Centralized, automated installation of software products

• US 6,367,073 B2
• Filed: 03/31/1998
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Elledge, Dennis D.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAM, TUAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/052,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20010039655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 395/712, 709/201.203, 709/217, 709/220-222, 713/100, 345/348, 345/333, 345/352, 345/748, 345/749, 345/810, 717/11
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a software facility for installing software products. The facility first displays a list of available software products that may be installed. The facility then receives user input selecting one of the available software products. After user input is received, the facility executes a script for installing the selected software product. In the preferred embodiment, the script is derived from an installation program provided by the vendor of the software product. The facility thus installs the selected software product without executing the installation program provided by the vendor of the software product. In a further preferred embodiment, the facility produces the executed script by executing the vendor installation program provided by the vendor of the software product, identifying changes made during the execution of the vendor installation program, and generating a script that, when executed, effects the identified changes.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system for installing software products using an accessible script that is generated by the computer system and not provided by the vendor of the software products, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a list of available software products that may be installed, the list of available software products including software products from at least two vendors;

receiving user input selecting one of the available software products;

automatically determining whether a script for installing the selected software product other than an installation script provided by a vendor of the selected software product is accessible;

if the script is accessible, automatically selecting, based on the selected software, the accessible script for installing the selected software product not provided by the vendor of the software product in order to install the selected software product;

if the script is not accessible, automatically generating the script for installing the selected software product by a process including

executing a vendor installation program provided by the vendor of the software product and, simultaneously with the execution of the vendor installation program, identifying changes made during the execution of the vendor installation program; and

generating the script that, when executed, effects the identified changes; and

automatically executing the selected script without any additional user input.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the executing step copies files associated with the software product to a target computer system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the executing step modifies the contents of a preexisting file stored on a target computer system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the executing step modifies the contents of a system configuration data structure of a target computer system.

5. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to install software products using an accessible script that is generated by the computer system and not provided by a vendor of the software products by performing the steps of:

displaying a list of available software products that may be installed;

receiving user input selecting one of the available software products;

automatically determining whether a script for installing the selected software product other than an installation script provided by a vendor of the selected software product is accessible;

if the script is accessible, automatically selecting, based on the selected software, the accessible script for installing the selected software product not provided by the vendor of the software product in order to install the selected software product;

if the script is not accessible, automatically generating the script for installing the selected software product by a process including

executing a vendor installation program provided by the vendor of the software product and, simultaneously with the execution of the vendor installation program, identifying changes made during the execution of the vendor installation program; and

generating the script that, when executed, effects the identified changes; and

automatically executing the selected script without any additional user input.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the executing step copies files associated with the software product to a target computer system.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the executing step modifies the contents of a preexisting file stored on a target computer system.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the executing step modifies the contents of a system configuration data structure of a target computer system.

9. One or more computer memories collectively containing a software product installation data structure for use in installing a software product among a plurality of available software products acquired from one or more vendors using an accessible installation script that is generated by a computer system and not provided by the one or more vendors of the software products, the data structure comprising:

automatically determining whether the installation script for installing each available software product is accessible;

if the installation script is accessible, for each available software product, providing access to the accessible installation script not provided by the vendor for installing the software product,

if the script is not accessible, automatically generating the script for installing the selected software product by a process including

executing a vendor installation program provided by the vendor of the software product and, simultaneously with the execution of the vendor installation program, identifying changes made during the execution of the vendor installation program; and

generating the script that, when executed, effects the identified changes, such that, when one of the available plurality of software products is selected for installation, the accessible installation script for the selected software product is, based on the selected software, automatically retrieved from the data structure and automatically executed in order to install the selected software product without any additional user input.

10. The computer memories of claim 9 wherein the data structure further comprises:

for each available software product, one or more files relating to the software product, the installation script for the software product specifying the copying of the files,

such that, when an installation script for a selected software product is executed, the files relating to the selected software product may be copied from the data structure to a computer system upon which the selected software product is to be installed.

11. The computer memories of claim 10 wherein, for each available software product, at least one of the files contained in the data structure relating to the software product was not provided in the same form by a vendor.

12. A data processing system for installing software products among a plurality of software products using an accessible installation script that is generated by the data processing system and not provided by a vendor of the software products, comprising:

a display device for displaying a menu of the plurality of software products;

an input device for selecting one of the plurality of software products under user control; and

a processor for automatically determining whether a script for installing the selected software product other than an installation script provided by a vendor of the selected software product is accessible, and if the script is accessible, automatically selecting, based on the selected software, if the script is not accessible, automatically generating the script for installing the selected software product by a process including

executing a vendor installation program provided by the vendor of the software product and, simultaneously with the execution of the vendor installation program, identifying changes made during the execution of the vendor installation program; and

generating the script that, when executed, effects the identified changes,

and automatically executing the accessible installation script not provided with the selected software product for installing the selected software product without any additional user input.

13. The computer system of claim 12, further comprising:

a memory containing installation scripts each for installing one of the plurality of software products, the contained scripts being derived from vendor installation programs provided by vendors of the software products.

14. A method in a computer system for installing software products, comprising:

displaying a plurality of software products that may be installed on the computer system;

receiving user input selecting one of the software products;

automatically determining whether a non-vendor installation script for installing the selected software product other than an installation script provided by a vendor of the selected software product is accessible;

if a non-vendor installation script has previously been generated for the selected software product, automatically selecting the non-vendor installation script for installing the selected software product;

if a non-vendor installation script has not previously been generated, generating the non-vendor installation script for installing the selected software product on the computer system, wherein the generating of the non-vendor installation script includes

executing a vendor installation script provided by the vendor of the software product;

simultaneously with the executing of the vendor installation script, monitoring changes made during the execution of the vendor installation script; and

simultaneously with the executing of the vendor installation script, storing one or more commands that, when executed, duplicate the monitored changes; and

automatically executing the non-vendor installation script for the selected software product without any additional user input.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the displaying a plurality of software products comprises displaying a plurality of software products that are stored on a remote computer system that may be installed on the computer system.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein receiving user input selecting one of the software products comprises receiving user input via a visual interface not provided by the vendor of the software product.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein generating the non-vendor installation script for installing the selected software product comprises generating the non-vendor installation script on a remote computer system for installing the selected software product on the computer system.

18. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to install software products by a method comprising:

displaying a plurality of software products that may be installed on the computer system;

receiving user input selecting one of the software products;

automatically determining whether a non-vendor installation script for installing the selected software product other than an installation script provided by a vendor of the selected software product is accessible;

if a non-vendor installation script has previously been generated for the selected software product, automatically selecting the non-vendor installation script for installing the selected software product;

if a non-vendor installation script has not previously been generated, generating the non-vendor installation script for installing the selected software product on the computer system, wherein the generating of the non-vendor installation script includes

executing a vendor installation script provided by the vendor of the software product;

simultaneously with the executing of the vendor installation script, monitoring changes made during the execution of the vendor installation script; and

simultaneously with the executing of the vendor installation script, storing one or more commands that, when executed, duplicate the monitored changes; and

automatically executing the non-vendor installation script for the selected software product without any additional user input.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the automatically executing the nonvendor installation script comprises copying files associated with the selected software product from a remote computer system to the computer system.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the automatically executing the non-vendor installation script comprises modifying one or more files on the computer system.

21. A data processing system for installing software products, comprising:

a display device for displaying a menu of a plurality of software products;

an input device for selecting one of the plurality of software products; and

a processor for installing the selected software product by a method comprising;

automatically determining whether a non-vendor installation script for installing the selected software product other than an installation script provided by a vendor of the selected software product is accessible;

if a non-vendor installation script has previously been generated for the selected software product, automatically selecting the non-vendor installation script for installing the selected software product;

if a non-vendor installation script has not previously been generated, generating the non-vendor installation script for installing the selected software product on the computer system, wherein the generating of the non-vendor installation script includes

executing a vendor installation script provided by the vendor of the software product;

simultaneously with the executing of the vendor installation script, monitoring changes made during the execution of the vendor installation script; and

simultaneously with the executing of the vendor installation script, storing one or more commands that, when executed, duplicate the monitored changes; and

automatically executing the non-vendor installation script for the selected software product without any additional user input.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the displaying a plurality of software products comprises displaying a plurality of software products that are stored on a remote computer system that may be installed on the computer system.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein receiving user input selecting one of the software products comprises receiving user input via a visual interface not provided by the vendor of the software product.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein generating the non-vendor installation script for installing the selected software product comprises generating the non-vendor installation script on a remote computer system for installing the selected software product on the computer system.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein the automatically executing the non-vendor installation script comprises copying files associated with the selected software product from a remote computer system to the computer system.