Apparatus and method for synchronizing software between computers

• US 6,425,126 B1
• Filed: 05/19/1999
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Townsend, Susette Marie, Haugen, Ronald Joseph, Hurlebaus, Gregory Scott, Hintermeister, Gregory Richard, Branson, Michael John, DeStefano, George Francis, Sandifer, David Henry, Lindberg, Erik Duane
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US09/314,951
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 717/3, 717/11, 717/100, 717/106, 717/120, 717/122, 717/168, 717/170, 705/8, 707/203
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A method and apparatus for synchronizing software between computers are disclosed. A software fix manager compares a preferred software inventory with a software inventory from a computer that is to be synchronized and, from this comparison, creates a number of software product synchronizations. An update manager uses the software fix list to apply software product synchronizations to the computer. Preferably, the computer can be brought to the same fix level or product level, if desired, as the preferred software inventory through this process. The software fix manager can place synchronizations in a fix list. There can be multiple software product synchronizations per software product, and the synchronizations can be applied to a computer by removing a software product fix or installing a product software fix. The current invention may also be applied to software products themselves, by installing or removing software products. The present invention potentially has its best application in networks, as numerous target computers or groups of target computers may be synchronized with a preferred software inventory of a model system.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing software in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a software fix manager that resides on a managing computer in the network, the managing computer comprising a preferred software fix inventory, the preferred software fix inventory comprising at least one preferred fix record of at least one software product;

providing an update controller residing on at least one target computer in the network, the at least one target computer comprising a target software fix inventory, the target software fix inventory comprising at least one fix record of at least one software product on the at least one target computer;

comparing the target software fix inventory with the preferred software fix inventory;

creating and updating a fix list based on the comparison, the fix list comprising at least one software product synchronization for at least one software product on the at least one target computer;

sending the fix list to the at least one target computer; and

applying the at least one software product synchronization to the at least one target computer, wherein the at least one target computer further comprises a target software product inventory and a preferred software product inventory, each software product inventory comprising at least one product record that comprises a product identification and release, wherein each fix record and preferred fix record further comprising a product identification, a release, and a fix identification, and wherein the step of the software fix manager comparing the target software fix inventory with the preferred software fix inventory comprises the following steps;

fetching the at least one fix record of the target software fix inventory;

determining if the software product and release in the at least one fix record matches the software product and release in the at least one preferred product record;

determining if the fix identification in the at least one fix record matches the fix identification in the at least one preferred fix record, this determination performed if the software product and release in the at least one fix record matches the software product and release in the at least one preferred product record; and

wherein the step of the software fix manager creating and updating a fix list comprises the steps of;

determining if the at least one fix record corresponds to any fix record in the fix list, this determination performed if the fix identification in the at least one fix record matches the fix identification in the at least one preferred product record; and

adding a synchronization to the fix list, the synchronization comprising the at least one fix record and an extra indication that is marked as extra.

2. A method for synchronizing software in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a software fix manager that resides on a managing computer in the network, the managing computer comprising a preferred software fix inventory, the preferred software fix inventory comprising at least one preferred fix record of at least one software product;

providing an update controller residing on at least one target computer in the network, the at least one target computer comprising a target software fix inventory, the target software fix inventory comprising at least one fix record of at least one software product on the at least one target computer;

comparing the target software fix inventory with the preferred software fix inventory;

creating and updating a fix list based on the comparison, the fix list comprising at least one software product synchronization for at least one software product on the at least one target computer;

sending the fix list to the at least one target computer; and

applying the at least one software product synchronization to the at least one target computer, wherein the at least one target computer further comprises a target software product inventory and a preferred software product inventory, each software product inventory comprising at least one product record that comprises a product identification and release, wherein each fix record and preferred fix record further comprising a product identification, a release, and a fix identification, and wherein the step of the software fix manager comparing the target software fix inventory with the preferred software fix inventory comprises the following steps;

fetching the at least one preferred fix record of the preferred software fix inventory;

determining if the software product and release in the at least one preferred fix record matches the software product and release in the at least one product record;

determining if the fix identification in the at least one preferred fix record matches the fix identification in the at least one fix record, this determination performed if the software product and release in the at least one preferred fix record matches the software product and release in the at least one product record; and

wherein the step of the software fix manager creating and updating a fix list comprises the steps of;

determining if the at least one fix record corresponds to any fix record in the fix list, this determination performed if the fix identification in the at least one preferred fix record matches the fix identification in the at least one product record; and

adding a synchronization to the fix list, the synchronization comprising the at least one preferred fix record and an extra indication that is marked as needed.

3. A method for synchronizing software in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a software fix manager that resides on a managing computer in the network, the managing computer comprising a preferred software fix inventory, the preferred software fix inventory comprising at least one preferred fix record of at least one software product;

providing an update controller residing on at least one target computer in the network, the at least one target computer comprising a target software fix inventory, the target software fix inventory comprising at least one fix record of at least one software product on the at least one target computer;

comparing the target software fix inventory with the preferred software fix inventory;

creating and updating a fix list based on the comparison, the fix list comprising at least one software product synchronization for at least one software product on the at least one target computer;

sending the fix list to the at least one target computer; and

applying the at least one software product synchronization to the at least one target computer, wherein the at least one target computer further comprises a software product inventory, each software product inventory comprising at least one product record of at least one software product on the at least one target computer, wherein the step of the software fix manager comparing the target software fix inventory of the at least one target computer with the preferred software fix inventory further comprises the step of the software fix manager comparing at least one software product inventory of the at least one target computer with a preferred software product inventory to add at least one software product synchronization for at least one software product on the at least one target computer to the fix list, and wherein the at least one software product synchronization indicates if the at least one software product should be installed or removed.