AUTOMATICALLY RECOMMENDING UPDATES BASED ON STORED LIFECYCLE INFORMATION

• US 20150081572A1
• Filed: 01/09/2014
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Basu, Arijit, Thomas, Satish, Nachimuthu, Arunpriyaa, Srinivasan, Sri, Muzykin, Mykola
• Granted Patent: US 10,026,064 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

Lifecycle information indicative of a configuration and update state of a computer system are stored. Updates to the computer system are automatically recommended based on the lifecycle information.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

obtaining configuration information, indicative of a configuration of a computer system, at a life cycle system that is remote from the computer system;

storing life cycle information indicative of a plurality of different life cycle stages of the computer system at the life cycle system, the lifecycle information including the configuration information indicative of the configuration;

obtaining an update state of the computer system, indicative of updates already applied to the computer system, at the life cycle system;

storing the update state of the computer system at the life cycle system; and

receiving user inputs to generate a report indicative of the life cycle information for the computer system and the update state of the computer system.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the computer system comprises a business system and further comprising:

automatically recommending updates for the business system based on the life cycle information, including the configuration information, and the update state of the computer system.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein identifying a configuration of the computer system comprises:

identifying business processes in the business system; and

identifying models and layers in the business system.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein storing life cycle information further comprises:

obtaining impact analysis information on the life cycle system, the impact analysis information being indicative of models and layers in the business system that are affected by selected updates; and

storing the impact analysis information on the life cycle system.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 wherein storing life cycle information further comprises:

obtaining business process analysis information on the life cycle system, the business process analysis information being indicative of business processes in the business system that are affected by the selected updates; and

storing the business process analysis information on the life cycle system.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein storing life cycle information further comprises:

obtaining code merge information indicative of results of automatically resolving conflicts that arose from applying the selected updates to the business system; and

storing the code merge information.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 wherein storing life cycle information further comprises:

obtaining update detail information on the life cycle system, the update detail information being indicative of detail information corresponding to the selected updates; and

storing the update detail information on the life cycle system.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 wherein automatically recommending updates comprises:

automatically recommending updates for the business system based on the life cycle information, including the configuration information, and the update state of the business system, the impact analysis information, the business process analysis information, and the code merge information.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein receiving user inputs to generate a report comprises:

generating a report showing requested information from the life cycle information, including the configuration information, and the update state of the business system, the impact analysis information, the business process analysis information, and the code merge information.

10. A life cycle computer system, comprising:

a diagnostic service component that obtains configuration information, indicative of a configuration of a computer system that is remote from the life cycle computer system;

a data store that receives and stores life cycle information indicative of a plurality of different life cycle stages of the computer system, the lifecycle information including the configuration information indicative of the configuration of the computer system, the data store further storing an update state of the computer system, indicative of updates already applied to the computer system;

a report generator service component that receives user inputs and generates a report indicative of the life cycle information for the computer system and the update state of the computer system, based on the user inputs; and

a computer processor that is a functional part of the life cycle computer system and activated by the diagnostic service component and the report generator service component to facilitate obtaining the configuration information and generating the report.

11. The life cycle computer system of claim 10 wherein the computer system comprises a business system and wherein the diagnostic service component and further comprising:

an update recommendation service component that accesses the life cycle information and the update state and automatically recommends updates for the business system based on the life cycle information, including the configuration information, and the update state of the computer system.

12. The life cycle computer system of claim 11 wherein the diagnostic service component identifies business processes in the business system and models and layers in the business system.

13. The life cycle computer system of claim 12 wherein the computer processor receives and stores on the data store impact analysis information indicative of models and layers in the business system that are affected by selected updates.

14. The life cycle computer system of claim 13 wherein the computer processor receives and stores on the data store business process analysis information indicative of business processes in the business system that are affected by the selected updates.

15. The life cycle computer system of claim 14 wherein the computer processor receives and stores on the data store code merge information indicative of results of automatically resolving conflicts that arose from applying the selected updates to the business system.

16. The life cycle computer system of claim 15 wherein the update recommendation service component automatically recommends updates for the business system based on the life cycle information, including the configuration information, and the update state of the business system, the impact analysis information, the business process analysis information, and the code merge information.

17. The life cycle computer system of claim 15 wherein the report generator service component generates a report showing requested information from the life cycle information, including the configuration information, and the update state of the business system, the impact analysis information, the business process analysis information, and the code merge information.

18. A computer readable storage medium that stores computer executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method, comprising:

obtaining, at a life cycle system that is remote from a computer system, life cycle information indicative of a plurality of different life cycle stages of the computer system, the lifecycle information including configuration information indicative of a configuration of the computer system;

obtaining an update state of the computer system, indicative of updates already applied to the computer system; and

automatically recommending updates for the computer system based on the life cycle information, including the configuration information, and the update state of the computer system.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the computer system comprises a business system and further comprising:

identifying business processes in the business system;

identifying models and layers in the business system;

obtaining impact analysis information on the life cycle system, the impact analysis information being indicative of models and layers in the business system that are affected by selected updates;

obtaining business process analysis information on the life cycle system, the business process analysis information being indicative of business processes in the business system that are affected by the selected updates; and

obtaining code merge information indicative of results of automatically resolving conflicts that arose from applying the selected updates to the business system, and wherein automatically recommending updates comprises automatically recommending updates for the business system based on the life cycle information, including the configuration information, and the update state of the business system, the impact analysis information, the business process analysis information, and the code merge information.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19 and further comprising:

generating a report showing requested information from the life cycle information, including the configuration information, and the update state of the business system, the impact analysis information, the business process analysis information, and the code merge information.