SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING SOFTWARE UPGRADES

• US 20090144721A1
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: EBERLEIN, Peter, STORCH, Silke, SAID, Bare, LUBBE, Christoph, POTH, Andreas, SCHAUDE, Horst F., WAGNER, Andre, BRANDL, Tobias
• Granted Patent: US 8,225,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A method and system provide a business scenario. The method includes executing a first deployment unit on a first application platform. The method includes replacing an original second deployment with an upgraded second deployment unit on an upgraded second application platform. The method includes executing the upgraded second deployment unit. The method including transmitting messages related to the business scenario over a communications link between the first deployment unit and the upgraded second deployment unit. The method includes storing master data related to the business scenario in a data storage.

Claims

1. A method for providing a business scenario, comprising:

executing a first deployment unit on a first application platform;

replacing a second deployment unit on the first application platform with an upgraded second deployment unit on an upgraded second application platform;

executing the upgraded second deployment unit;

transmitting messages related to the business scenario over a communications link between the first deployment unit on the first application platform and the upgraded second deployment unit on the upgraded second application platform to provide the functionality of the business scenario distributed between the first application platform and the upgraded second application platform; and

replicating master data related to the business scenario from a first data storage accessible by the first deployment unit on the first application platform to a second data storage on the upgraded second application platform, wherein the second data storage is accessible by both the first deployment unit and the upgraded second deployment unit, thereby synchronizing the master data in the first data storage with the master data stored in the second data storage.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing a customer add-on module on the first application platform, the customer add-on module providing user-defined functionality in the business scenario, and communicating with the upgraded second deployment unit via messages.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

replacing the first deployment unit with an upgraded first deployment unit; and

replacing the customer add-on module with an upgraded customer add-on module, wherein the upgraded first deployment unit and the upgraded second application platform execute on a processor, wherein the upgraded customer add-on module communicates with the first application platform via messages.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application platform executes on a first processor, and

the upgraded second application platform executes on a second processor.

5. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving user input in the business scenario from a user terminal in communication with the first processor and the second processor.

6. A system for providing a business scenario, comprising:

a first application platform executing a first deployment unit;

an upgraded second application platform executing an upgraded second deployment unit, wherein the upgraded second deployment unit replaces an original second deployment;

a first data storage, accessible by the first deployment unit, for storing master data related to the business scenario;

a second data storage, accessible by the upgraded second deployment unit, for storing master data related to the business scenario; and

a communications link between the first deployment unit and the upgraded second deployment unit, the communication link configured to carry messages related to the business scenario including data that synchronizes the master data of the first data storage and the second data storage.

7. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a customer add-on module executing on the first deployment unit, the customer add-on module providing user-defined functionality in the business scenario.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the first deployment unit and the upgraded second deployment unit provide functionality to execute the business scenario.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a first processor executing the first application platform; and

a second processor executing the upgraded second application platform.

8. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

an upgraded first deployment unit replacing the first deployment unit; and

an upgraded customer add-on module executing on the upgraded first deployment unit, replacing the customer add-on module;

wherein the upgraded first application platform and the upgraded second application platform execute on a processor.

11. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a user terminal in communication with the first processor and the second processor, the user terminal for receiving user input in the business scenario.

12. A computer-readable medium including instructions adapted to execute a method for providing a business scenario, the method comprising:

executing a first deployment unit on a first application platform;

replacing an original second deployment with an upgraded second deployment unit on an upgraded second application platform;

executing the upgraded second deployment unit;

transmitting messages related to the business scenario over a communications link between the first deployment unit and the upgraded second deployment unit; and

storing master data related to the business scenario in a data storage.

13. The medium of claim 13, further comprising:

executing a customer add-on module on the first deployment unit, the customer add-on module providing user-defined functionality in the business scenario.

14. The medium of claim 14, further comprising:

replacing the first deployment unit with an upgraded first deployment unit; and

replacing the customer add-on module with an upgraded customer add-on module, wherein the upgraded first application platform and the upgraded second application platform execute on a processor.

15. The medium of claim 14, wherein the first deployment unit and the upgraded second deployment unit provide functionality to execute the business scenario.

16. The medium of claim 14, wherein the application platform provides a complete business solution to a customer.

17. The medium of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving user input in the business scenario from a user terminal in communication with a first processor and a second processor, wherein

the first application platform executes on the first processor, and

the upgraded second application platform executes on the second processor.

18. Method for upgrading a business application by maintaining data integrity and application functionality across a plurality of application platforms, comprising:

hosting a business application on a first application platform, wherein the business application comprises a plurality of deployment units, data modules and master data, the master data being stored on a first data storage device accessible by at least one deployment unit hosted on the first application platform;

installing on a second application platform, an upgraded deployment unit corresponding to at least one of the plurality of deployment units comprising the business application;

replicating master data associated with the business application on the first application platform to a second data storage device accessible by the upgraded deployment unit on the second application platform;

in response to a user input to the upgraded deployment unit, altering master data stored on the second data storage device accessible;

communicating via communication channels between the first application platform and the second application platform messages between at least one of the plurality of deployment units on the first application platform and the upgraded deployment unit on the second application platform; and

in response to the communicating, synchronizing the master data stored on the first data storage device and the data stored on the second data storage device.

19. The method of claim 19, comprising:

in response to the communicating, providing functions performed by the upgraded deployment unit on the second application platform to users connected to the first application platform.