Managing version information for software components

• US 20070220507A1
• Filed: 03/20/2006
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chandrashekar, Sridhar, Holmes, James, Back, Alan, Nayar, Manoj
• Granted Patent: US 8,621,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

A system manages version information for a group of software components by maintaining a version repository containing version information for all of the components. The system determines a baseline for the components, modifies data in the repository in connection with updating software components, and accesses the data in the repository to determine version information for the components. The system described herein also determines if a group of software components correspond to a particular baseline by maintaining baseline information in the version repository. The system obtains the particular baseline for the group of components, compares the version information for each of the components with a corresponding minimum version provided in connection with the baseline, and determines whether a group of software components correspond to the particular baseline.

Claims

1. A method of managing version information for a group of software components, comprising:

maintaining a version repository containing version information for all of the components;

determining a baseline for the components, wherein the baseline represents a minimum version for each of the components;

modifying data in the repository in connection with updating at least one of the software components; and

accessing the data in the repository to determine version information for the components, wherein accessing the data includes determining whether each of the components has a version number greater than or equal to a minimum version number corresponding to a particular baseline.

2. A method, according to claim 1, wherein the group of software components corresponds to a computer operating system.

3. A method, according to claim 1, wherein only trusted processes modify data in the repository.

4. A method, according to claim 3, wherein any processes accesses data in the repository irrespective of trust level.

5. A method, according to claim 1, wherein the version information is a number.

6. A method, according to claim 1, wherein accessing data in the repository includes providing an index value that corresponds to specific component version information.

7. A method, according to claim 6, wherein an error code is received in response to attempting to access data in the repository using an index value that does not correspond to any component.

8. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 1.

9. A system having at least one processor that performs the steps recited in claim 1.

10. A method of determining if a group of software components correspond to a particular baseline, comprising:

maintaining a version repository containing version information for all of the components;

obtaining the particular baseline for the group of components, wherein the particular baseline represents a minimum version for each of the components;

comparing the version information for each of the components with a corresponding minimum version provided in connection with the baseline; and

determining that a group of software components corresponds to the particular baseline if each of the components has a version number greater than or equal to the minimum version number corresponding to the particular baseline.

11. A method, according to claim 10, wherein baseline information about the group of components is stored in the version repository.

12. A method, according to claim 10, wherein the group of software components corresponds to a computer operating system.

13. A method, according to claim 10, wherein the version information is a number.

14. A method, according to claim 10, wherein component version information is accessed by providing an index value that corresponds to specific component information.

15. A method, according to claim 14, wherein an error code is received in response to attempting to access component version information using an index value that does not correspond to any component.

16. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 10.

17. A system having at least one processor that performs the steps recited in claim 10.

18. A method of adding components to an integrated software program having multiple components, comprising:

providing the integrated software program with a first baseline, wherein the first baseline indicates which components are part of the integrated software program;

revising the first baseline to provide a second baseline, wherein the second baseline includes at least one component not present in the first baseline; and

running an update process on the integrated software program using the second baseline, wherein, in response to the update process detecting at least one component in the second baseline that is not in the integrated software program, the update process causes the at least one component to be added to the integrated software program.

19. A method, according to claim 18, wherein the integrated software program is a computer operating system.

20. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 18.