METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR INCREMENTALLY UPDATING A SOFTWARE APPLIANCE

• US 20090222806A1
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Faus, Norman Lee, Huff, David P., Kearney, Bryan M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,935,687 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates

Abstract

An appliance support module can be configured to update and upgrade the software incrementally. To achieve this, the appliance support module can be configured to receive a request to update or upgrade a software appliance. The request can include the update or upgrade requested and information describing the software appliance to upgrade or update. Based on the request, the appliance support module can be configured to determine alterations to make to a original binary image of the software appliance to upgrade or update.

Claims

1. A method of providing software, the method comprising:

receiving a request to modify a software appliance, the software appliance comprising a binary image of data embodying at least one application and portions of an operating system necessary to provide an execution platform for the at least one application;

determining a modification to the binary image, the modification comprises a change to bits of the binary image that modify the software appliance according to the request; and

providing the modification to an initiator of the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to modify the software appliance comprises a request to modify the at least one of the at least one application and the portions of the operating system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to modify the software appliance comprises a request to add at least one other application to the software appliance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the modification to the binary image comprises:

determining the binary image of the software appliance;

determining a modified binary image of the software appliance, wherein the modified binary image embodies data of the software appliance modified according to the request; and

comparing the binary image and the modified binary image to determine the change in bits.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the modification to the binary image comprises:

determining a recipe of the binary image of the software appliance;

determining a modified recipe of a modified binary image of the software appliance, wherein the modified binary image embodies data of the software appliance modified according to the request; and

comparing the recipe and modified recipe to determine the change in bits.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the modification comprises:

storing the modification in a repository; and

providing a link to a location of the modification in the repository.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the modification comprises:

transmitting the modification to the initiator of the request.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the modification comprises:

storing the modification on a computer readable medium.

9. An apparatus for providing a software, the apparatus comprising:

a program interface adapted to receive a request to modify a software appliance, the software appliance comprising a binary image of data embodying at least one application and portions of an operating system necessary to provide an execution platform for the at least one application; and

a control module coupled to the program interface, the control module configured to determine a modification to the binary image, the modification comprises a change to bits of the binary image that modify the software appliance according to the request,

wherein the program interface is further adapted to provide the modification to an initiator of the request.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the program interface is further adapted to receive a request to modify the at least one of the at least one application and the portions of the operating system.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the program interface is further adapted to receive a request to add at least one other application to the software appliance.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a updating module coupled to the control module, the updating module configured to determine the binary image of the software appliance;

to determine a modified binary image of the software appliance, wherein the modified binary image embodies data of the software appliance modified according to the request; and

to compare the binary image and the modified binary image to determine the change in bits.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the updating module is further configured to determine a recipe of the binary image of the software appliance;

to determine a modified recipe of a modified binary image of the software appliance, wherein the modified binary image embodies data of the software appliance modified according to the request; and

to compare the recipe and modified recipe to determine the change in bits.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the program interface is further adapted to provide a link to a location of the modification in a repository.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the program interface is further adapted to transmit the modification to the initiator of the request.

16. A system for developing providing software, the system comprising:

a network configured to provide a communication channel for a plurality of users; and

a web service portal coupled to the network and configured to provide products and services to the plurality of users, wherein the web-service portal further comprises;

a program interface adapted to receive a request to modify a software appliance, the software appliance comprising a binary image of data embodying at least one application and portions of an operating system necessary to provide an execution platform for the at least one application; and

a control module coupled to the program interface, the control module configured to determine a modification to the binary image, the modification comprises a change to bits of the binary image that modify the software appliance according to the request,

wherein the program interface is further adapted to provide the modification to an initiator of the request.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the program interface is further adapted to receive a request to modify the at least one of the at least one application and the portions of the operating system.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the program interface is further adapted to receive a request to add at least one other application to the software appliance.

19. The system of claim 16, the web-service portal further comprising:

a updating module coupled to the control module, the updating module configured to determine the binary image of the software appliance;

to determine a modified binary image of the software appliance, wherein the modified binary image embodies data of the software appliance modified according to the request; and

to compare the binary image and the modified binary image to determine the change in bits.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the updating module is further configured to determine a recipe of the binary image of the software appliance;

to determine a modified recipe of a modified binary image of the software appliance, wherein the modified binary image embodies data of the software appliance modified according to the request; and

to compare the recipe and modified recipe to determine the change in bits.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the program interface is further adapted to provide a link to the modification a repository.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the program interface is further adapted to transmit the modification to the initiator of the request.