Method for managing globally distributed software components

• US 5,761,499 A
• Filed: 12/21/1995
• Issued: 06/02/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Novell Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Sonderegger, Kelly Ervin
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choules, Jack M.
• Application Number:
  US08/576,647
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 395/601, 395/610, 395/614, 395/615, 395/712, 395/684, 395/680
• US Class Current: 717/167
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/462 Lookup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/956 Hierarchical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for managing software components in a network of computers such as a local area network or the Internet. Each software component includes a binary object and at least one interface to the binary object. Suitable software components include OLE components. The network includes a registry file identifying currently registered components and their locations. The network also includes a component server computer on which unregistered components reside. A database associates software component identifiers with software component locators. Suitable databases include Novell NetWare Directory Services databases and Internet search engine databases. Database objects or entries representing unregistered components are found by a search based on the class identifier of a desired component. Software components found by the search are selected, transferred as needed, and then registered, thereby making them available to clients.

Claims

1. A method for managing software components in a network of computers, each software component including a binary object and at least one interface to the binary object, the network including at least one registry computer on which a registry file resides, the network also including at least one component server computer distinct from the registry computer, said method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

accessing a database which associates software component identifiers with software component locators;

selecting a software component which is identified in the database as a result of said accessing step;

determining an initial location of the software component selected during said selecting step; and

updating the registry file to include a current location of the selected software component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the software component selected during said selecting step includes a reference count to allow simultaneous use of the component by multiple clients and to determine when the component can be safely destroyed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the software component selected during said selecting step comprises an OLE software component.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said accessing step comprises accessing a hierarchical synchronized-partition database maintained by a network operating system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said accessing step further comprises reading an identifier attribute value and reading a binary locator attribute value.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the identifier attribute value corresponds to an OLE class identifier and the binary locator attribute value corresponds to a universal naming convention file path.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the identifier attribute value corresponds to an OLE class identifier and the binary attribute value corresponds to a stream containing an OLE binary object.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said accessing step comprises accessing a NetWare Directory Services database.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting step comprises selecting a software component that resides on an Internet server.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting step comprises selecting a software component that resides on a World Wide Web server.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting step comprises selecting a software component that resides on an Archie server.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting step comprises selecting a software component that resides on a Wide Area Information Service server.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said updating step is preceded by the step of transferring at least a portion of the selected software component over the network to a client computer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said transferring step comprises transferring from a location specified by a hypertext markup language link.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said transferring step comprises transferring from a location specified by a Universal Resource Locator.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said transferring step comprises transferring at least one interface of the software component over the network.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said transferring step comprises transferring the binary object of the software component over the network.

18. A method for managing OLE software components in a network of computers, each OLE software component including a binary object and at least one interface to the binary object, the network including at least one registry computer on which a registry file resides, the network also including at least one OLE component server computer distinct from the registry computer, said method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

accessing a database which associates OLE software component identifiers with OLE software component locators, the database being a hierarchical synchronized-partition database maintained by a network operating system;

reading a binary locator attribute value from the database to determine an initial location of an OLE software component; and

updating the registry file to include a current location of the OLE software component.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the binary locator attribute value corresponds to a universal naming convention file path.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the binary attribute value corresponds to a stream containing an OLE binary object.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said accessing step comprises accessing a NetWare Directory Services database.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said reading step is followed, and said updating step is preceded, by the step of transferring at least a portion of an OLE software component over the network to a client computer from a location specified by the binary locator attribute value.

23. A method for managing OLE software components on the Internet, each OLE software component including a binary object and at least one interface to the binary object, a registry file residing on at least one registry computer, at least one OLE component server computer on the Internet being distinct from the registry computer, said method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

accessing an Internet search engine database which associates OLE software component identifiers with OLE software component locators;

selecting an OLE software component which is identified in the database as a result of said accessing step; and

updating the registry file to include a current location of the selected OLE software component.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said selecting step comprises selecting an OLE software component that resides on a World Wide Web server.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said selecting step comprises selecting an OLE software component that resides on an Archie server.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein said selecting step comprises selecting an OLE software component that resides on a Wide Area Information Service server.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein said selecting step is followed, and said updating step is preceded, by the step of transferring at least a portion of the selected OLE software component over the Internet to a client computer.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said transferring step comprises transferring from a location specified by a hypertext markup language link.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said transferring step comprises transferring from a location specified by a Universal Resource Locator.