System and method for managing software patches

• US 20060206757A1
• Filed: 03/09/2005
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Channel IP BV
• Original Assignee: Ipass Incorporated (Pareteum Corp.)
• Inventors: Chernyakhovsky, Alexander, Russell, Michael D., Killen, Justin E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,151,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

In one embodiment, the method includes determining a first set of software patches based on a group of software patches installed on a computing device and a group of available software patches. The method can also include receiving the first set of software patches over a network connection. The method can also include determining, after receiving the first set of software patches, a second set of software patches based on the group of software patches installed on the computing device and the first set of software patches, wherein the group of installed software patches has changed since determining the first set. The method can also include installing on the computing device the second set of software patches.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining a first set of software patches based on a group of software patches installed on a computing device and a group of available software patches;

receiving the first set of software patches over a network connection;

after receiving the first set of software patches, determining a second set of software patches based on the group of software patches installed on the computing device and the first set of software patches, wherein the group of software patches installed on the computing device has changed since determining the first set; and

installing on the computing device the second set of software patches.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the receiving is resumeable after an interruption to the network connection.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the receiving includes,

if the network connection is interrupted after part of a software patch has been received, receiving a remainder of the software patch after the network connection is restored.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein installing includes configuring the second set of software patches for operation with a software system of the computing device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the installed software patches have been integrated into a software system of the computing device and configured for operation with the software system.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the network connection is non-continuous.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the network connection is intermittently inoperable.

8. A machine-readable medium including instructions which when executed by a machine cause the machine to perform operations of the computer-implemented method of claim 1.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a patch list receiving unit to receive an available patch list;

a patch procurement unit to receive, over a network connection, first patches of the available patch list, wherein after an interruption to the network connection, the patch procurement unit is to receive remaining patches of the available patch list; and

a patch determination unit to determine which of the first and remaining patches are to be installed on a computer system; and

a patch installation unit to install those of the first and remaining patches that are to be installed on the computing device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the patch determination unit is to determine which of the first and the remaining patches are to be installed based on patches that are installed on the computing device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the patch determination unit is to determine which of the first and the remaining patches are to be installed based on whether the computer system is configurable for installing those of the first and remaining patches to be installed on the computing device.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the patch determination unit is to determine which of the first and remaining patches are to be installed based on whether the computer system includes patches required by those of the first and remaining patches to be installed on the computing device.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, the patch procurement unit is to receive the patches from a command server.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, the patch procurement unit is to receive the patches from a patch server.

15. A system comprising:

a command server to create a data set indicating patches that are available for installation on a client and to store the patches that are available for installation; and

an agent to receive the data set and ones of the patches, the agent to install on a computing device ones of the patches that do not correspond to patches already installed on the computing device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the data set is represented in extensible markup language (XML).

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the ones of the patches do not correspond to patches already installed on the client if the client does not include installed patches that are substantially similar to the ones of the patches.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the agent to determine a needed patches list based on the data set and patches installed on the computing device, the agent to transmit the needed patches list to the command server.

19. The system of claim 18, the command server to present the needed patches list on an administrative console.