METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DYNAMICALLY GENERATING INSTALLATION CONFIGURATION FILES FOR SOFTWARE

• US 20080320472A1
• Filed: 06/20/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Zazrivec, Milan, Laska, James, Woods, Will
• Granted Patent: US 8,561,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and systems for dynamically generating configuration files used in installing software distributions and software installation testing. In particular, the present invention employs a framework comprising an API to discover and monitor an inventory of distributions, a set of templates for the configuration files, and plugins that may be selectively invoked to customize the configuration files. When performing installation testing, a server will access the distribution inventory and select appropriate templates that are to be part of the test. The server will then automatically generate the installation configuration files from the templates. The server may also execute one or more plugins that customize the configuration files as desired. Small client applications run on the target machines of the installation tests and are used to download the configuration files and the distributions. The present invention may also employ a scheduling service to coordinate the operations of the server and target machines.

Claims

1. A method of generating configuration files for installing software on a target machine, said method comprising:

receiving a request for installation of a software distribution on a target machine;

identifying a template for the software distribution; and

generating an installation configuration file for the software distribution based on the identified template.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request comprises receiving a request via a command line interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request comprises receiving a request remotely via a remote procedure call from a client running on the target machine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the template for the software distribution comprises:

querying a template list;

retrieving a set of templates based on information in the template list; and

selecting at least one of the templates based on the request.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the template for the software distribution comprises:

querying a template list;

retrieving a set of templates based on information in the template list; and

selecting at least one of the templates based on a characteristic of the software distribution.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the template for the software distribution comprises:

querying a template list;

retrieving a set of templates based on information in the template list; and

selecting at least one of the templates based on a characteristic of the target machine.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an installation configuration file for the software distribution comprises generating a kickstart file for a Linux distribution.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising customizing the installation configuration file based on executing at least one plugin.

9. An apparatus comprising means configured to perform the method of claim 1.

10. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable code for performing the method of claim 1.

11. A method of installing a software distribution onto a plurality of target machines, said method comprising:

receiving a request for installation of the software distribution;

identifying a set of templates for the software distribution;

generating installation configuration files for the software distribution based on the identified templates; and

installing the software distribution on the target machines based on the installation configuration files.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the request for installation of the software distribution comprises receiving a script.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying the set of templates comprises:

querying a template list;

retrieving a set of templates based on information in the template list; and

selecting templates based on respective characteristics of the target machines.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying the set of templates comprises:

querying a template list;

retrieving a set of templates based on information in the template list; and

selecting templates based on a test plan.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying the set of templates comprises:

querying a template list;

retrieving a set of templates based on information in the template list; and

selecting templates based on an origin of the request.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying the set of templates comprises:

querying a template list;

retrieving a set of templates based on information in the template list; and

selecting templates based on an identity of an entity making the request.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein generating installation configuration files for the software distribution comprises generating kickstart files for a Linux distribution.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein generating installation configuration files for the software distribution based on the identified templates.

19. A method of installation testing software distributions on a plurality of target machines, said method comprising:

determining when software distributions are received;

identifying a set of templates for each of the software distributions;

generating installation configuration files for the software distributions based on the identified templates; and

installing the software distributions on the target machines based on the installation configuration files.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining when software distribution files are received comprises receiving an information file via an application programming interface.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein determining when software distribution files are received comprises receiving a composeinfo file via an application programming interface.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein determining when software distribution files are received comprises scanning a shared network file system.