Method and System for Creating and Executing Generic Software Packages

• US 20080127171A1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altiris Incorporated (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Tarassov, Andrei
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

Exemplary methods and systems for creating and executing generic software packages are disclosed. A method for creating generic software packages may include receiving a digital file, providing meta-data that indicates a feature of the digital file, and providing a determination module adapted to identify a target platform where the digital file is to be installed. The method may also include providing a configuration module adapted to configure the meta-data to be compatible with the target platform and including the determination module and the configuration module in the generic software package such that the generic software package includes the digital file, the meta-data, the determination module, and the configuration module. An exemplary method for executing generic software package may include providing the generic software package, identifying a target platform where the digital file is to be installed, and configuring meta-data to be compatible with the target platform.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for creating a generic software package, the method comprising:

receiving a digital file;

providing meta-data that indicates a feature of the digital file;

providing a determination module adapted to identify a target platform where the digital file is to be installed;

providing a configuration module adapted to configure the meta-data to be compatible with the target platform;

including the determination module and the configuration module in the generic software package such that the generic software package comprises the digital file, the meta-data, the determination module, and the configuration module.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a description of the digital file;

transforming the description of the digital file into the meta-data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of at least one desired target platform;

including the indication of the at least one desired target platform in the generic software package, wherein the determination module is adapted to select the target platform from the at least one desired target platform.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the determination module is adapted to automatically identify the target platform.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a native software package, the native software package comprising the digital file and the meta-data, wherein:

receiving the native software package comprises receiving the digital file;

receiving the native software package comprises providing the meta-data;

the native software package is native to a non-target platform.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising transforming the native software package into the generic software package by including the

determination module and the configuration module in the native software package;

wherein including the determination module and the configuration module in the generic software package comprises including the platform determination module and the configuration module in the native software package.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising transforming the meta-data to be compatible with the configuration module.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising copying the digital file from the native software package to the generic software package.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising including an installation module in the generic software package.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the target platform is an operating system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the feature of the digital file is at least one of:

a characteristic of the digital file;

an operation to be performed on the digital file.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration module is adapted to create a native software package that is native to the target platform.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration module is adapted to configure the meta-data to be compatible with the target platform by selecting predefined meta-data compatible with the target platform.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration module is adapted to configure the meta-data to be compatible with the target platform by transforming the meta-data into meta-data compatible with the target platform.

15. A system for creating a generic software package, comprising:

a first input adapted to receive a digital file;

a second input adapted to receive an indication of a feature of the digital file;

a storage medium adapted to store a determination module and a configuration module, the determination module being adapted to identify a target platform where the digital file is to be installed, and the configuration module being adapted to configure the indication of the feature of the digital file to be meta-data compatible with the target platform;

a first processor coupled to the storage medium, the first input, and the second input, the first processor being adapted to include the determination module and the configuration module in the generic software package such that the generic software package comprises the digital file, the meta-data, the determination module, and the configuration module.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a third input adapted to receive an indication of at least one desired target platform;

a second processor adapted to include the indication of the at least one desired target platform in the generic software package;

wherein the configuration module is adapted to select the target platform from the at least one desired target platform.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising a fourth input adapted to receive a native software package, the native software package comprising the digital file and the meta-data.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising a third processor configured to transform the native software package into the generic software package by including the determination module and the configuration module in the native software package.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein a single processor comprises the first, second, and third processors and a single input comprises the first, second, third, and fourth inputs.

20. A computer readable medium comprising instructions executable on a processor, the instructions being operable to implement each of:

receiving a digital file;

providing meta-data that indicates a feature of the digital file;

providing a determination module adapted to identify a target platform where the digital file is to be installed;

providing a configuration module adapted to configure the meta-data to be compatible with the target platform;

including the determination module and the configuration module in a generic software package such that the generic software package comprises the digital file, the meta-data, the determination module, and the configuration module.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the computer readable medium is at least one of an electronic storage medium, a magnetic storage medium, and an optical storage medium.

22. A computer-implemented method for executing a generic software package, the method comprising:

providing the generic software package, the generic software package comprising a digital file, an identification module, a configuration module, and meta-data;

identifying, using the identification module, a target platform where the digital file is to be installed;

configuring, using the configuration module, the meta-data to be compatible with the target platform;

reading the meta-data, the meta-data indicating a feature of the digital file;

installing the digital file on the target platform based on the meta-data.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising extracting the digital file and including the meta-data and the digital file in a native software package.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising removing the native software package.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the native software package is a folder that comprises the digital file and the meta-data.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the native software package is a binary file.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the installing the digital file comprises installing the digital file using a software package manager.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising executing an installation module, wherein the generic software package comprises the installation module and the installation module is adapted to install the digital file.

29. A computer readable medium comprising instructions executable on a processor, the instructions being operable to implement each of:

providing a generic software package, the generic software package comprising a digital file, an identification module, a configuration module, and meta-data;

identifying, using the identification module, a target platform where the digital file is to be installed;

configuring, using the configuration module, the meta-data to be compatible with the target platform;

reading the meta-data, the meta-data indicating a feature of the digital file;

installing the digital file on the target platform based on the meta-data.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the computer readable medium is at least one of an electronic storage medium, a magnetic storage medium, and an optical storage medium.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the instructions are further operable to implement extracting the digital file and including the meta-data and the digital file in a native software package.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the instructions are further operable to implement removing the native software package.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the native software package is a folder that comprises the digital file and the meta-data.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the native software package is a binary file.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the installing the digital file comprises installing the digital file using a software package manager.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the instructions are further operable to execute an installation module, wherein the generic software package comprises the installation module and the installation module is adapted to install the digital file.

37. A computer implemented method for deploying a generic software package, the method comprising:

providing the generic software package to a first client and a second client, the generic software package comprising a digital file, an identification module, a configuration module, and meta-data;

identifying, using the identification module, a first target platform where the digital file is to be installed, the first target platform being associated with the first client;

configuring, using the configuration module, the meta-data to be compatible with the first target platform;

reading the meta-data, the meta-data indicating a feature of the digital file;

installing the digital file on the first target platform based on the meta-data;

identifying, using the identification module, a second target platform where the digital file is to be installed, the second target platform being associated with the second client;

configuring, using the configuration module, the meta-data to be compatible with the second target platform;

reading the meta-data, the meta-data indicating the feature of the digital file;

installing the digital file on the second target platform based on the meta-data.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising executing an installation module, wherein the generic software package comprises the installation module and the installation module is adapted to install the digital file on the first and second target platforms.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising extracting the digital file and including the meta-data and the digital file in a native software package, wherein the native software package is a folder that comprises the digital file and the meta-data.

40. The method of claim 37, further comprising extracting the digital file and including the meta-data and the digital file in a native software package, wherein the native software package is a binary file.