System for software distribution in a digital computer network

• US 6,138,153 A
• Filed: 12/18/1997
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: McDowall, Steven James, Kratsch, Charles Henry, Larson, Joseph Paul, Collins, Theodore Joseph III, Anderson, Scott Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark H.
• Application Number:
  US08/993,430
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 709/221, 709/222, 709/220, 709/202, 709/226, 395/712, 713/100
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method for transferring digital computer software and data from one digital computer to one or more digital computers through a network of electrical connections between the two or more digital computers. An installation agent is established at each target machine and software to be transferred is placed within a software package, wherein the software package includes the software and installation commands for installing the software. The software package package is transferred to each target machine and installed by alerting the installation agent that a software package has arrived and executing commands within the installation agent to send an install message to the software package, wherein the install message causes the software package to execute the installation commands.

Claims

1. A method of distributing software to one or more target machines, comprising the steps of:

establishing an installation agent at each target machine;

packaging the software within a software package, wherein the software package includes the software and installation commands for installing the software;

transferring the software package to each target machine; and

installing the software at the target machine, wherein the step of installing the software includes the steps of;

alerting the installation agent that a software package has arrived; and

executing commands within the installation agent to send an install message to the software package, wherein the install message causes the software package to execute the installation commands.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of packaging the software includes the step of compressing the software package.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of installing the software further includes the step of decompressing the software package at a predefined install time.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of executing commands includes the step of waiting for a predefined installation time before sending the install message to the software package.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of installing the software further includes the step of creating a back-out image of the target machine.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of installing the software includes the steps of:

creating a back-out image of the target machine; and

if an error occurs, backing out the software package based on the back-out image.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the software package includes the steps of:

establishing a hop server;

transferring the software package to the hop server; and

transferring the software package from the hop server to the target machines.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the software package includes the steps of:

determining a maximum number of downloads permitted at one time; and

restricting transfer of the software package to no more that the maximum number of downloads permitted at one time.

9. A method of distributing a software update to one or more target machines, comprising the steps of:

establishing a software distribution server;

establishing an installation agent at each target machine;

polling the software distribution server at predefined intervals to determine if any software updates exist;

if a software update exists, packaging the software update within a software package and transferring the software package to each target machine, wherein the software package includes the software update and installation commands for installing the software update; and

installing the software update at the target machine, wherein the step of installing the software update includes the steps of;

alerting the installation agent that a software package has arrived; and

executing commands within the installation agent to send an install message to the software package, wherein the install message causes the software package to execute the installation commands.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of transferring the software package includes the steps of:

establishing a hop server;

transferring the software package to the hop server; and

transferring the software package from the hop server to one of the target machines.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of transferring the software package includes the steps of:

determining a maximum number of downloads permitted at one time; and

restricting transfer of the software package to no more that the maximum number of downloads permitted at one time.

12. A system for distributing software, comprising:

a computer network;

a plurality of target machines, wherein each target machine includes an installation agent; and

a network management server connected to the plurality of target machines by the computer network, wherein the network management server includes;

packaging program code for packaging the software within a software package, wherein the software package includes the software and installation commands for installing the software;

transfer program code for transferring the software package to each target machine;

wherein the target machine include program code for alerting the installation agent that a software package has arrived;

wherein the installation agents include messaging program code for sending an install message to the software package in order to cause the software package to execute the installation commands.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the computer network includes a hop server, wherein the hop server includes program code for transferring the software package to a remote target machine.