Method and Apparatus for Distributing a Composite Software Stack as a Virtual Machine Image
First Claim
1. A method for publishing software, comprising:
- providing one or more virtual appliances, wherein each virtual appliance comprises a patch comprising file level differences relative to a parent virtual appliance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A composite software stack is distributed as a virtual appliance. A new virtual appliance is published by obtaining a parent virtual appliance; configuring the new virtual appliance; obtaining file level differences between the parent virtual appliance and the new virtual appliance; and publishing the new virtual appliance as a patch comprising the file level differences relative to the parent virtual appliance. The file level differences comprise additions, deletions and/or modifications to the parent virtual appliance. An update to a given virtual appliance can be published as a fix pack, wherein the fix pack comprises file level differences relative to the given virtual appliance. An end user obtains a desired virtual appliance by selecting the desired virtual appliance; obtaining metadata for the desired virtual appliance comprising an identifier of a patch file and a parent virtual appliance; and applying the patch file to the parent virtual appliance to get a modified virtual appliance.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for publishing software, comprising:
providing one or more virtual appliances, wherein each virtual appliance comprises a patch comprising file level differences relative to a parent virtual appliance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for publishing a new virtual appliance, comprising:
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obtaining a parent virtual appliance; configuring said new virtual appliance; obtaining file level differences between said parent virtual appliance and said new virtual appliance; and publishing said new virtual appliance as a patch comprising said file level differences relative to said parent virtual appliance. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for obtaining a desired virtual appliance, comprising:
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selecting said desired virtual appliance; obtaining metadata for said desired virtual appliance comprising an identifier of a patch file and a parent virtual appliance, wherein said patch file comprises file level differences between said desired virtual appliance and said parent virtual appliance; and applying said patch file to said parent virtual appliance to get a modified virtual appliance. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification