METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR VERSION INDEPENDENT SOFTWARE RELEASE MANAGEMENT

• US 20110099543A1
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trend Micro Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Trend Micro Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: THORLEY, Jeb Stuart, Foster, Justin Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,117,596 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

A method for assembling an update for a software release is described, comprising defining classes of software components, each class comprising one or more instances of the class, each instance having a unique identifier, each instance representing a software component, which has one or more version; for each version of a software component, assigning time stamps and indicators identifying status of the version; introducing a flexible coupling between versions of components and instances of classes by providing a pointer between a version of a component and a unique identifier of an instance of a class; selecting versions of software components from which pointers originate; for each instance of the class, to which the pointer points at, selecting one version of the software component based on the assigned indicators; and assembling the selected versions of software components into the update of the software release. A corresponding system is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for assembling an update for a software release, comprising steps of:

(a) defining classes of software components, each class comprising one or more instances of the class, each instance having a unique identifier (UID), each instance of the class representing a software component, which has one or more versions;

(b) for each version of a software component, assigning one or more time stamps, and an indicator identifying a status of the version of the software component;

(c) introducing a flexible coupling between versions of components and instances of classes by providing a pointer between a version of a component and a UID of an instance of a class;

(d) selecting versions of software components from which pointers originate;

(e) for each instance of the class, to which the pointer points at, selecting one version of the software component based on the assigned indicators;

(f) assembling the selected versions of software components into the update of the software release.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the step (b) comprises assigning one or more of the following indicators:

(l) a deleted indicator when a version of software component is no longer needed;

(m) an issued indicator when a version of software component is included in a current software release;

or

(n) an un-issued indicator when a new version of the software component has been submitted to repository of software components, or when the version of software component does not have the issued or deleted indicator.

3. The method as described in claim 2(1), wherein the step (b) comprises:

(p) assigning a checked-in date set and an issued date set to each version of the software components.

4. The method as described in claim 3, wherein the step (p) comprises assigning the checked-in date set, including a checked-in date time stamp when the version of the software component has become the latest version of the software component, and a checked-in retired date time stamp when a new version of the software component is submitted to repository of software components.

5. The method as described in claim 3, wherein the step (p) comprises assigning the issued date set including an issued date time stamp when the version of software component is assigned the issued indicator, and an issued retired date time stamp when the version of software component is assigned the un-issued or deleted indicator.

6. The method as described in claim 2, wherein the steps (d) and (e) comprise selecting versions of software components, which have the issued indicator to form an issued view of the software components.

7. The method as described in claim 2, wherein the steps (d) and (e) comprise selecting versions of software components having the most recent checked-in date time stamps and no checked-in retired date time stamps to form a latest view of the software components.

8. The method as described in claim 2, wherein the step (a) comprises defining one or more of the following classes:

(i) an Application Type class;

(ii) a Filter class;

(iii) a Port List class.

9. The method as described in claim 4, further comprising a step (y1) preventing the version of the software component, from which the pointer originates, to be set as the issued version of the software component unless at least one version of a software component in the instance of the class, to which the pointer points at, has the issued indicator, the step (y1) being performed before the step (f).

10. The method as described in claim 4, further comprising a step (y2) preventing the version of the software component, to which the pointer points, to have a deleted indicator applied as long as the version of the software component is pointed to by a pointer originating from a version of another software component, which has an issued indicator, the step (y2) being performed before the step (f).

11. The method as described in claim 1, further comprising a step (y3) preventing the version of the software component to have un-issued indicator once the version of software component is included in the update of the software release.

12. The method as described in claim 8, wherein the step (c) comprising providing the pointer between the version of the software component in the Filter class and the UID of the instance of the Application Type class.

13. The method as described in claim 2, wherein the step (b) comprises:

(z1) provided the version of software component has a valid name, determining whether the version of software component does not have a deleted indicator;

(z2) performing validation for the version of software component based on the class;

(z3) if there is no a previous version of software component, assigning a checked-in date time stamp to the version of software component;

otherwise,

(z4) if there is a previous version of software component, setting a checked-in retired time stamp to the previous version of software component;

z5) otherwise terminating the step (q).

14. The method as described in claim 13, wherein the step (z2) comprises:

checking-in the version of the Filter component from which the pointer originates, comprising;

ensuring that an Application Type component, to which the pointer points at, exists; and

provided there is a pointer to another Filter component, ensuring that said another Filter component exists.

15. The method as described in claim 2, wherein the step (b) comprises:

(s) assigning the issued indicator to the version of software component, comprising;

(s1) performing validation of the version of software component based on the class;

(s2) if the version of software component has a deleted indicator, assigning an un-issued indicator to the version of software component;

(s2) if the version of software component does not have a deleted indicator;

determining that the version of software component does not have any version with the issued indicator, followed by assigning the issued indicator to the version of software component and setting an issued retired date time stamp to a previous version of software component.

16. The method as described in claim 15, wherein the step (s1) comprises:

(t) assigning the issued indicator to the version of the Filter component from which the pointer originates, comprising;

ensuring that an Application Type component, to which the pointer points at, exists and has an issued indicator; and

provided there is a pointer to another Filter component, ensuring that said another Filter component exists and has an issued indicator;

otherwise terminating the step (t).

17. The method as described in claim 6, wherein the step (b) comprises:

(u) un-issuing the version of software component, comprising assigning the un-issued indicator, comprising;

(u1) performing validation of the version of software component based on the class;

(u2) determining whether the version of software component was not previously included in the update of software release and then deleted from the update;

(u3) if the version of software component has a deleted indicator, assigning an un-issued indicator to the version of software component;

(u4) if the version of software component does not have a deleted indicator, assigning an issued indicator to the version of software component, and assigning an issued retired date time stamp to the previous version of software component;

(u4) otherwise, terminating step (u).

18. The method as described in claim 17, wherein the step (u) comprises:

(v) un-issuing a version of Port List component, including assigning the un-issued indicator, comprising;

searching for versions of Application Type software components in the Latest view or the Issued view, which point to the version of the Port List component; and

terminating the step (v) if the Applicant Type software components, which point to the Port List software component, have issued indicators.

19. The method as described in claim 7, wherein the step (b) comprises:

(w) assigning the deleted indicator to the version of software component, comprising;

(w1) performing validation of the version of software component based on the class;

(w2) provided the version of software component has not been withdrawn from a repository of software components for further development;

(ww2) if the version of software component has an issued indicator, assigning an un-issued indicator and an issued retired time stamp to the previous version of the software component;

(www2) if the version of software component does not have an issued indicator, assigning the deleted indicator to the version of software component and setting its checked-in retired date stamp to the current date.

20. The method as described in claim 19, wherein the step (w1) comprises:

(x) assigning the deleted indicator to the version of the Port List component, comprising ensuring that no version of the Application Type component in the Latest view or the Issued view points at the instance of the Port List class.

26. A computer readable medium, comprising computer readable instructions stored thereon, for execution by a processor, to perform the steps of the method as described in claim 1.

21. A system for assembling an update for software release, comprising:

(a) a repository of classes of software components, each class comprising one or more instances of the class, each instance having a unique identifier (UID), each instance of the class representing a software component, which has one or more versions;

(b) a software release management module, comprising;

(b1) a rule repository, comprising rules for flexible coupling between versions of software components and instances of classes by providing a pointer between a version of a software component and a UID of an instance of a class;

(b2) means for assigning, for each software component, one or more time stamps and indicators identifying status of the software component in accordance with the rules;

(b3) means for selecting versions of software components from which the pointers originate; and

for selecting, for each instance of the class, to which the pointer points at, one version of the software component based on the assigned indicators; and

(c) means for assembling the selected versions of the software components into the update of the software release.

22. The system as described in claim 21, wherein the indicators comprise one or more of the following:

(l) a deleted indicator when a version of software component is no longer needed;

(m) an issued indicator when a version of software component is included in a current software release; and

(n) an un-issued indicator when a new version of the software component has been submitted to repository of software components, or when the version of software component does not have the issued or deleted indicator.

23. The system as described in claim 22, wherein the means (b2) comprises means for assigning date sets, comprising a checked-in date set and an issued date set, to each version of the software components;

wherein the checked-in date set includes a checked-in date time stamp when the version of the software component has become the latest version of the software component, and a checked-in retired date time stamp when a new version of the software component is submitted to repository of software components; and

wherein the issued date set includes an issued date time stamp when the version of software component is assigned the issued indicator, and an issued retired sate time stamp when the version of software component is assigned the un-issued or deleted indicator.

24. The system as described in claim 22, wherein the means (b3) comprises means for generating views of versions of software components, including generating an issued view by selecting versions of software components, which have the issued indicator, and a latest view by selecting version of components, which have the most recent checked-in date time stamp.

25. The system as described in claim 21, wherein the repository of classes (a) comprises one or more of the following classes:

(i) an Application Type class;

(ii) a Filter class;

(iii) a Port List class.