System, method and program to distribute program updates

• US 20060075001A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, Erik R., Canning, Jeffrey Craig, Slavens, Lynda Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/957,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20060075001A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

System, method and computer program for distributing updates to software in a plurality of client servers. A client management server includes a first program to determine what updates to the software are needed for installation at each of the client servers. A distribution server obtains the needed software updates from one or more software vendors and furnishes the needed software updates to the client management server. The client management server further includes a second program to install the needed software updates at the client servers, a third program to determine what updates to the first program are needed for installation at the client management server, and a fourth program to install the needed program updates at the client management server. The distribution server furnishes the needed program updates to the client management server. Staging or installation of the software updates can be simulated and the simulation results displayed to a user before the actual staging or installation of the software updates. After installation of the software updates, the client servers can be rebooted at different times to maintain availability of the software to users.

Claims

1. A system for distributing updates to software in a plurality of client servers, said system comprising:

a client management server including a first program to determine what updates to said software are needed for installation at each of said client servers; and

a distribution server to obtain the needed software updates from one or more software vendors and furnish said needed software updates to said client management server; and

wherein

said client management server further includes a second program to install the needed software updates at said client servers, a third program to determine what updates to said first program are needed for installation at said client management server, and a fourth program to install the needed program updates at said client management server; and

said distribution server furnishes the needed program updates to said client management server.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second program comprises a plurality of execs.

3. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said distribution server obtains the needed software updates via the Internet, and further comprising a firewall between the distribution server and the client management server.

4. A computer program product for distributing updates to software in a plurality of client servers, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

first program instructions for execution in a client management server to determine what updates to said software are needed for installation at each of said client servers;

second program instructions for execution in a distribution server to obtain the needed software updates from one or more software vendors and furnish said needed software updates to said client management server;

third program instructions for execution in said client management server to install the needed software updates at said client servers;

fourth program instructions for execution in said client management server to determine what updates to said first program instructions are needed for installation at said client management server;

fifth program instructions for execution in said client management server to install the needed updates to said first program instructions at said client management server; and

sixth program instructions for execution in said distribution server to furnish the needed updates to said first program instructions to said client management server; and

wherein said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth program instructions are recorded on said medium.

5. A system for simulating distribution of updates to software in a plurality of client servers, said system comprising:

a client management server including a first program to determine what software is supported in each of said client servers and a second program to determine what updates to said software are needed for installation at each of said client servers; and

a distribution server to obtain the needed software updates from one or more software vendors and furnish said needed software updates to said client management server; and

wherein

said client management server further includes a third program to determine if said needed software updates obtained from said distribution server are authentic, and a fourth program to log results of the determination by said first program of what software is supported in each of said client servers and results of the determination by said third program if said needed software updates obtained from said distribution server are authentic, display said log to a user before said needed software updates are installed in said client servers, and allow said user to avoid said installation based on said log.

6. A computer program product for simulating distribution of updates to software in a plurality of client servers, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

first program instructions for execution in a client management server to determine what software is supported in each of said client servers;

second program instructions for execution in said client management server to determine what updates to said software are needed for installation at each of said client servers;

third program instructions for execution in a distribution server to obtain the needed software updates from one or more software vendors and furnish said needed software updates to said client management server;

fourth program instructions for execution in said client management server to determine if said needed software updates obtained from said distribution server are authentic;

fifth program instructions for execution in said client management server to log results of the determination by said first program instructions of what software is supported in each of said client servers and results of the determination by said fourth program instructions if said needed software updates obtained from said distribution server are authentic, display said log to a user before said needed software updates are installed in said client servers, and allow said user to avoid said installation based on said log; and

wherein

said first, second, third, fourth and fifth program instructions are recorded on said medium.

7. A system for distributing updates to common software in a group of client servers, said system comprising:

a client management server including a first program to determine what updates to said common software are needed for installation at each of said client servers in said group; and

a distribution server to obtain the needed software updates from one or more software vendors and furnish said needed software updates to said client management server; and

wherein

said client management server further includes a second program to install the needed software updates at said client servers in said group and automatically reboot at different times said client servers in said group to activate said installed, needed software updates such that all of said client servers in said group are not rebooting at the same time, whereby availability of said common software to users from at least one of said client servers in said group is maintained.

8. A computer program product for distributing updates to common software in a group of client servers, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

first program instructions for execution in a client management server to determine what updates to said common software are needed for installation at each of said client servers in said group;

second program instructions for execution in a distribution server to obtain the needed software updates from one or more software vendors and furnish said needed software updates to said client management server;

third program instructions for execution in said client management server to install the needed software updates at said client servers in said group and automatically reboot at different times said client servers in said group to activate said installed, needed software updates such that all of said client servers in said group are not rebooting at the same time, whereby availability of said common software to users from at least one of said client servers in said group is maintained; and

wherein said first, second and third program instructions are recorded on said medium.