Autonomic auto-configuration using prior installation configuration relationships

• US 20050097547A1
• Filed: 10/30/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Williams, Mark, Ramachandran, Puthukode G., Ullmann, Lorin Evan, Sanchez, John C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,334,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for installing software in a network data processing system. An event is detected in the network data processing system indicating that a software module is to be installed in a set of data processing systems in the network data processing system. A configuration of each data processing system in the set of data processing systems is discovered, and a set of instructions is created using a knowledge base of prior installations. The set of instructions is tailored for each data processing system in the set of data processing systems based on the configuration for the each data processing system in the set of data processing systems. The set of instructions for the software module to be installed is sent to the set of data processing systems.

Claims

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

detecting an event in the network data processing system, wherein the event indicates that a software module is to be installed in a set of data processing systems in the network data processing system;

discovering a configuration of each data processing system in the set of data processing systems;

creating a set of instructions using a knowledge base of prior installations, wherein the set of instructions is tailored for each data processing system in the set of data processing systems based on the configuration for the each data processing system in the set of data processing systems; and

sending the set of instructions for the software module to be installed to the set of data processing systems.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions includes a future time to request the software module from an installation server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data processing systems is at least one data processing system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the knowledge base of prior installations is located in an installed product registry.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions is executed at a selected time on each data processing system in the set of data processing systems to pull the software module from a source on the network data processing system and install the software module on the set of data processing systems.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the knowledge base of prior instructions includes a mapping between user identities and prior user installation configuration data.

7. A data processing system for installing software in a network data processing system, 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 detect an event in the network data processing system in which the event indicates that a software module is to be installed in a set of data processing systems in the network data processing system;

discover a configuration of each data processing system in the set of data processing systems;

create a set of instructions using a knowledge base of prior installations in which the set of instructions is tailored for each data processing system in the set of data processing systems based on the configuration for the each data processing system in the set of data processing systems; and

send the set of instructions for the software module to be installed to the set of data processing systems.

8. A data processing system for installing software in a network data processing system, the data processing system comprising:

detecting means for detecting an event in the network data processing system, wherein the event indicates that a software module is to be installed in a set of data processing systems in the network data processing system;

discovering means for discovering a configuration of each data processing system in the set of data processing systems;

creating means for creating a set of instructions using a knowledge base of prior installations, wherein the set of instructions is tailored for each data processing system in the set of data processing systems based on the configuration for the each data processing system in the set of data processing systems; and

sending means for sending the set of instructions for the software module to be installed to the set of data processing systems.

9. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the set of instructions includes a future time to request the software module from an installation server.

10. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the set of data processing systems is at least one data processing system.

11. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the knowledge base of prior installations is located in an installed product registry.

12. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the set of instructions is executed at a selected time on each data processing system in the set of data processing systems to pull the software module from a source on the network data processing system and install the software module on the set of data processing systems.

13. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for installing software in a network data processing system, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for detecting an event in the network data processing system, wherein the event indicates that a software module is to be installed in a set of data processing systems in the network data processing system;

second instructions for discovering a configuration of each data processing system in the set of data processing systems;

third instructions for creating a set of instructions using a knowledge base of prior installations, wherein the set of instructions is tailored for each data processing system in the set of data processing systems based on the configuration for the each data processing system in the set of data processing systems; and

fourth instructions for sending the set of instructions for the software module to be installed to the set of data processing systems.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the set of instructions includes a future time to request the software module from an installation server.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the set of data processing systems is at least one data processing system.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the knowledge base of prior installations is located in an installed product registry.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the set of instructions is executed at a selected time on each data processing system in the set of data processing systems to pull the software module from a source on the network data processing system and install the software module on the set of data processing systems.