Provisioning of software components via workflow management systems

• US 20050049906A1
• Filed: 05/13/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Leymann, Frank, Roller, Dieter
• Granted Patent: US 7,406,483 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

For a software component to be installed on a target computer system a product dependency graph is determined which identifies additional software components required by the to-be-installed software component as prerequisite or corequisite software components. For each of these software components a corresponding installation facility is determined. Then a process model is generated being executable by a Workflow Management System (WFMS). The WFMS process model comprises a directed graph of activities, wherein each software component of the product dependency graph is associated with an activity such that when the activity is executed the installation facility corresponding to each of the software components is performed. Moreover, the WFMS process model is generated in a way that the sequence of activities in the directed graph is not violating the dependencies of the software components in the product dependency graph. Finally the WFMS process model is inserted in the WFMS as the provisioning process.

Claims

1. A computerized method for automatically generating a provisioning process said provisioning process being capable to install at least one software component on a target system,

said method comprising:

a first step of receiving a request to install said software component;

a second step of determining a product dependency graph for said software component said product dependency graph identifying as a directed graph additional software components required by said software component as prerequisite or corequisite software components, and of

determining for a software component in said product dependency graph a corresponding installation facility;

a third step of generating a process model being executable by a Workflow Management System or a computer system with comparable functionality (WFMS) said process model comprising a directed graph of activities,

wherein each software component of said product dependency graph is associated with an activity in said process model such that when said activity is executed an installation facility corresponding to said each software component is performed, and

wherein the sequence of said activities in said directed graph is not violating the dependencies of said software components in said product dependency graph; and

a fourth step of inserting said process model in said WFMS as said provisioning process.

2. The computerized method for automatically generating a provisioning process according to claim 1,

wherein in said third step said process model is generated such that said directed graph of activities is imitating said product dependency graph.

3. The computerized method for automatically generating a provisioning process according to claim 1,

wherein in said third step said process model is generated such that said directed graph of activities is a sequence generated by depth-first or breadth-first traversal of said product dependency graph.

4. The computerized method for automatically generating a provisioning process according to claim 1,

wherein in said second step determining if a certain software component is accompanied by installation parameters, and

wherein in said third step generating a scope definition in said process model comprising an activity associated with said certain software component and all activities associated with successor software components within said products dependency graph and said scope definition comprising said installation parameters.

5. The computerized method for automatically generating a provisioning process according to claim 1,

wherein in said third step a subgraph of said directed graph of activities is generated as subprocess of said process model.

6. The computerized method for automatically generating a provisioning process according to claim 1,

wherein in said second step determining for a software component in said product dependency graph a corresponding uninstall facility, and

wherein in said third step for an activity in said process model a compensation activity is generated such that when said compensation activity is executed an uninstall facility is performed corresponding to a software component of said to activity.

7. The computerized method for automatically generating a provisioning process according to claim 1,

wherein in said second step reducing said product dependency graph for software components already installed on said target system.

8. The computerized method for automatically generating a provisioning process according to claim 1,

wherein said request to install comprises all software components within said product dependency graph or a sub graph thereof.

9. A computer system comprising means adapted for carrying out the steps of the method according to claim 1.

10. A data processing program for execution in a data processing system comprising software code portions for performing a method according claim 1 when said program is run on said data processing system.

11. A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium, comprising computer readable program means for causing a computer to perform a method according to claim 1 when said program is run on said computer.