SMART PATCH DELIVERY SYSTEM

• US 20120089973A1
• Filed: 10/11/2010
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: BHAT, B. G. PRASHANTH, ANANTHAPADMANABH, MADHU B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,954,949 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates

Abstract

Software fix packs and/or APAR'"'"'s are maintained at a server for use on a requesting computer system. The requesting computer system makes a request for a specific APAR, which is identified by a version number, from the server. The server determines, by examining the requesting computer'"'"'s request, whether the requesting computer system has all required software dependencies for the requested APAR. When it is determined what the requesting computer systems needs, the server bundles the requested APAR and any required software dependencies, not already on the requesting computer system, for shipment to the requesting computer system.

Claims

1. A method for processing software repairs at a remote computer system, wherein a requesting computer system and the remote computer system are interconnected over an electronic network, comprising:

receiving, at the remote computer system, at least one software repair request, said request identifying desired software by a first version number;

at the remote computer system, determining from said request, using a processor, required dependencies for said desired software; and

bundling said desired software and said required software dependencies for shipment to the requesting computer system over the electronic network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said request further comprises a level of current software at the requesting computer system, identified by a second version number, and the existence of requesting computer system dependencies associated therewith, in said request.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining, at the remote computer system, a validity of said request.

4. The method of claim 3, upon a determination that said request is invalid, denying said request.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, instructing the requesting computer system to store in a memory, currently installed software version numbers and dependency information thereto, as java class file attributes.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing in a memory, on the remote computer system, available software version numbers and dependency information thereto, as java class file attributes.

7. A computer system for processing software repairs at a remote computer system, wherein a requesting computer system and the remote computer system are interconnected over an electronic network, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory connected to the processor, wherein the memory is encoded with instructions and wherein the instructions when executed comprise;

instructions for receiving, at the remote computer system, at least one software repair request, said request identifying desired software by a first version number;

instructions for determining, from said request, at the remote computer system, whether there are required dependencies for said desired software; and

instructions for bundling said desired software and said required dependencies for shipment to the requesting computer system over the electronic network.

8. The computer system of claim 7, further comprising instructions for adding a level of current software at the requesting computer system, said current software identified by a second version number, and the existence of requesting computer system dependencies associated therewith, in said request.

9. The computer system of claim 8, further comprising instructions for determining, at the remote computer system, a validity of said request.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein upon determining said request is invalid, instructions for denying said request.

11. The computer system of claim 7, further comprising instructions for storing, in a memory on the requesting computer system, currently installed software version numbers and any dependency information thereto, as java class file attributes.

12. The computer system of claim 7, further comprising instructions for storing, in a memory on the remote computer system, available software version numbers and dependency information as java class file attributes.

13. A computer program product for processing software repairs at a remote computer system, wherein a requesting computer system and the remote computer system are interconnected over an electronic network, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code configured to receive, at the remote computer system, at least one software repair request, said request identifying desired software by a first version number;

computer readable program code configured to determine, at the remote computer system, required dependencies for said desired software; and

computer readable program code configured to bundle said desired software and said required dependencies for shipment to the requesting computer system over the electronic network.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising computer readable program code configured to include a level of current software at the requesting computer system, identified by a second version number, and the existence of requesting computer system dependencies associated therewith, in said request.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising computer readable program code configured to determine at the remote computer system, a validity of said request.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein upon determining that said request is invalid, computer readable program code configured to deny said request

17. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising computer readable program code configured to store, in a memory on the requesting computer system, currently installed software version numbers and dependency information thereto, as java class file attributes.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising computer readable program code configured to store, in a memory on the remote computer system, available software version numbers and dependency information thereto, as java class file attributes.