Multi-installer product deployment

• US 20070256072A1
• Filed: 05/01/2006
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: James, Jeffrey, Barr, Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/415,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20070256072A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A custom action associated with a core installer leverages privileges of the core installer to access satellite installers. The custom action includes code for identifying that a software product includes multiple installers and that the core installer has been cached. The custom action determines the product source. Identified satellite installers are associated with the client device. Pre-generated scripts of the satellite installers are accessed and the scripts are applied to the client to facilitate satellite installer advertisement/assignment. In this manner, the custom action associated with the core installer leverages the privileges of the core installer to install satellite installers on a lockdown client device. The custom action allows multi-installer software products to be installed on a client via a software deployment technology configured for single installer software products. As such, multi-installer software products may be easily deployed and installed on client devices.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for installing a multi-installer program with single installer deployment, the method comprising:

associating a custom action with a core installer of a program;

instantiating an installation of the core installer, wherein the custom action is executed during the installation of the core installer; and

leveraging privileges of the core installer to facilitate access to satellite installers identified by the custom action.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the program is a software program having multiple installers.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the core installer includes application binaries and the satellite installers include resource strings.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein instantiating the installation includes a boot process.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein instantiating the installation includes advertising the core installer and activating an entry point associated with the advertising.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the custom action is configured to identify a source of the core installer.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the custom action is configured to leverage the privileges of the core installer to scan the source.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the custom action is configured to identify a satellite installer associated with the core installer.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the custom action is configured to access scripts associated with the satellite installers.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the scripts are preconfigured and embedded in the satellite installers.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the scripts are advertised.

12. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for accessing satellite installer during installation of a core installer, the instructions comprising:

determining the association of satellite installers during the installation of the core installer;

identifying a source of the core installer;

scanning the source;

identifying satellite installers associated with the core installer;

accessing pre-generated scripts associated with the satellite installers;

advertising the pre-generated scripts of the satellite installers.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein determining the association of satellite installers is facilitated by a custom action associated with the core installer.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the pre-generated scripts include default values.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising accessing actual values for the pre-generated scripts and replacing the default values with the actual values.

16. A computer-implemented method for leveraging privileges of a core installer to access satellite installers, the method comprising:

associating a custom action with a core installer of a multi-installer program;

instantiating the installation of the core installer;

executing the custom action of the core installer when installation is instantiated, wherein the custom action is configured to;

identify a source of the core installer;

leverage privileges of the core installer to scan the source;

identify satellite installers associated with the core installer;

access scripts associated with the satellite installers; and

advertise the scripts associated with the satellite installers.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising deploying the core installer with a single installer deployment module.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the core installer includes application binaries and the satellite installers include resource strings.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein instantiating the installation includes a boot process.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein instantiating the installation includes advertising the core installer and activating an entry point associated with the advertising.