PROACTIVE CACHING OF REMOTE ACTIONS

• US 20130024540A1
• Filed: 07/18/2011
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Such, Miroslav
• Granted Patent: US 8,805,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0836 to enhance reliability, e.g. reduce downtime
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A method and system for managing maintenance events in an enterprise computing environment. A client receives a maintenance file associated with a maintenance event from a server. The client device stores the maintenance file in local storage (e.g., cache), without installing the maintenance file. Subsequently, the client device receives an instruction from the server to install the previously downloaded and stored maintenance file.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing a maintenance event on a client, comprising:

transmitting a request to a server for information relating to a scheduled maintenance event;

receiving, from the server, a file relating to the scheduled maintenance event;

storing the file in a local storage, without execution of the file;

receiving, from the server, an instruction to install the stored file; and

installing the file in response to the instruction from the server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a downloaded file identifier is received with the file relating to the scheduled maintenance event.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein installing the file in response to the instruction from the server further comprises:

receiving, from the server, a maintenance file identifier relating to a scheduled maintenance event that is due, and

comparing the download file identifier and the maintenance file identifier, wherein the file is installed if there is a match.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the file comprises at least one of a software package, a remote script, and a configuration file.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to a scheduled maintenance event comprises an indication of a current maintenance event or an indication of a future maintenance event.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein there is a time interval of a minimum number of hours between receiving, from the server, a file relating to the scheduled maintenance event and installing the file in response to the instruction from the server.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6, further comprising providing the client with a downloaded file identifier.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the file comprises at least one of a software package, a remote script, and a configuration file.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 further comprising maintaining a maintenance schedule including a plurality of maintenance events for a plurality of client devices.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 further comprising receiving a file associated with a scheduled maintenance event from a server maintenance file repository.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the server maintenance file repository stores a plurality of files received from one or more maintenance file sources.

15. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the client maintenance event manager is further configured to receive a downloaded file identifier with the file relating to the scheduled maintenance event.

17. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the file comprises at least one of a software package, a remote script, and a configuration file.

18. The computer system of claim 13 further comprising a server having:

a server memory,

a server processing device, coupled to the server memory; and

a server maintenance schedule manager, executed from the server memory by the server processing device, to;

receive a request from the client device for information relating to the scheduled maintenance event,

download to the client device a file associated with the scheduled maintenance event,

determine if there is a current maintenance event for the client device, and

provide the client device with instructions to install a previously downloaded file associated with the current maintenance event.

19. The computer system of claim 13 further comprising a server having:

a server memory,

a server processing device, coupled to the server memory; and

a server maintenance schedule manager, executed from the server memory by the server processing device, to;

download to the client device a file associated with the scheduled maintenance event, during a download phase, and

provide the client device with instructions to install a previously downloaded file associated with the current maintenance event, during an installation phase.

20. The computer system of claim 18, wherein there is a time interval of a minimum number of hours between the download phase and the installation phase.

7. A computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request from a client for information relating to a scheduled maintenance event;

identifying a scheduled maintenance event for the client;

downloading to the client a file associated with the scheduled maintenance event;

determining if there is a current maintenance event for the client; and

providing the client with instructions to install a previously downloaded file associated with the current maintenance event.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, further comprising providing a maintenance file identifier with the instructions to install.

14. A computer system comprising:

a client device having;

a memory,

a processing device, coupled to the memory; and

a client maintenance event manager, executed from the memory by the processing device, to;

receive, from a server, a file relating to a scheduled maintenance event,

store the file in a local storage, without execution of the file,

receive, from the server, an instruction to install the stored file, and

install the file in response to the instruction from the server.

16. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the client maintenance event manager is further configured to receive, from the server, a maintenance file identifier relating to a scheduled maintenance event that is due, and compare the download file identifier and the maintenance file identifier, wherein the file is installed if there is a match.