SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR PUSHING AN APPLICATION UPDATE BETWEEN TENANTS OF A MULTI-TENANT ON-DEMAND DATABASE SERVICE

• US 20100299664A1
• Filed: 05/21/2010
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Andrew, Weissman, Craig, Taylor, James
• Application Number:
  US12/784,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20100299664A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2379 Updates performed during online database operations; commit processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for pushing an application update between tenants of a multi-tenant on-demand database service. These mechanisms and methods for pushing an application update between tenants of a multi-tenant on-demand database service can enable tenants providing the application update to force instances of the application utilized by other tenants to be updated. This may allow the tenants providing the application update to ensure that instances of the application utilized by other tenants are updated.

Claims

1. A computer program product embodied on a tangible computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for receiving an update to an application from a first tenant of a multi-tenant on-demand database service; and

computer code for pushing the update to at least one instance of the application utilized by a respective second tenant of the multi-tenant on-demand database service.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the update includes a patch to the application.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first tenant includes a developer of the application that utilized the multi-tenant on-demand database service to generate the update to the application.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that each instance of the application is utilized by one of a plurality of different second tenants of the multi-tenant on-demand database service.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the update is automatically pushed to the at least one instance of the application in response to a request from the first tenant to push the update to the at least one instance of the application.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the update is automatically pushed to the at least one instance of the application based on a schedule configured by the first tenant.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the schedule indicates a time period during which the update is allowed to be automatically pushed to the at least one instance of the application.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the computer program product is operable such that a start time of the time period is restricted by the multi-tenant on-demand database service based on a time required to replicate the update across a plurality of instances of the multi-tenant on-demand database service.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the schedule indicates the second tenant.

10. The computer program product of claim 5, further comprising computer code for creating a push update job in response to the request.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising computer code for confirming the update to the at least one instance of the application prior to automatically pushing the update to the at least one instance of the application.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein confirming the update includes at least one of verifying that the request has not been cancelled and verifying that the at least one instance of the application utilized by the respective second tenant is installed.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein confirming the update includes verifying that a major and minor version to which the update is applicable matches a major and minor version of the at least one instance of the application utilized by the respective second tenant.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the update is automatically pushed to the at least one instance of the application based on the confirmation.

15. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising computer code for recording errors generated as a result of the automatic push of the update to the at least one instance of the application.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising computer code for automatically re-initiating the push of the update to the at least one instance of the application, based on the errors.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the push of the update to the at least one instance of the application is automatically re-initiated in response to a determination that the errors include predetermined errors.

18. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the at least one instance of the application utilized by the respective second tenant is installed on a first instance of the multi-tenant on-demand database service separate from a second instance of the multi-tenant on-demand database service by which the update is received, such that the update is replicated from the second instance to the first instance for automatically pushing the update to the at least one instance of the application utilizing the first instance.

19. A method, comprising:

receiving an update to an application from a first tenant of a multi-tenant on-demand database service; and

pushing the update to at least one instance of the application utilized by a respective second tenant of the multi-tenant on-demand database service.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor for receiving an update to an application from a first tenant of a multi-tenant on-demand database service, and pushing the update to at least one instance of the application utilized by a respective second tenant of the multi-tenant on-demand database service.

21. A method for transmitting code for use in a multi-tenant database system on a transmission medium, the method comprising:

transmitting code for receiving an update to an application from a first tenant of a multi-tenant on-demand database service; and

transmitting code for pushing the update to at least one instance of the application utilized by a respective second tenant of the multi-tenant on-demand database service.