SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING AND UPDATING A UNIFIED CLIENT

• US 20110126192A1
• Filed: 10/26/2010
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Batson, Kevin, Frost, Simon
• Application Number:
  US12/912,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20110126192A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons

Abstract

The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for more efficiently managing installation of a plurality of application plug-ins for a client device. A client device executes, upon startup, a receiver application. The receiver application may manage installations of application plug-ins for a user of the client device. The receiver application may receive from an update server a delivery of application plug-ins to install on the client device. Upon receipt of the delivery, the receiver application may automatically install each of the application plug-ins on the client device transparently to the user of the client device. The receiver application may automatically start each of the application plug-ins.

Claims

1. A method for more efficiently managing installation of a plurality of application plug-ins for a client device, the method comprising:

(a) executing, by a client device upon startup a receiver application, the receiver application manages installation of application plug-ins for a user of the client device;

(b) receiving, by the receiver application from an update server, a delivery of application plug-ins to install on the client device;

(c) installing automatically, by the receiver application upon receipt of the delivery, each of the application plug-ins on the client device transparently to the user of the client device; and

(d) automatically starting, by the receiver application, each of the application plug-ins.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises automatically executing the receiver application upon installation of the receiver application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises checking, by the receiver application, the update server for a newer version of the receiver application, and automatically updating itself to the newer version.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises receiving, by the receiver application for each of the application plug-ins a plug-in install file and a corresponding metadata file, the metadata file comprising one of properties or commands for installation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises receiving, by the receiver application for each of the application plug-ins, a metadata file that defines properties for silent install, upgrade and uninstall of the application plug-in.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises receiving, by the receiver application for each of the application plug-ins, a metadata file that defines commands for silent install, upgrade and uninstall of the application plug-in

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises installing, by the receiver application, each of the application plug-ins based on a corresponding metadata file that defines properties for installation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises detecting, by the receiver application, that an application plug-in needs remote access, and establishing a secure connection for the application plug-in.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises automatically starting, by the receiver application, the application plug-ins in a correct order.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically checking, by the receiver application, with the update server for updates to each of the installed application plug-ins and if update available automatically updating the installed application plug-in transparently to the user.

11. A method for automatically delivering a plurality of application plug-ins to a plurality of client devices, the method comprising:

(a) creating, via an update server executing on a device, a delivery of a plurality of application plug-ins;

(b) identifying, via the update server, a location of a server for one or more of the plurality of the application plug-ins of the delivery;

(c) identifying, via the update server, a list of users to receive the delivery; and

(d) specifying, via the update server, a schedule of a date and time the delivery is to be available for transmission to the list of users.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the update server comprises a virtual appliance executing on the device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein step (a) further comprising defining an installer and a metadata file for each of the application plug-ins of the delivery, the metadata file comprising properties for silently installing the application plug-in.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein step (a) further comprising defining the delivery as one of a pilot delivery or a production delivery.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein step (a) further comprising selecting for the delivery an application plug-in from a list of application plug-ins uploaded to the update server.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising configuring, via the update server, contact information for support, for each of the application plug-ins of the delivery.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein step (b) further comprises storing the location for an application plug-in in a metadata file for the application plug-in.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein step (c) further comprises identifying a group of users for the list of users to receive the delivery.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising delivering, by the update server to a receiver application of each of the users in the list of users according to the schedule.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising updating one of an installer or a metadata file for an application plug-in of a delivery and re-delivering the delivery to update the application plug-in on the client device of at least one user in the list of users.