Method, program and system to update files in a computer system

• US 20060047942A1
• Filed: 08/27/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Zimmer, Vincent J., Rothman, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,506,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Provided is a method, program and system to update files in a computer system. A boot sequence is executed in the computer system to query a server over a network before loading an operating system to determine whether there is a patch to apply. The patch is received from the server in response to the query and the program files are updated with contents of the patch. The operating system is loaded in response to updating the program files.

Claims

1. A method for executing a boot sequence in a computer, comprising:

querying a server over a network before loading an operating system to determine whether there is a patch to apply;

receiving the patch from the server in response to the query;

updating program files with contents of the patch; and

loading the operating system in response to updating the program files.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the query requests information on patch versions for installed programs having program files, further comprising:

receiving information from the server on current patch versions for the installed programs;

determining whether versions of installed programs are less than the current patch versions for the installed programs at the server; and

requesting from the server the current patch versions for installed programs whose version is less than the current patch versions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the query includes a request for installed programs of all patch versions greater than the installed program version.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a first network, wherein executing the boot sequence further comprises:

executing a first network adaptor driver to enable communication with the first network, wherein the first network adaptor driver enables communication with the server over the first network before loading the operating system; and

loading a second network adaptor driver enabling communication with a second network in response to updating the program files.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the boot sequence and the first network adaptor driver are executed by a boot controller, and wherein the second network driver and operating system are executed by a processor.

6. A method, comprising:

receiving a patch for an installed program in a computer and message from a server over a network;

updating program files for the installed program with contents of the patch;

determining whether the message indicates to automatically reboot the computer;

generating information to a user indicating that the computer will be automatically rebooted; and

initiating operations in the computer to reboot the computer after a delay period to provide the user opportunity to close files and applications before the reboot.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving an event signal from the server; and

downloading a recent patch from the server in response to receiving the event signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the event signal indicates the program to which the patch applies, further comprising:

querying the server for information on patch versions for the indicated program that exceed a current version of the installed program in the computer, wherein downloading the recent patch further comprises downloading from the server at least one patch for at least one version exceeding the current version.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

generating information to the user that the installed program has been updated in response to determining that the message indicates no automatic reboot of the computer.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

executing a first network adaptor driver to enable communication with a first network, wherein the first network enables communication with the server; and

executing a second network adaptor driver to enable communication with a second network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first network adaptor driver is executed by a boot controller, and wherein the second network driver is executed by a processor.

12. A boot controller coupled to a computer system in communication with a server over a network, wherein the computer system is coupled to a storage device including an operating system and program files, wherein the boot controller is enabled to execute a boot sequence to perform:

querying the server over the network before loading the operating system to determine whether there is a patch to apply;

receiving the patch from the server in response to the query;

updating program files in the storage device with contents of the patch; and

loading the operating system in response to updating the program files.

13. The boot controller of claim 12, wherein the query requests information on patch versions for installed programs having program files in the storage device, wherein the boot controller is further enabled to execute the boot sequence to perform:

receiving information from the server on current patch versions for the installed programs;

determining whether versions of installed programs are less than the current patch versions for the installed programs at the server; and

requesting from the server the current patch versions for installed programs whose version is less than the current patch versions.

14. The boot controller of claim 13, wherein the query includes a request for installed programs of all patch versions greater than the installed program version.

15. A boot controller coupled to a computer system in communication with a server over a network, wherein the computer system is coupled to a storage device including an operating system and program files, wherein the boot controller is enabled to perform:

receiving a patch for an installed program in the computer system and message from the server over the network during computer runtime after the operating system is loaded; and

invoking an operation to update program files for the installed program with contents of the patch.

16. The boot controller of claim 15, wherein the boot controller is further enabled to perform:

determining whether the received message indicates to automatically reboot the computer;

invoking an operation to generate information to a user indicating that the computer will be automatically rebooted; and

invoking operations in the computer to reboot the computer after a delay period to provide the user opportunity to close files and applications before the reboot.

17. The boot controller of claim 15, wherein the boot controller is further enabled to perform:

receiving an event signal from the server during computer runtime after the operating system is loaded; and

downloading a recent patch from the server in response to receiving the event signal.

18. The boot controller of claim 17, wherein the event signal indicates the program to which the patch applies, wherein the boot controller is further enabled to perform:

querying the server for information on patch versions for the indicated program that exceed a current version of the installed program in the computer, wherein downloading the recent patch further comprises downloading from the server at least one patch for at least one version exceeding the current version.

19. The boot controller of claim 15, wherein the boot controller is further enabled to perform:

invoking an operation to generate information to the user that the installed program has been updated in response to determining that the message indicates no automatic reboot of the computer.

20. The boot controller of claim 15, further comprising:

a network adaptor driver enabling communication with a network adaptor to communicate with the server over the network.

21. A system in communication with a server over a first network and in communication with a second network, comprising:

a processor;

a first network adaptor enabling communication with the first network;

a second network adaptor enabling communication with the second network;

a storage device;

an operating system stored in the storage device;

program files stored in the storage device; and

a boot controller enabled to execute a boot sequence to perform;

(i) querying the server over the network via the network adaptor before loading the operating system to determine whether there is a patch to apply;

(ii) receiving the patch from the server in response to the query;

(iii) updating program files in the storage device with contents of the patch; and

(iv) loading the operating system in response to updating the program files, wherein the processor executes the operating system in a runtime environment.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the query requests information on patch versions for installed programs having program files in the storage device, wherein the boot controller is further enabled to execute the boot sequence to perform:

receiving information from the server on current patch versions for the installed programs;

determining whether versions of installed programs are less than the current patch versions for the installed programs at the server; and

requesting from the server the current patch versions for installed programs whose version is less than the current patch versions.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

a first network adaptor driver;

a second network adaptor driver;

wherein the boot controller is further enabled to execute the boot sequence to perform;

(i) executing the first network adaptor driver to enable communication with the first network adaptor; and

(ii) loading the second network adaptor driver enabling communication with the second network in response to updating the program files, wherein the second network adaptor driver is executed by the processor.

24. A system in communication with a server over a first network and in communication with a second network, comprising:

a processor;

a first network adaptor enabling communication with the first network;

a second network adaptor enabling communication with the second network;

a storage device;

an operating system stored in the storage device;

program files stored in the storage device;

a boot controller enabled to perform during runtime after the operating system is loaded;

(i) receiving a patch for an installed program and message from the server over the first network; and

(ii) updating program files for the installed program with contents of the patch.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the boot controller is further enabled to perform:

determining whether the message indicates to automatically reboot the computer system;

generating information to a user indicating that the system will be automatically rebooted; and

initiating operations to reboot the system after a delay period to provide the user opportunity to close files and applications before the reboot.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the boot controller is further enabled to perform:

receiving an event signal from the server; and

downloading a recent patch from the server in response to receiving the event signal.

27. An article of manufacture executed within a computer system in communication with a server over a network, wherein the computer system includes an operating system and program files, wherein the article of manufacture causes operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

querying the server over the network before loading the operating system to determine whether there is a patch to apply;

receiving the patch from the server in response to the query;

updating program files with contents of the patch; and

loading the operating system in response to updating the program files.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the query requests information on patch versions for installed programs comprising program files, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving information from the server on current patch versions for the installed programs;

determining whether versions of installed programs are less than the current patch versions for the installed programs at the server; and

requesting from the server the current patch versions for installed programs whose version is less than the current patch versions.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 28, wherein the query includes a request for installed programs of all patch versions greater than the installed program version.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the network comprises a first network, wherein the computer system includes a first network adaptor driver and a second network adaptor driver used to communicate with a second network, wherein the operations further comprise:

executing the first network adaptor driver to enable communication with the first network, wherein the first network adaptor driver enables communication with the server over the first network before loading the operating system; and

loading the second network adaptor driver enabling communication with the second network in response to updating the program files.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 30, wherein the article of manufacture is implemented in a boot controller in the computer system.

32. An article of manufacture executed within a computer system in communication with a server over a network, wherein the computer system includes an operating system and program files, wherein the article of manufacture causes operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

receiving a patch for an installed program in the computer system and a message from the server over the network;

updating program files for the installed program with contents of the patch;

determining whether the message indicates to automatically reboot the computer;

generating a message to a user indicating that the computer will be automatically rebooted; and

initiating operations in the computer to reboot the computer after a delay period to provide the user opportunity to close files and applications before the reboot.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 32, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving an event signal from the server; and

downloading a recent patch from the server in response to receiving the event signal.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the event signal indicates the program to which the patch applies, wherein the operations further comprise:

querying the server for information on patch versions for the indicated program that exceed a current version of the installed program in the computer, wherein downloading the recent patch further comprises downloading from the server at least one patch for at least one version exceeding the current version.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 32, wherein the operations further comprise:

generating a message to the user that the installed program has been updated in response to determining that the message indicates no automatic reboot of the computer.