TOOLS FOR SOFTWARE STACKS

• US 20100192119A1
• Filed: 01/28/2010
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rogue Wave Software Incorporated (Perforce Software Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: OpenLogic, Inc. (Perforce Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cope, Rod, Weidner, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,832,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A tool is provided for addressing a number of issues related to providing support for software stacks including multiple uncoordinated components such as open source projects. The tool receives information about a stack, obtains support information specific to that stack and outputs the information to a user. A parsing functionality is also provided for selectively combining support information from the constituent projects of the stack.

Claims

1-38. -38. (canceled)

39. A method for use in analyzing open source content, comprising:

obtaining information about a policy of a client regarding use of items of open source content;

obtaining license information associated with one or more of said items of open source content;

obtaining use information associated with said one or more of said items of open source content; and

using said policy, said license information, and said use information, operating a computer-based tool to classify said one or more items of said open source content into one of two categories in relation to said policy.

40. A method as set forth in claim 39, wherein at least one of said items of said open source content comprises an open source project.

41. A method as set forth in claim 40, wherein said open source project comprises one of a software system, a software application, and a software tool.

42. A method as set forth in claim 39, wherein said policy defines one of use parameters and user parameters associated with said items of open source content.

43. A method as set forth in claim 42, wherein said use parameters define one or more allowable uses for ones of said items of open source content.

44. A method as set forth in claim 42, wherein said use parameters define one or more intended uses for ones of said items of open source content.

45. A method as set forth in claim 42, wherein said user parameters define one or more individual users or user groups allowed to use ones of said items of open source content.

46. A method as set forth in claim 39, wherein said use information identifies one of a use and a user of said one or more of said items of open source content.

47. A method as set forth in claim 46, wherein said user comprises an individual user or a user group.

48. A method as set forth in claim 39, wherein said license information identifies one or more license provisions regarding one of a license type, license restrictions, and license obligations.

49. A method as set forth in claim 39, wherein said two categories include a first category and a second category, and wherein each said item of open source content classified within said first category is in compliance with said policy and each said item of open source content classified within said second category is noncompliant with said policy.

50. A method as set forth in claim 39, wherein said step of operating comprises operating said computer-based tool to classify said items of open source content into one of three categories in relation to said policy.

51. A method as set forth in claim 50, wherein said three categories include a first category, a second category, and a third category, and wherein each said item of open source content classified within said first category is in compliance with said policy, each said item of open source content classified within said second category is noncompliant with said policy, and each said item of open source content classified with said third category is conditionally compliant with said policy.

52. A system for monitoring use of open source content, comprising:

storage for storing a client policy governing use of items of open source content separate from any rights granted by providers of said items of open source content;

interface structure for receiving an identification of one or more of said items of open source content and use information associated with said one or more of said items of open source content; and

a processor for using said identification of said one or more of said items of open source content, said use information, and said client policy to classify individual ones of said one or more of said items of open source content as either compliant or noncompliant in relation to said policy.

53. A system as set forth in claim 52, wherein at least one of said items of said open source content comprises an open source project.

54. A system as set forth in claim 53, wherein said open source project comprises one of a software system, a software application, and a software tool.

55. A system as set forth in claim 52, wherein said interface structure receives license information associated with said one or more of said items of open source content, and wherein said processor uses said license information, in addition to said identification of said one or more of said items of open source content, said use information, and said client policy, to classify said individual ones of said one or more of said items of open source content as either compliant or noncompliant in relation to said client policy.

56. A system as set forth in claim 55, wherein said license information identifies one or more license provisions regarding one of a license type, license restrictions, and license obligations.

57. A system as set forth in claim 52, wherein said client policy defines one of use parameters and user parameters associated with said items of open source content.

58. A system as set forth in claim 57, wherein said use parameters define one or more allowable uses for ones of said items of open source content.

59. A system as set forth in claim 57, wherein said user parameters define one or more individual users or user groups allowed to use ones of said items of open source content.

60. A system as set forth in claim 52, wherein said user information identifies one of a use and a user of said one or more of said items of open source content.

61. A system as set forth in claim 60, wherein said user comprises an individual user or a user group.

62-93. -93. (canceled)