NFS AGENT UPGRADE

• US 20100293201A1
• Filed: 05/12/2009
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Jang, Eunhei, Vale, Anupama, Thergaonkar, Shilpa
• Granted Patent: US 8,332,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/803
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/183 Provision of network file services by network file servers, e.g. by using NFS, CIFS network file access protocols H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/818 OS software

Abstract

A networked system includes a master agent and at least one state agent. When upgrading the software of the master agent and the state agents, only the binary files at a shared location at the master agent are changed. To accomplish the change, a watchdog process at the state agent watches for the presence of a marker file at the master agent. The master agent produces the marker file if the master agent will accomplish a software upgrade. When the marker file is present, the state agent stops execution. The watchdog continues to monitor the presence of the marker file until the marker file is deleted at the end of the installation process. When the marker file is deleted, the state agent installs the new binary files associated with the software upgrade and resumes execution.

Claims

1. A system for updating software, the system comprising:

a master agent, the master agent comprising a binary file stored at a shared location;

a state agent in communication with the master agent, wherein the state agent is at a remote location and wherein the state agent is operable to use the binary file from the shared location for execution;

wherein the master agent is operable to receive a new binary file to update the binary file at the shared location;

wherein the master agent is operable to install the new binary file; and

wherein the state agent is operable to use the new binary file after the master agent installs the new binary file.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the master agent creates a marker file in response to receiving the new binary file and deletes the marker file when the new binary file has been installed.

3. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the state agent comprises a watchdog, wherein the watchdog monitors the master agent for the presence of the marker file.

4. The system as defined in claim 3, wherein, if no marker file is present, the watchdog is operable to pause before monitoring for the marker file again;

wherein, if a marker file is present, the state agent is operable to stop execution; and

wherein the watchdog is operable to wait for a predetermined period of time, operable to periodically check for the marker file, and operable to restart the state agent if the marker file is no longer present.

5. The system as defined in claim 4, wherein the master agent further comprises a script file, wherein the script file scripts a change to the state agent upon restart.

6. The system as defined in claim 5, wherein, upon restart of the state agent, the state agent is operable to check for the script file and operable to execute the script file to change the state agent.

7. The system as defined in claim 6, wherein the state agent further comprises a configuration file, wherein the script changes the configuration file.

8. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a second state agent;

wherein the state agent comprises a first configuration file;

wherein the second state agent comprises a second configuration file; and

wherein the first configuration file is different from the second configuration file.

9. The system as defined in claim 8, wherein the master agent comprises a script file, wherein, upon restart of the state agent and the second state agent, the script file modifies the first configuration file and the second configuration file.

10. A method for modifying a state agent, the method comprising:

a watchdog of the state agent scanning for a marker file located at a master agent;

the watchdog determining if the marker file is present;

if the marker file is not present, the watchdog waiting for a predetermined period of time;

the watchdog repeating the scanning step;

if the marker file is present, stopping the execution of the state agent;

the watchdog scanning for the marker file;

the watchdog determining if the marker file is absent;

if the marker file is not absent, the watchdog waiting for a predetermined period of time;

the watchdog repeating the scanning step;

if the marker file is absent, the state agent using new binaries from the master agent to execute; and

executing the state agent with the new binaries.

11. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein, in response to the marker file being absent, the watchdog determines if a script file is present at the master agent.

12. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein, in response to determining a script file is present, the watchdog executes the script file to change a configuration file at the state agent.

13. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the new binaries are stored at a location defined by a configuration file modified before installing the new binaries.

14. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the state agent is an NFS agent.

15. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the state agent is a component of an enterprise manager system.

16. A computer-readable medium, stored on a tangible medium and encoding computer-executable instructions when executed by a processor, causes the processor to execute a method to install a software upgrade from a master agent to two or more state agents remotely located to and in communication with the master agent, the instructions comprising:

instructions to receive the software upgrade to one or more binary files, wherein the binary files are stored at a shared location at the master agent, and wherein the two or more state agents use the one or more binary files from the shared location to execute;

instructions to create a marker file at the master agent to publish the existence of the software upgrade;

instructions to receive a script file associated with the software upgrade, wherein the script file modifies the configuration of file of the two or more state agents;

instructions to install the software upgrade to the binary files;

instructions to delete the marker file; and

instructions to provide the installed binary files of the software upgrade and the script file to the two or more state agents.

17. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 16, further comprising instructions to receive a confirmation from the two or more state agents that the two or more state agents have stopped executing.

18. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 16, further comprising determining if the installation of the software upgrade is complete;

if the installation of the software upgrade is complete, deleting the marker file;

if the installation of the software upgrade is not complete, waiting a predetermined period of time; and

repeating the step of determining if the installation of the software upgrade is complete.

19. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 16, wherein the marker file is created in a predetermined location.

20. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 16, wherein the binary files for the software upgrade are stored in a different location from an original binary file;

wherein the script file directs the state agent to use the binary files for the software upgrade from the different location to execute.