Automatic update of static and dynamic files at a remote network node in response to calls issued by or for application programs

• US 5,564,051 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 10/08/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Halliwell, Harry, Vaughton, Matthew K.
• Primary Examiner(s): AMSBURY, WAYNE P
• Application Number:
  US08/476,539
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/650
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1787 Details of non-transparently synchronising file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

In a data processing network having a first processor (for example, a programmable workstation), a second processor (for example a host computer) and a communication system linking said first processor and said second processor, control logic associated with said first processor is operable to manage the flow of information between said first processor and said second processor on behalf of one or more application programs running on said first processor. The control logic is responsive to calls issued by, or on behalf of, and application invoked by a user at the first processor to determine if a file or, set of files, associated with the calling application is the most up-to-date version of the file, or set of files available. The most up-to-date versions are always stored at the second processor (ie: the host). A comparison is made between the files and their levels currently available at the first processor (work station) and the up-to-date files held at the second processor (host). A list of actions to be taken is then compiled and files downloaded to the first processor to replace out-of-date files, to add or create files in order to augment those already there, and to delete any obsolete files no longer required by the application.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer memory having a computer program stored thereon for managing in a data processing network information flow between a first processor and a second processor, said computer program product comprising:

means for responding to a first call issued by, or on behalf of, an application program running on said first processor; and

means responsive to the first call for determining a minimum number of currently required files which belong to a set of files required by the application program, the set of files maintained by said first processor and an up-to-date version of the set of files matained at the second processor the determining means classifying files in the set of files as currently required files if the files are required each time the application is run or the files required only when the first call is made, and determining if each currently required file in the minimum number is the most up-to-date version maintained at said second processor and, if not, replacing and/or augmenting the currently required file at said first processor with a selected file downloaded from said second processor; and

the means being activated when the memory is coupled to and accessed by at least one of the first and second processors.

2. The computer product program as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for determining further comprises classifying individual files in the set of files as static files required by a calling application each time the calling application is run or dynamic files required only when a specific function is invoked.

3. The computer product program as claimed in claim 1 wherein the currently required file is a file required by a second application and wherein the calling application issues a call on behalf of said second application to perform an update check on the currently required file or for said second application.

4. The computer product program as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means to update calls to check the level of files at the first processor from either the first processor or the second processor.

5. The computer product program as claimed in claim 4 further comprising means for determining if a file in the set of files stored by said first processor is an obsolete file and means for deleting, if necessary, said obsolete file from said set of files stored by said first processor.

6. The computer product program as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for determining if the currently required files comprise all files required by the one or more application programs and if not to augment the currently required file by downloading one or more additional files stored at said second processor and absent from the first processor as necessary.

7. The computer product program as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for starting an application by issuing a call to establish a communication session between said first processor and said second processor for use by said application, wherein said communication session is also used to determine if the currently required file requires replacing and/or augmenting.

8. The computer product program as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means to issue calls by, or on behalf of, the application program when the application program is started.

9. The computer product program as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for responding further comprises responding to calls during execution of the application program for checking of a file required by the application program during execution.

10. The computer product program as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for deleting from storage a file retained for a non-running application to make room for a file being downloaded for a currently running application.

11. The computer product program as claimed in claim 1 further comrpsing means for examining a currently required file to determine if the currently required file requires replacing and/or augmenting due to errors in the currently required file.

12. The computer product program as claimed in claim 1, further, comprising means for compiling a list of files, associated with an application together with version level information for each file derived from inspection of any such files stored at each processor and means for the lists compiled at each processor to generate a delta list specifying actions required to update said files at said first processor, and performing those actions accordingly.

13. The computer product program as claimed in claim 12, further comprising means for transmitting a copy of the list of files compiled at the first processor to the second processor and transmitting a copy of the list of files compiled at the second processor to the first processor.

14. The computer product program as claimed in claim 13 further comprising means for determining if a file stored by said first processor is current and, if not current, to download said first updated version of said file from said second processor to replace said file stored by said first processor.