Data distribution apparatus and method having a data description including information for specifying a time that a data distribution is to occur
First Claim
1. Data distribution apparatus used in a digital computer system, the digital computer system including one or more processors, to distribute data within the digital computer system andthe data distribution apparatus comprising:
- (1) a source for data to be distributed, the source being in the digital computer system but not in a physical address space of any of the processors;
(2) system data distribution means which operates in a processor in the digital computer system for creating a system data descriptor describing at least a location in the source of the data to be distributed, the system data descriptor further having information expressive of a first time value for indicating when the data is to be distributed;
(3) a destination for the data to be distributed, the destination being in the digital computer system but not in the physical address space of any of the processors; and
(4) system retrieval means which operates in a processor in the digital computer system and which is coupled to and has access to the source to copy data stored in the source and which is also coupled to the destination to store data in the destination, the system retrieval means including means for receiving the system data descriptor from the system data distribution means and further including means for automatically responding thereto by transferrng the data to be distributed from the source to the destination at a time corresponding to the first time value expressed by the system data descriptor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and method for distributing data from a central digital data processing system to remote digital data processing systems and apparatus for storing data in digital data processing systems. The central digital data system creates a data descriptor which describes the data and its source location. The central system provides the data descriptor to the remote systems. The remote systems employ the data descriptor to retrieve the data to be distributed and place it in a destination. A given digital data processing system may function as both a central system and a remote system. The data descriptor may be provided to the remote systems by means of magnetic media or a network and the data may be retrieved from magnetic media or via a network. When retrieval is via a network, the source of the data is an inventory library. The inventory library may be part of the central system or may be part of a different host system. The destination includes a live library and a run library. The data is retrieved to the live library, and when it is to be used, the remote system installs the data by placing it in the run library. Both test and production versions of data may be present in the destination and a test version may be converted to a production version. If both test and production versions are simultaneously present, one is always in the live library and the other always in the run library.
129 Citations
36 Claims
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1. Data distribution apparatus used in a digital computer system, the digital computer system including one or more processors, to distribute data within the digital computer system and
the data distribution apparatus comprising: -
(1) a source for data to be distributed, the source being in the digital computer system but not in a physical address space of any of the processors; (2) system data distribution means which operates in a processor in the digital computer system for creating a system data descriptor describing at least a location in the source of the data to be distributed, the system data descriptor further having information expressive of a first time value for indicating when the data is to be distributed; (3) a destination for the data to be distributed, the destination being in the digital computer system but not in the physical address space of any of the processors; and (4) system retrieval means which operates in a processor in the digital computer system and which is coupled to and has access to the source to copy data stored in the source and which is also coupled to the destination to store data in the destination, the system retrieval means including means for receiving the system data descriptor from the system data distribution means and further including means for automatically responding thereto by transferrng the data to be distributed from the source to the destination at a time corresponding to the first time value expressed by the system data descriptor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for distributing data in a digital computer system which includes one or more processors, the data being distributed from a source which is within the digital computer system but not in a physical address space of any of the processors to a destination which is within the digital computer system but not in the physical address space of any of the processors, the method comprising the steps of:
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employing system data distribution means operating in a processor of the digital computer system for making a system data descriptor for specifying a location in the source of the data to be distributed and further for specifying a time at which the data is to be distributed; providing the system data descriptor to system data retrieval means operating in a processor in the digital computer system, the system data retrieval means having access to the source and to the destination; interpreting the system data descriptor with the system data retrieval means; retrieving, with the system data retrieval means, from the specified location and at a time not prior to the specified time, the data stored therein; and automatically transferring with the system data distribution means the data to be distributed from the source to the destination. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. Data distribution apparatus used in a digital computer system including one or more processors to distribute data within the digital computer system comprising:
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(1) a source for data to be distributed, the source being in the digital computer system but not in a physical address space of any of the processors; (2) a first destination for the data to be distributed where the data to be distributed is held until the data to be distributed is installed for use in the digital computer system, the first destination being in the digital computer system but not in the physical address space of any of the processors; (3) a second destination for the data to be distributed where the data to be distributed is held when installed for use in the digital computer system, the second destination being in the digital computer system but not in the address space of any of the processors; and (4) data transfer means operating in a processor in the digital computer system and being coupled to and having access to the source and to the first and second destinations for transferring, in response to data stored within entries of a data descriptor data structure, the data to be distributed from the source to the first destination and thereupon installing the data to be distributed by transferring the data to be distributed from the first destination to the second destination;
whereinthe data transfer means automatically installs the data to be distributed no earlier than a first specified time;
whereinthe data transfer means automatically transfers the data to be distributed from the source to the first destination no earlier than a second specified time; and
whereinthe first specified time and the second specified time are each specified within a first entry and within a second entry, respectively, of the data descriptor data structure. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. In a system for distributing data packages containing at least one data module to a plurality of computer systems, means in each computer system for distributing an update module replacing a module of a previously-distributed data package,
the means for distributing comprising: -
(1) means coupled to a source of update modules for receiving the update module; (2) means for automatically determining that a module of the previously-distributed data package is to be replaced by the received update module; and (3) means for replacing the module to be replaced with the update module; and
wherein the receiving means further receives a data descriptor data structure and the determining means is responsive to a first content of the data descriptor data structure for automatically determining if the module is to be replaced, and wherein the receiving means is responsive to a second content of the data descriptor data structure for receiving the update module no earlier than a time specified by the second content of the data descriptor data structure.
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28. Apparatus for distributing data to a digital computer system, the apparatus for distributing data comprising:
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(1) an inventory library which contains one or more modules containing data to be distributed; (2) an inventory directory library containing a package record identifying a package consisting of at least one of the modules from the inventory library; (3) system data distribution means coupled to the inventory directory library for creating a system data descriptor including information relating to the package record; (4) a live library for receiving at least one of the modules from the inventory library; (5) a live directory library containing a record identifying a package consisting of at least one of the modules from the live library; and (6) system retrieval means coupled to the system data distribution means and also coupled to and having access to the inventory directory, the live library, and the live directory, library for receiving the system data descriptor and automatically responding thereto by using the information in the system data descriptor to retrieve at least one of the modules from the inventory library to the live library and create a record in the live directory library for the package; and
wherein the system retrieval means is further responsive to the information in the system data descriptor for retrieving the at least one module no earlier than a time specified by the system data descriptor. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. Apparatus for storing and using data modules in a digital computer system comprising:
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(1) a live library which contains a module when the module is not in use in the digital computer system; (2) a run library which contains the module when the module is in use in the digital computer system; (3) a live directory library which contains a record identifying the module and specifying whether the module is currently contained in the live library or the run library; and (4) data management means coupled to the live library, the run library and the live directory library for installing the module by placing the module in the run library and altering the record to indicate that the module is currently contained in the run library when the module is to be used in the digital computer system and removing the module by placing the module in the live library and altering the record to indicate that the module is currently contained in the live library when the module is not in use; and
whereinthe data management means is responsive to information contained in a system data descriptor data structure for installing the module at a time specified by the system data descriptor data structure. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification