Computer-readable recording medium containing application management program, and method and apparatus for application management

• US 20070244905A1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Broad Solution & Consulting, Inc. (Fujitsu Limited), Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Broad Solution & Consulting, Inc. (Fujitsu Limited), Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Ito, Yoshiyuki, Nishiyama, Soichi, Awamoto, Yasuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,146,074 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A computer-readable recording medium containing an application management program for automatically performing version management to surely manage versions of a client application that communicates with a server application. A communication request monitor acquires a communication request issued from a terminal device to a server, and extracts version information of a client application from the communication request. An upgrade determination unit determines whether the extracted version information shows the latest version, and determines that upgrade is necessary if the version is not the latest version. A setting file transmitter sends the communication request to the server if the upgrade determination unit does not determine that the upgrade is necessary. If the upgrade is necessary, on the contrary, the setting file transmitter discards the communication request and sends the client application setting file for the latest version to the terminal device sending the communication request.

Claims

1. A computer-readable recording medium containing an application management program for managing an upgrade status of a client application communicating with a server application, the application management program causing a computer to perform as:

setting file storage means for storing a client application setting file containing information required for a terminal device to execute the client application;

version information storage means for storing latest-version information on a latest version of the client application setting file stored in the setting file storage means;

communication request monitor means for, when the terminal device executing the client application issues a communication request including version information of the client application to a server executing the server application over a network, acquiring the communication request on the network and extracting the version information of the client application from the communication request;

upgrade determination means for consulting the version information storage means to determine whether a version indicated by the version information extracted by the communication request monitor means is the latest version, and determining that upgrade is necessary if the terminal device sending the communication request does not use the latest version; and

setting file transmission means for, if the upgrade determination means does not determine that the upgrade is necessary, transmitting the communication request to the server, and if the upgrade determination means determines that the upgrade is necessary, discarding the communication request and transmitting the client application setting file for the latest version stored in the setting file storage means to the terminal device sending the communication request.

2. The computer-readable recording medium containing the application management program according to claim 1, wherein, if the upgrade determination means determines that the upgrade is necessary, the setting file transmission means transmits an upgrade confirmation message to the terminal device, and when receiving a confirmation response to the upgrade confirmation message from the terminal device, transmits the client application setting file to the terminal device.

3. The computer-readable recording medium containing the application management program according to claim 1, wherein:

the communication request monitor means extracts user identification information and the version information from the communication request when acquiring the communication request including the user identification information and the version information, the user identification information identifying a user using the terminal device;

the application management program further causes the computer perform as;

user information storage means for storing the user identification information and information of an upgrade group that the user indicated by the user identification information belongs to, in association with each other;

operation information storage means for storing information indicating whether the latest version of the client application is applicable, for each upgrade group; and

group detection means for consulting the user information storage means to detect the upgrade group that the user indicated by the user identification information extracted by the communication request monitor means belongs to; and

the upgrade determination means consults the version information storage means to determine whether the version indicated by the version information extracted by the communication request monitor means is the latest version, and consults the operation information storage means to determine whether the latest version is applicable to the upgrade group detected by the group detection means, and determines that the upgrade is necessary if the terminal device sending the communication request does not use the latest version and the latest version is applicable.

4. The computer-readable recording medium containing the application management program according to claim 3, wherein:

the operation information storage means stores information of a scheduled upgrade date of starting to apply the latest version of the client application, for each upgrade group; and

the upgrade determination means determines that the latest version is applicable to the terminal device sending the communication request if the scheduled upgrade date for the upgrade group detected by the group detection means has come.

5. The computer-readable recording medium containing the application management program according to claim 3, wherein:

the version information storage means further stores previous-version information on previous versions of the client application; and

the upgrade determination means determines that the upgrade is necessary, irrespective of whether the latest version is applicable to the upgrade group detected by the group detection means, if the version indicated by the version information extracted by the communication request monitor means is a version that is preset version or more previous to the latest version.

6. The computer-readable recording medium containing the application management program according to claim 1, wherein:

the version information storage means further stores previous-version information on previous versions of the client application;

the communication request monitor means extracts user identification information and the version information from the communication request when acquiring the communication request including the user identification information and the version information, the user identification information identifying a user using the terminal device; and

the application management program further causes the computer to perform as;

user information storage means for storing the user identification information and the version information of the client application in association with each other, the client application executed by the terminal device used by the user identified by the user identification information;

version information update means for updating corresponding version information to the user identification information extracted by the communication request monitor means, to the version information extracted by the communication request monitor means, the corresponding version information stored in the user information storage means; and

upgrade status monitor means for consulting the version information storage means to detect a useless previous version that all users identified by the user identification information stored in the user information storage means do not use, as a removable version, and notifying a management terminal device of the computer of the removable version.

7. An application management method for managing an upgrade status of a client application communicating with a server application, wherein:

communication request monitor means, when a terminal device executing the client application issues a communication request including version information of the client application to a server executing the server application over a network, acquires the communication request on the network and extracts the version information of the client application from the communication request;

upgrade determination means consults version information storage means to determine whether a version indicated by the version information extracted by the communication request monitor means is a latest version, and determines that upgrade is necessary if the terminal device sending the communication request does not use the latest version, the version information storage means storing latest-version information on the latest version of the client application; and

setting file transmission means, if the upgrade determination means does not determine that the upgrade is necessary, transmits the communication request to the server, and if the upgrade determination means determines that the upgrade is necessary, discards the communication request and obtains and transmits a client application setting file for the latest version from setting file storage means to the terminal device sending the communication request, the setting file storage means storing the client application setting file containing information required for the terminal device to execute the client application.

8. The application management method according to claim 7, wherein, if the upgrade determination means determines that the upgrade is necessary, the setting file transmission means transmits an upgrade confirmation message to the terminal device, and when receiving a confirmation response to the upgrade confirmation message from the terminal device, transmits the client application setting file to the terminal device.

9. The application management method according to claim 7, wherein:

the communication request monitor means extracts user identification information and the version information from the communication request when acquiring the communication request including the user identification information and the version information, the user identification information identifying a user using the terminal device;

group detection means consults user information storage means to detect an upgrade group that the user indicated by the user identification information extracted by the communication request monitor means belongs to, the user information storage means storing the user identification information and information of the upgrade group that the user indicated by the user identification information belongs to, in association with each other; and

the upgrade determination means consults the version information storage means to determine whether the version indicated by the version information extracted by the communication request monitor means is the latest version, and consults operation information storage means to determine whether the latest version is applicable to the upgrade group detected by the group detection means, and determines that the upgrade is necessary if the terminal device sending the communication request does not use the latest version and the latest version is applicable, the operation information storage means storing information indicating whether the latest version of the client application is applicable, for each upgrade group.

10. The application management method according to claim 9, wherein the upgrade determination means consults the operation information storage means and determines that the latest version is applicable to the terminal device sending the communication request if a scheduled upgrade date for the upgrade group detected by the group detection means has come, the operation information storage means storing information of the scheduled upgrade date of starting to apply the latest version of the client application, for each upgrade group.

11. The application management method according to claim 9, wherein the upgrade determination means consults the version information storage means and determines that the upgrade is necessary, irrespective of whether the latest version is applicable to the upgrade group detected by the group detection means, if the version indicated by the version information extracted by the communication request monitor means is a version that is preset version or more previous to the latest version, the version information storage means further storing previous-version information on previous versions of the client application.

12. The application management method according to claim 7, wherein:

the communication request monitor means extracts user identification information and the version information from the communication request when acquiring the communication request including the user identification information and the version information, the user identification information identifying a user using the terminal device; and

version information update means for updating corresponding version information to the user identification information extracted by the communication request monitor means, to the version information extracted by the communication request monitor means, the corresponding version information stored in user information storage means that further stores the user identification information and the version information of the client application in association with each other, the client application executed by the terminal device used by the user identified by the user identification information; and

upgrade status monitor means for consulting the version information storage means to detect a useless previous version that all users identified by the user identification information stored in the user information storage means do not use, as a removable version, and notifying a management terminal device of the computer of the removable version, the version information storage means further storing previous-version information on previous versions of the client application.

13. An application management apparatus for managing an upgrade status of a client application communicating a server application, the application management apparatus comprises:

setting file storage means for storing a client application setting file containing information required for a terminal device to execute the client application;

version information storage means for storing latest-version information on a latest version of the client application setting file stored in the setting file storage means;

communication request monitor means for, when the terminal device executing the client application issues a communication request including version information of the client application to a server executing the server application over a network, acquiring the communication request on the network and extracting the version information of the client application from the communication request;

upgrade determination means for consulting the version information storage means to determine whether a version indicated by the version information extracted by the communication request monitor means is the latest version, and determining that upgrade is necessary if the terminal device sending the communication request does not use the latest version; and

setting file transmission means for, if the upgrade determination means does not determine that the upgrade is necessary, transmitting the communication request to the server, and if the upgrade determination means determines that the upgrade is necessary, discarding the communication request and transmitting the client application setting file for the latest version stored in the setting file storage means to the terminal device sending the communication request.

14. The application management apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, if the upgrade determination means determines that the upgrade is necessary, the setting file transmission means transmits an upgrade confirmation message to the terminal device, and when receiving a confirmation response to the upgrade confirmation message from the terminal device, transmits the client application setting file to the terminal device.

15. The application management apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

the communication request monitor means extracts user identification information and the version information from the communication request when acquiring the communication request including the user identification information and the version information, the user identification information identifying a user using the terminal device;

the application management apparatus further comprises;

user information storage means for storing the user identification information and information of an upgrade group that the user indicated by the user identification information belongs to, in association with each other;

operation information storage means for storing information indicating whether the latest version of the client application is applicable, for each upgrade group; and

group detection means for consulting the user information storage means to detect the upgrade group that the user indicated by the user identification information extracted by the communication request monitor means belongs to; and

the upgrade determination means consults the version information storage means to determine whether the version indicated by the version information extracted by the communication request monitor means is the latest version, and consults the operation information storage means to determine whether the latest version is applicable to the upgrade group detected by the group detection means, and determines that the upgrade is necessary if the terminal device sending the communication request does not use the latest version and the latest version is applicable.

16. The application management apparatus according to claim 15, wherein:

the operation information storage means stores information of a scheduled upgrade date of starting to apply the latest version of the client application, for each upgrade group; and

the upgrade determination means determines that the latest version is applicable to the terminal device sending the communication request if the scheduled upgrade date for the upgrade group detected by the group detection means has come.

17. The application management apparatus according to claim 15, wherein:

the version information storage means further stores previous-version information on previous versions of the client application; and

the upgrade determination means determines that the upgrade is necessary, irrespective of whether the latest version is applicable to the upgrade group detected by the group detection means, if the version indicated by the version information extracted by the communication request monitor means is a version that is preset version or more previous to the latest version.

18. The application management apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

the version information storage means further stores previous-version information on previous versions of the client application;

the communication request monitor means extracts user identification information and the version information from the communication request when acquiring the communication request including the user identification information and the version information, the user identification information identifying a user using the terminal device; and

the application management apparatus further comprises;

user information storage means for storing the user identification information and the version information of the client application in association with each other, the client application executed by the terminal device used by the user identified by the user identification information;

version information update means for updating corresponding version information to the user identification information extracted by the communication request monitor means, to the version information extracted by the communication request monitor means, the corresponding version information stored in the user information storage means; and

upgrade status monitor means for consulting the version information storage means to detect a useless previous version that all users identified by the user identification information stored in the user information storage means do not use, as a removable version, and notifying a management terminal device of the computer of the removable version.