Post-installation tools for software stacks

• US 20060031227A1
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rogue Wave Software Incorporated (Perforce Software Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: OpenLogic, Inc. (Perforce Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cope, Rod, Weidner, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A tool is provided for addressing a number of issues related to providing support for software stacks including multiple uncoordinated components such as open source projects. The tool receives information about a stack, obtains support information specific to that stack and outputs the information to a user. A parsing functionality is also provided for selectively combining support information from the constituent projects of the stack.

Claims

1. A method for use in providing support for a stack of uncoordinated projects, comprising the steps of:

operating a computer based tool to receive an identification of a stack including a plurality of uncoordinated software projects;

selectively accessing storage to obtain support information specific to said stack; and

outputting said support information to a user.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of operating comprises receiving said identification from a stack assembly tool.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively accessing comprises retrieving information indexed to said stack.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively accessing comprises retrieving a tutorial regarding use of the stack.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively accessing comprises selecting a number of items of information that are separately indexed in said storage and assembling said items to obtain said support information.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5, wherein different ones of said items are indexed to different ones of said uncoordinated software projects.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively accessing comprises retrieving documentation for said stack.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively accessing comprises retrieving graphics for said stack.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein storage includes chunks of said support documentation associated with metadata relating to said stack and said step of selectively accessing comprises using said metadata to assemble said chunks.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively accessing comprises determining operating environment information for said stack and using said operating environment information to obtain said support information.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said operating environment information relates to a machine of a user.

12. A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said operating environment information relates to an operating system of a user.

13. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of said projects is an open source project.

14. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of said projects operates at a tools or applications level above an operating system level.

15. An apparatus for use in providing support for stacks of uncoordinated software projects comprising:

storage for storing support information specific to particular ones of said uncoordinated software projects;

interface logic for receiving an identification of a stack including a plurality of uncoordinated software projects; and

processing logic for selectively accessing said storage based on said identification to provide support information specific to that stack.

16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said interface logic is operative for receiving said identification from a stack assembly tool.

17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said processing logic is operative for selecting a number of items of information that are separately indexed in said storage and assembling said items to obtain said support information.

18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein different ones of said items are indexed to different ones of said uncoordinated software projects.

19. An apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said processing logic is operative for retrieving documentation for said stack.

20. An apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said processing logic is operative for retrieving graphics for said stack.

21. An apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said processing logic is operative for determining operating environment information for said stack and using said operating environment information to obtain said support information.

22. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said operating environment information relates to a machine of a user.

23. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said operating environment information relates to an operating system of a user.

24. An apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein at least one of said uncoordinated software projects is an open source project.

25. A method for use in providing support for a stack including at least one open source software project, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a document of support information for each project of a set of supported software projects including at least one open source project;

parsing each said document into chunks of information;

associating each said chunk of information with a metadata identifying a project of said set of projects;

receiving a request from a user identifying a stack including a first open source software project for which supporting documentation is desired;

using said metadata to assemble, in response to said request, supporting documentation specific to said stack including said first open source software project; and

outputting to said user said supporting documentation specific to said stack.

26. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein each said document comprises XML text and said step of using comprises identifying tags associated with said XML text.

27. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein said set of supported software projects includes at least one proprietary software project and said step of using comprises assembling information related to said first open source software project and a first proprietary software project.

28. A method for use in obtaining support for a stack of uncoordinated software projects, comprising the steps of:

accessing a support module for providing support information for stacks of software projects including stacks of uncoordinated software projects;

providing input information to said support module regarding a first stack of software projects; and

receiving support information from said support module regarding said first stack of software projects.

29. A method as set forth in claim 28, wherein said first stack includes uncoordinated software projects.

30. A method as set forth in claim 28, wherein said step of providing comprises directing a request to said support module via a wide area network.

31. A method for use in managing updates in connection with an installed stack of uncoordinated projects, comprising the steps of:

obtaining information regarding the availability of an update;

identifying a stack potentially affected by said update; and

providing update information to a user associated with said stack.

32. A method as set forth in claim 31, wherein said update information includes one of a notification that updates are available, software reflecting said update, and installation information for said update.

33. A method as set forth in claim 31, further comprising the step of updating said stack and leaving at least a portion of said stack in an installed state.

34. A method for use in managing a stack of software projects, comprising the steps of:

receiving an input in relation to an installed stack including a plurality of software projects; and

in response to said input, operating a computer based tool to support a substitution for a first project of said stack of a second project having substantially equivalent functionality.

35. A method as set forth in claim 34, wherein each of said first and second projects is a database project.

36. A method as set forth in claim 34, wherein said step of operating comprises reconfiguring a third project of said stack in view of said substitution.

37. A method for use in managing a license of software, comprising the steps of:

storing public information and private information regarding a given software license;

providing access to at least a portion of the public information;

receiving a request for access to at least a portion of the private information;

responsive to the request, performing a verification of an authorization to access the private information; and

selectively providing access to the portion of the private information responsive to the verification.

38. A method as set forth in claim 37, wherein said step of performing comprises obtaining authorization information.