DYNAMIC SOFTWARE VERSION SELECTION

• US 20140033191A1
• Filed: 10/03/2013
• Published: 01/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ward, David G., Webb, Simon J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,047,162 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44536 Selecting among different versions

Abstract

Dynamic software version selection is performed by executing a software component on a processing device having a binding library associated with a software component, where the binding library comprising a loader component and a binding component. The loader component serves as an intermediary between the software component and the binding component and the binding component comprises software component-side logic. The binding library is utilized to interface the software component with a remote server across a network environment. In response to a request to update to a different version of the library, the loader component selects a desired version of the library. The desired version of the library is loaded into memory of the processing device by logically disconnecting from the remote server, unloading a previously loaded library, loading the updated version of the library, and reconnecting to the remote server.

Claims

1. A method of performing dynamic software version selection, comprising:

executing a software component on a processing device;

associating a binding library with the software component, the binding library comprising a loader component and a binding component, where;

the loader component serves as an intermediary between the software component and the binding component; and

the binding component comprises software component-side logic;

utilizing the binding library to interface the software component with a remote server through communication across a network environment;

providing a request to the loader component to update memory of the processing device with a new version of a library of the binding component;

selecting, by the loader component, in response to the request, a desired version of the library where the desired version of the library is selected from at least two versions of the library associated with the binding component of the binding library; and

loading the desired version of the library into memory of the processing device by;

logically disconnecting from the remote server;

unloading a previously loaded library;

loading the desired version of the library; and

reconnecting to the remote server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

providing the request to the loader component comprises;

receiving instructions from the remote server computer to use a different library version; and

communicating the request, by the software component, to the loader component, using an application programming interface call, where the binding component further comprises at least two library versions having logic for responding to the application programming interface call.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

configuring the at least one library version to have decision logic that responds to at least one, but not all, application programming interface calls, where a responsive application interface call includes at least one of a connect or disconnect call.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the remote server, a new version of the library for use by the binding component;

storing the new version of the library in an information source accessible by the binding library; and

communicating by the loader component with the information source for selecting the desired library version.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

providing a request to the loader component to update memory of the processing device with a new version of a library of the binding component comprises;

accessing a library version variable that identifies the desired library version variable;

comparing the library version variable with the version of the library loaded into memory; and

providing the request if the library version variable is different from the version of the library loaded into memory; and

loading the desired version of the library further comprises;

accessing a shared library version table, when he library version variable is different from the version of the library loaded into memory, to access the desired library version.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

utilizing a program version table to store specific library versions for corresponding programs utilized by the software component;

receiving an updated version of a library of the binding component; and

storing the updated version in the program version table;

wherein;

selecting, by the loader component, in response to the request, a desired version of the library, further comprises selecting the desired version of the requested library based upon a value of a library version variable associated with the program version table.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the software component and remote server form part of an on-line transaction and processing system;

further comprising;

receiving from the remote server, a new version of the library for use by the binding component, where the software component, independently of the remote server, performs loading the desired version of the library into memory of the processing device, by performing the disconnecting, unloading, reloading and reconnecting in the specific order of;

logically disconnecting from the remote server, then unloading a previously loaded library, then loading the desired version of the library, and then reconnecting to the remote server.

8. A computer program product stored on hardware that is executable by a processor to perform dynamic software version selection, comprising code for:

executing a software component on a processing device;

associating a binding library with the software component, the binding library comprising a loader component and a binding component, where;

the loader component serves as an intermediary between the software component and the binding component; and

the binding component comprises software component-side logic;

utilizing the binding library to interface the software component with a remote server through communication across a network environment;

providing a request to the loader component to update memory of the processing device with a new version of a library of the binding component;

selecting, by the loader component, in response to the request, a desired version of the library where the desired version of the library is selected from at least two versions of the library associated with the binding component of the binding library; and

loading the desired version of the library into memory of the processing device by;

logically disconnecting from the remote server;

unloading a previously loaded library;

loading the desired version of the library; and

reconnecting to the remote server.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein:

the code for providing the request to the loader component comprises code for;

receiving instructions from the remote server computer to use a different library version; and

communicating the request, by the software component, to the loader component, using an application programming interface call, where the binding component further comprises at least two library versions having logic for responding to the application programming interface call.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 further comprising code for:

configuring the at least one library version to have decision logic that responds to at least one, but not all, application programming interface calls, where a responsive application interface call includes at least one of a connect or disconnect call.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising code for:

receiving from the remote server, a new version of the library for use by the binding component;

storing the new version of the library in an information source accessible by the binding library; and

communicating by the loader component with the information source for selecting the desired library version.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein:

the code for providing a request to the loader component to update memory of the processing device with a new version of a library of the binding component comprises code for;

accessing a library version variable that identifies the desired library version variable;

comparing the library version variable with the version of the library loaded into memory; and

providing the request if the library version variable is different from the version of the library loaded into memory; and

loading the desired version of the library further comprises;

accessing a shared library version table, he library version variable is different from the version of the library loaded into memory, to access the desired library version.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 further comprising code for:

utilizing a program version table to store specific library versions for corresponding programs utilized by the software component;

receiving an updated version of a library of the binding component; and

storing the updated version in the program version table;

wherein;

the code for selecting, by the loader component, in response to the request, a desired version of the library, further comprises code for selecting the desired version of the requested library based upon a value of a library version variable associated with the program version table.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein:

the code for the software component and remote server form part of an on-line transaction and processing system;

further comprising code for;

receiving from the remote server, a new version of the library for use by the binding component, where the software component, independently of the remote server, performs loading the desired version of the library into memory of the processing device, by performing the disconnecting, unloading, reloading and reconnecting in the specific order of;

logically disconnecting from the remote server, then unloading a previously loaded library, then loading the desired version of the library, and then reconnecting to the remote server.

15. A system that performs dynamic software version selection, comprising:

a processor coupled to memory, wherein the processor is performed by specific code in the memory to perform dynamic software version selection by;

executing a software component on a processing device;

associating a binding library with the software component, the binding library comprising a loader component and a binding component, where;

the loader component serves as an intermediary between the software component and the binding component; and

the binding component comprises software component-side logic;

utilizing the binding library to interface the software component with a remote server through communication across a network environment;

providing a request to the loader component to update memory of the processing device with a new version of a library of the binding component;

selecting, by the loader component, in response to the request, a desired version of the library where the desired version of the library is selected from at least two versions of the library associated with the binding component of the binding library; and

loading the desired version of the library into memory of the processing device by;

logically disconnecting from the remote server;

unloading a previously loaded library;

loading the desired version of the library; and

reconnecting to the remote server.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further programmed for:

providing the request to the loader component by;

receiving instructions from the remote server computer to use a different library version; and

communicating the request, by the software component, to the loader component, using an application programming interface call, where the binding component further comprises at least two library versions having logic for responding to the application programming interface call.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the processor is further programmed for:

configuring the at least one library version to have decision logic that responds to at least one, but not all, application programming interface calls, where a responsive application interface call includes at least one of a connect or disconnect call.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the processor is further programmed for:

receiving from the remote server, a new version of the library for use by the binding component;

storing the new version of the library in an information source accessible by the binding library; and

communicating by the loader component with the information source for selecting the desired library version.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the processor is further programmed for:

providing a request to the loader component to update memory of the processing device with a new version of a library of the binding component by;

accessing a library version variable that identifies the desired library version variable;

comparing the library version variable with the version of the library loaded into memory; and

providing the request if the library version variable is different from the version of the library loaded into memory; and

loading the desired version of the library further comprises;

accessing a shared library version table, he library version variable is different from the version of the library loaded into memory, to access the desired library version.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the processor is further programmed for:

utilizing a program version table to store specific library versions for corresponding programs utilized by the software component;

receiving an updated version of a library of the binding component; and

storing the updated version in the program version table;

wherein;

selecting, by the loader component, in response to the request, a desired version of the library, further comprises selecting the desired version of the requested library based upon a value of a library version variable associated with the program version table.