DYNAMIC PLUGIN(S) FOR CLOUD APPLICATION(S)

• US 20170329592A1
• Filed: 08/01/2017
• Published: 11/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Hoff, Phillip M., Crider, Anthony Lavel, Wu, Sung Hon, Birov, Lubomir I., Cunningham, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,740,078 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45529 Embedded in an application, e.g. JavaScript in a Web browser

Abstract

Techniques are described herein that are capable of dynamically installing plugin(s) for application(s). An agent plugin is caused to run in a deployment of a specified application (e.g., across multiple machines in a cloud environment or “on premises”). The specified application is packaged to include the agent plugin. The agent plugin is used to install designated plugin(s) dynamically based on configuration information regarding the specified application. The configuration information indicates that the designated plugin(s) are to be installed in response to the specified application being deployed.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

memory; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to;

identify configuration information regarding a specified application, the configuration information indicating that at least one designated plugin is to be installed in response to the specified application being deployed;

access a package that includes the specified application and that further includes an agent plugin to cause the agent plugin to run in a first deployment of the specified application; and

use the agent plugin to install the at least one designated plugin based at least in part on the configuration information in response to the agent plugin being caused to run in the first deployment of the specified application.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

use the agent plugin to dynamically understand a topology of a network on which the specified application is installed; and

use the agent plugin to install the at least one designated plugin in response to the agent plugin being used to dynamically understand the topology of the network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

identify a state of a first execution of the at least one designated plugin that is performed during the first deployment of the specified application;

cause the agent plugin to run in a subsequent deployment of the specified application that is initiated after initiation of the first deployment in response to a determination that the specified application is to be restarted;

use the agent plugin to re-install the at least one designated plugin on-the-fly while the specified application is running based at least in part on the configuration information in response to the agent plugin being caused to run in the subsequent deployment of the specified application; and

use the agent plugin to initiate a second execution of the at least one designated plugin in the state of the first execution in response to the at least one designated plugin being re-installed.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to use the agent plugin to install one or more dependencies of the at least one designated plugin on-the-fly while the specified application is running based at least in part on the configuration information.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the agent plugin is configured to use a predetermined feed to install a predetermined set of products from the predetermined feed;

and

wherein the one or more processors are configured to use the agent plugin to install the one or more dependencies as one or more default products based at least in part on no dependencies being specified by the predetermined feed.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the agent plugin is configured to use a predetermined feed to install a predetermined set of products from the predetermined feed;

and

wherein the one or more processors are configured to use the agent plugin to install the at least one designated plugin as at least one default product based at least in part on no plugins being specified by the predetermined feed.

7. A method comprising:

identifying configuration information regarding a specified application, the configuration information indicating that at least one designated plugin is to be installed in response to the specified application being deployed;

accessing a package that includes the specified application and that further includes an agent plugin to cause the agent plugin to run in a first deployment of the specified application; and

using the agent plugin to install the at least one designated plugin based at least in part on the configuration information in response to the agent plugin being caused to run in the first deployment of the specified application.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

using the agent plugin to dynamically understand a topology of a network on which the specified application is installed;

wherein using the agent plugin to install the at least one designated plugin comprises;

using the agent plugin to install the at least one designated plugin in response to using the agent plugin to dynamically understand the topology of the network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein using the agent plugin to dynamically understand the topology of the network comprises:

using the agent plugin to determine what machines that are associated with the specified application include.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

identifying a state of a first execution of the at least one designated plugin that is performed during the first deployment of the specified application;

causing the agent plugin to run in a subsequent deployment of the specified application that is initiated after initiation of the first deployment in response to a determination that the specified application is to be restarted;

using the agent plugin to re-install the at least one designated plugin on-the-fly while the specified application is running based at least in part on the configuration information in response to the agent plugin being caused to run in the subsequent deployment of the specified application; and

using the agent plugin to initiate a second execution of the at least one designated plugin in the state of the first execution in response to the at least one designated plugin being re-installed.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the specified application is to be restarted based at least in part on at least one of the following;

(a) a determination that a machine on which the specified application is deployed is to be restarted or has been restarted,

(b) detection of a hardware malfunction with regard to the machine on which the specified application is deployed,

(c) detection of a malfunction with regard to the specified application,

(d) a determination that an operating system associated with the specified application is to be upgraded,

(e) a determination that a platform on which the specified application is running has requested that the specified application be restarted.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

using the agent plugin to install one or more dependencies of the at least one designated plugin on-the-fly while the specified application is running based at least in part on the configuration information.

13. A system comprising:

memory; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to;

identify configuration information regarding a specified application, the configuration information indicating that at least one designated plugin is to be installed in response to the specified application being deployed;

cause an agent plugin, which acts as an agent for the specified application, to run in a first deployment of the specified application; and

use the agent plugin to install the at least one designated plugin based at least in part on the configuration information in response to the agent plugin being caused to run in the first deployment of the specified application.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the specified application is packaged to include the agent plugin.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

use the agent plugin to dynamically understand a topology of a network on which the specified application is installed; and

use the agent plugin to install the at least one designated plugin in response to the agent plugin being used to dynamically understand the topology of the network.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are configured to use the agent plugin to determine what machines that are associated with the specified application include.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

identify a state of a first execution of the at least one designated plugin that is performed during the first deployment of the specified application;

cause the agent plugin to run in a subsequent deployment of the specified application that is initiated after initiation of the first deployment in response to a determination that the specified application is to be restarted;

use the agent plugin to re-install the at least one designated plugin on-the-fly while the specified application is running based at least in part on the configuration information in response to the agent plugin being caused to run in the subsequent deployment of the specified application; and

use the agent plugin to initiate a second execution of the at least one designated plugin in the state of the first execution in response to the at least one designated plugin being re-installed.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are configured to use the agent plugin to install one or more dependencies of the at least one designated plugin on-the-fly while the specified application is running based at least in part on the configuration information.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the agent plugin is configured to use a predetermined feed to install a predetermined set of products from the predetermined feed;

and

wherein the one or more processors are configured to use the agent plugin to install the one or more dependencies as one or more default products based at least in part on no dependencies being specified by the predetermined feed.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the agent plugin is configured to use a predetermined feed to install a predetermined set of products from the predetermined feed;

and

wherein the one or more processors are configured to use the agent plugin to install the at least one designated plugin as at least one default product based at least in part on no plugins being specified by the predetermined feed.