Distributed autonomic solutions repository

• US 20050086333A1
• Filed: 10/16/2003
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mastrianni, Steven J., Chefalas, Thomas E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,318,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for managing software. A solution to a problem that has occurred with a program on a client data processing system is received by a server. This solution is created while solving the problem that occurred on the data processing system. The solution includes a process that may be executed on another data processing system to solve the same problem on that data processing system. The process is, for example, a script, a macro, or a set of computer executable steps or instructions. A database of solutions is selectively updated to reflect the new solution. In response to a request for a solution by another client system to a problem, the server will respond with the current solution that exists in the database.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for managing software, the method comprising:

receiving a solution to a problem with a program on a client data processing system, wherein the solution includes a process created while solving the problem on the client data processing system and wherein the process is executable on another client data processing system;

selectively updating a database to reflect the solution; and

distributing the solution to the another client data processing system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the distributing step is initiated in response to a request for a solution to the problem in the program from a requestor on the another client data processing system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the solution further includes a set of changes made on the client data processing system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the process is recorded as a script, wherein the script may be played in another data processing system to fix an instance of the program located on the another data processing system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the script is for a set of steps performed by a technician on the client data processing system to solve the problem with the program.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the process includes at least one of changing configuration parameters, replacing a dynamic link library, replacing an executable file, and installing a patch.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the solution is received from an agent process on the client data processing system.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the requestor is an agent process.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating step comprises:

receiving the solution to the problem to form a received solution to the problem;

determining whether a current solution to the problem is in the database;

responsive to the current solution being in the database, comparing the received solution to the current solution;

using the comparison to determine whether to update the current solution in the database with the received solution; and

responsive to a determination to update the current solution, updating the current solution in the database with the received solution.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the updating step further comprises:

responsive to the current solution being absent from the database, saving the received solution as the current solution to the problem.

11. An autonomic solutions repository comprising:

a solutions database, wherein solutions to software problems are stored in the database and wherein the solutions include instructions executed by an agent process on a client without requiring human intervention; and

a server process, wherein the server process receives solutions;

selectively updates the database with the new solutions; and

distributes the solution to another client.

12. The autonomic repository of claim 11, wherein the solutions include recorded steps that are played by an agent to initiate a repair on a client for a particular problem.

13. A data processing system for managing software, the data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive a solution to a problem with a program on a client data processing system, wherein the solution includes a process created while solving the problem on the client data processing system and wherein the process is executable on another client data processing system;

selectively update a database to reflect the solution; and

distribute the solution to the another client data processing system.

14. A data processing system for managing software, the data processing system comprising:

receiving means for receiving a solution to a problem with a program on a client data processing system, wherein the solution includes a process created while solving the problem on the client data processing system and wherein the process is executable on another client data processing system;

updating means for selectively updating a database to reflect the solution; and

distributing means for distributing the solution to another client data processing system.

15. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein the solution further includes a set of changes made on the client data processing system.

16. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the process is recorded as a script, wherein the script may be played in another data processing system to fix an instance of the program located on the another data processing system.

17. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the script is for a set of steps performed by a technician on the client data processing system to solve the problem with the program.

18. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein the solution includes at least one of changing configuration parameters, replacing a dynamic link library, replacing an executable file, and installing a patch.

19. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for managing software, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving a solution to a problem with a program on a client data processing system, wherein the solution includes a process created while solving the problem on the client data processing system and wherein the process is executable on another client data processing system;

second instructions for selectively updating a database to reflect the solution; and

third instructions for distributing the solution to another client data processing system.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the solution further includes a set of changes made on the client data processing system.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the process is recorded as a script, wherein the script may be played in another data processing system to fix an instance of the program located on the another data processing system.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the script is for a set of steps performed by a technician on the client data processing system to solve the problem with the program.

23. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the solution includes at least one of changing configuration parameters, replacing a dynamic link library, replacing an executable file, and installing a patch.

24. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the solution is received from an agent process on a client data processing system.