Process Of Finding Out If Software Will Run On An Operating System Without Installing That Software

• US 20120131564A1
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Das, Kushal
• Granted Patent: US 8,863,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

A library controller that determines if a software is supported by an operating system is described. In one embodiment, the library controller receives the software and extracts library usage details from that software of a library that is provided by the operating system. In addition, the library controller compares the library usage details with library provisioning details of that library. Furthermore, the library controller presents results of the comparison.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to determine if a software is supported by an operating system, the method comprising:

receiving the software;

extracting, with a library controller, library usage details from the software of a library provided by the operating system;

comparing the library usage details with library provisioning details of the library; and

presenting results of the comparison on a display.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the library usage details includes one or more of symbols and symbol version required.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the library provisioning details includes one or more of symbols and symbol version provided.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the library is a shared library.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

if there is a mismatch in the library usage details and the library provisioning details, log an error.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising

saving the library usage details in a database.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising

saving the library provisioning details in a database.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the extracting the library usage details comprises:

retrieving symbols from a dynamic symbol table included in the software; and

retrieving versions of the retrieved symbols.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

extracting the library provisioning details from symbol tables included in the library.

10. A computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method comprising:

receiving the software;

extracting library usage details from the software of a library provided by the operating system;

comparing the library usage details with library provisioning details of the library; and

presenting results of the comparison on a display.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the library usage details includes one or more of symbols and symbol version required.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the library provisioning details includes one or more of symbols and symbol version provided.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the library is a shared library.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

if there is a mismatch in the library usage details and the library provisioning details, log an error.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

saving the library usage details in a database.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

saving the library provisioning details in a database.

17. A library interface processing device comprising:

a software receiving module to receive the software;

an library usage module, coupled to the software receiving module, to extract library usage details from the software of a library provided by the operating system;

a comparison module, coupled to the library usage module, to compare the library usage with library provisioning details of the library; and

a presentation module, coupled to the presenting results of the comparison on a display.

18. The library interface processing device of claim 17, wherein the library usage details includes one or more of symbols and symbol version required.

19. The library interface processing device of claim 17, wherein the library provisioning details includes one or more of symbols and symbol version provided.

20. The library interface processing device of claim 17, wherein the library is a shared library.