Method and system for validating differential computer system update

• US 20040153478A1
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Igouchkine, Vassili
• Granted Patent: US 8,255,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates

Abstract

A method and system of validating a differential update to a computer system. One method includes comparing a list of files in a new computer system image with a list of files in a former computer system image to construct a manifest list of files comprising a subset of the new computer system images and the former computer system images. The method further includes associating information with the manifest list to facilitate determining whether a differential update comprising differences between the new computer system image and the former computer system image is valid. The method also includes comparing a list of files in a computer system to receive the differential update against the manifest list of files and using the associated information to determine if the differential update is valid for the computer system.

Claims

1. A method of updating a computer system, comprising:

a) comparing a list of files in a new computer system image with a list of files in a former computer system image to construct a manifest list of files comprising a subset of said new computer system image files and said former computer system image files; and

b) associating information with said manifest list to facilitate determining whether a differential update to a computer system is valid, wherein said differential update comprises differences between said new computer system image and said former computer system image.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

c) comparing a list of files in a computer system to receive said differential update against said manifest list and using said associated information to determine if said differential update is valid for said computer system.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

d) copying to said computer system an archive of files that comprises a difference between said new computer system image and said former computer system if said differential update is determined to be valid.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising constructing said archive.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said a) comprises:

a1) adding a file'"'"'s name to said manifest list in response to determining that said file is in said new computer system image and not in said former computer system image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said a) comprises:

a1) adding a file'"'"'s name to said manifest list in response to determining that said file is in both said new computer system image and said former computer system image.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said a1) further comprises associating state information with said file name in response to determining that said file is essentially identical in said old computer system image and said new computer system image.

8. The method of Clam 1, wherein said a) comprises:

a1) adding a file'"'"'s name to said manifest list in response to determining that said file is not in said new computer system image but is in said former computer system image.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said a1) further comprises denoting that said file is not present in said new computer system image.

10. A method of validating a computer system update, comprising:

a) comparing an old computer system image to a new computer system image to determine information related to differences between said old computer system image to a new computer system image; and

b) determining whether a differential update is valid for a computer system based on files in said computer system and said information, wherein said differential update comprises a difference between said new computer system image and said old computer system image.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said b) comprises determining, based on said information, that a modification to a file on said computer system will not allow a valid differential update to said computer system.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said b) comprises determining that said differential update is invalid due to deletion of a file on said computer system, based on said information.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said a) comprises checking a flag to determine whether said differential update is valid if a file unexpectedly exists on said computer system based on said information.

14. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed on a general purpose processor, implement a method of validating a computer system update, said method comprising:

a) comparing a list of files in a new computer system image with a list of files in a former computer system image to construct a manifest list of files comprising files from said new computer system image and said former computer system image; and

b) associating information with said manifest list to facilitate determining whether a differential update comprising differences between said new computer system image and said former computer system image is valid; and

c) comparing a list of files in a computer system to receive said differential update against said manifest list of files and using said associated information to determine if said differential update is valid for said computer system.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein said method further comprises:

d) copying to said computer system an archive of files that comprises a difference between said new computer system image and said former computer system if said differential update is determined to be valid.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises constructing said archive.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein said c) of said method comprises determining that said differential update is invalid due to said deletion of a file on said computer system, based on said information.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein said a) of said method comprises adding to said manifest list all files from said new computer system image and files existing in said former computer system image but not said new computer system image.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein said b) of said method comprises assigning a state to a file in said manifest list if said file exists in both said new computer system image and said former computer system image.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein said c) of said method comprises checking a flag to determine whether said differential update is valid if a file exists on said computer system but does not exist in said manifest list.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein said b) of said method comprises determining, based on said information, that a modification to a file on said computer system will not allow a valid differential update to said computer system.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein said b) of said method comprises associating said information to said files based on whether a file has been deleted, modified, or added from said former computer system image to said new computer system image.