration request, the information handling system further comprising:

registration logic for registering the request with a Java Message Service, wherein the request corresponds to the requested software component; and

network interface logic for receiving a notification from the Java Message Service, the notification indicating that the description corresponding to the requested software component has been changed.

16. The information handling system as described in claim 15, wherein the registration request includes installation target access information, the information handling system further comprising:

access logic for accessing the installation target computer system using the installation target access information in response to receiving the notification; and

installation logic for installing, over the computer network, one or more of the component files on the installation target computer system.

17. A computer program product stored in a computer operable media for installing software components over a computer network, said computer program product comprising:

means for receiving, over the computer network, a request from an installation target computer system, the request identifying a software component;

means for locating an interface corresponding to the requested software component;

means for retrieving a component description by using the identified interface;

means for analyzing the component description, the analysis resulting in an identification of one or more component files used to install the requested software component; and

means for returning a response relating to the requested software component to the installation target computer system.

18. The computer program product as described in claim 17 wherein the software component request includes a SOAP request and wherein the response includes a SOAP response.

19. The computer program product as described in claim 17 further comprising:

means for requesting, over the computer network, the component files from a file server;

means for receiving the requested component files; and

means for transmitting the received component files to the installation target computer system.

20. The computer program product as described in claim 17 wherein the component description includes identifications of one or more co-requisite software components, the computer program product further comprising:

means for returning the co-requisite software component identifiers with the response;

means for receiving, over the computer network, a second request from an installation target computer system, the second request identifying one of the co-requisite software components;

means for locating a second interface corresponding to the requested co-requisite software component;

means for retrieving a second component description by using the second interface;

means for analyzing the second component description, the analysis resulting in an identification of one or more co-requisite component files used to install the requested co-requisite software component; and

means for returning a response relating to the second requested software component to the installation target computer system.

21. The computer program product as described in claim 20 wherein at least one of the co-requisite files is a pre-requisite file.

22. The computer program product as described in claim 17 wherein the means for locating further comprises:

means for requesting a home interface corresponding to an Enterprise Java Bean that relates to the requested software component.

23. The computer program product as described in claim 17 wherein the means for retrieving of the component description further comprises:

means for calling an Enterprise Java Bean find computer program product, wherein the Enterprise Java Bean includes the located interface.

24. The computer program product as described in claim 17 wherein the software component request includes a registration request, the computer program product further comprising:

means for registering the request with a Java Message Service, wherein the request corresponds to the requested software component; and

means for receiving a notification from the Java Message Service, the notification indicating that the description corresponding to the requested software component has been changed.

25. The computer program product as described in claim 24, wherein the registration request includes installation target access information, the computer program product further comprising:

means for accessing the installation target computer system using the installation target access information in response to receiving the notification; and

means for installing, over the computer network, one or more of the component files on the installation target computer system.

26. A method of installing software components over a computer network, said method comprising:

receiving, over the computer network, a request from an installation target computer system, the request identifying a software component;

locating an interface corresponding to the requested software component;

retrieving a component description by using the identified interface, the component description including identifications of one or more co-requisite software components;

analyzing the component description, the analysis resulting in an identification of one or more component files used to install the requested software component;

returning a response relating to the requested software component to the installation target computer system, the response including the co-requisite software component identifiers;

receiving, over the computer network, a second request from an installation target computer system, the second request identifying one of the co-requisite software components;

locating a second interface corresponding to the requested co-requisite software component;

retrieving a second component description by using the second interface;

analyzing the second component description, the analysis resulting in an identification of one or more co-requisite component files used to install the requested co-requisite software component; and

returning a response relating to the second requested software component to the installation target computer system.

27. A method of installing software components over a computer network, said method comprising:

receiving, over the computer network, a registration request from an installation target computer system, the registration request identifying at least one software component;

locating an interface corresponding to the requested software component;

registering the request with a Java Message Service, wherein the request corresponds to the requested software component;

receiving a notification from the Java Message Service, the notification indicating that the description corresponding to the requested software component has been changed;

retrieving a component description by using the identified interface;

analyzing the component description, the analysis resulting in an identification of one or more component files used to install the requested software component; and

installing the component files on the installation target computer system.

28. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

one or more nonvolatile storage devices accessible by the processors;

a network interface connecting the information handling system to a computer network; and

an installation tool for installing component files over the computer network, the installation tool including;

receiving logic for receiving a request from an installation target computer system over the computer network, the request identifying a software component;

location logic for locating an interface corresponding to the requested software component;

retrieval logic for retrieving a component description by using the identified interface;

analysis logic for analyzing the component description, the analysis resulting in an identification of one or more component files used to install the requested software component;

transmittal logic for returning a response relating to the requested software component to the installation target computer system.

registration logic for registering the request with a Java Message Service, wherein the request corresponds to the requested software component and wherein the request includes installation target access information;

network interface logic for receiving a notification from the Java Message Service, the notification indicating that the description corresponding to the requested software component has been changed;

access logic for accessing the installation target computer system using the installation target access information in response to receiving the notification; and

installation logic for installing, over the computer network, one or more of the component files on the installation target computer system

29. A computer program product stored in a computer operable media for installing software components over a computer network, said computer program product comprising:

receiving, over the computer network, a request from an installation target computer system, the request identifying a software component;

locating an interface corresponding to the requested software component;

retrieving a component description by using the identified interface, the component description including identifications of one or more co-requisite software components;

analyzing the component description, the analysis resulting in an identification of one or more component files used to install the requested software component;

returning a response relating to the requested software component to the installation target computer system, the response including the co-requisite software component identifiers;

receiving, over the computer network, a second request from an installation target computer system, the second request identifying one of the co-requisite software components;

locating a second interface corresponding to the requested co-requisite software component;

retrieving a second component description by using the second interface;

analyzing the second component description, the analysis resulting in an identification of one or more co-requisite component files used to install the requested co-requisite software component; and

returning a response relating to the second requested software component to the installation target computer system.

30. A computer program product stored in a computer operable media for installing software components over a computer network, said computer program product comprising:

receiving, over the computer network, a registration request from an installation target computer system, the registration request identifying at least one software component;

locating an interface corresponding to the requested software component;

registering the request with a Java Message Service, wherein the request corresponds to the requested software component;

receiving a notification from the Java Message Service, the notification indicating that the description corresponding to the requested software component has been changed;

retrieving a component description by using the identified interface;

analyzing the component description, the analysis resulting in an identification of one, or more component files used to install the requested software component; and

installing the component files on the installation target computer system.