Delta layering

• US 20080127086A1
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Viehmann, Robert, Sattler, Juergen, Gaffga, Joachim, Markert, Frank, Wolf, Werner
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/121
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

The present subject mater relates to configuration of software applications and, more particularly, delta layering of software application content. The various embodiments described herein provide systems, methods, and software to store a first application instance in a first layer and modify the first application instance, wherein the modifying includes a modification to one or more items of first application instance content. Some embodiments further store the first application instance modifications in a second layer, wherein the second layer can be deployed to a second application instance.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing a first application instance in a first layer;

modifying the first application instance, wherein the modifying includes a modification to one or more items of first application instance content;

storing the first application instance modifications in a second layer, and

wherein the second layer can be deployed to a second application instance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the first application instance includes adding to the first application instance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first application instance includes one or more preconfigured content packages; and

modifying the first application instance includes modifying a preconfigured content package.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

a preconfigured content package includes one or more configuration settings; and

modifying the preconfigured content package includes modifying the one or more configuration settings of the preconfigured content package.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein modifying the preconfigured content package configuration settings includes adding one or more additional configuration settings to the preconfigured content package.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein modifying the one or more preconfigured content package configuration settings includes hiding one or more configuration settings in the second layer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the first application instance includes defining a new preconfigured content package.

8. A machine-readable medium, with encoded instructions, which when executed, cause a machine to:

store a first application instance in a first layer;

receive modifications to the first application instance, wherein the modifications include a modification to one or more items of first application instance content;

store the first application instance modifications in a second layer, and

wherein the second layer can be deployed to a second application instance.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein modifying the first application instance includes adding to the first application instance.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein:

the first application instance includes one or more preconfigured content packages; and

the modifications to the first application instance include modifications to a preconfigured content package.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein:

a preconfigured content package includes one or more configuration settings; and

the modifications to the preconfigured content package include modifications to the one or more configuration settings of the preconfigured content package.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein modifications to the preconfigured content package configuration settings include addition of one or more additional configuration settings to the preconfigured content package.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein modifications to the one or more preconfigured content package configuration settings include hiding one or more configuration settings in the second layer.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein a modification to the first application instance includes adding a new preconfigured content package definition.

15. A system comprising:

a first application instance stored as a first layer;

a content authoring toolset to receive modification to the first application instance, wherein the modifications include a modification to one or more content items of first application instance; and

wherein;

the first application instance modifications are stored as a second layer, and

the second layer can be deployed to a second application instance.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein modification to the first application instance includes an addition to the first application instance.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the first application instance includes one or more preconfigured content packages; and

the modifications to the first application instance include modifications to a preconfigured content package.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

a preconfigured content package includes one or more configuration settings; and

the modifications to the preconfigured content package include modifications to the one or more configuration settings of the preconfigured content package.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the modifications to the preconfigured content package configuration settings include an addition of one or more additional configuration settings to the preconfigured content package.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein modification to the first application instance includes a definition of a new preconfigured content package.