Method and system for distributing and maintaining software across a computer network

• US 6,615,405 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2000
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Power Quest Corporation
• Inventors: Spiro, Peter A., Goldman, Dov J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US09/478,461
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: 717/174, 717/175, 717/176, 717/177, 717/178, 717/168, 717/170, 717/171, 709/203
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

A method and system are provided for installing software on microprocessor based devices accessible over a computer network. The method includes, identifying component data associated with a software application using a first electronic device; generating a first server update algorithm by comparing the component data against data present on a first server and executing the first server algorithm thereby duplicating the component data on the first server; generating a second server update algorithm by comparing the component data on the first server against data present on a second server and executing the second server algorithm thereby duplicating the component data on the second server; generating a second device update algorithm by comparing the component data on the second server to data present on a second device and installing the software application on the second device by executing the second device update algorithm.

Claims

1. A method for installing software on a plurality of microprocessor based devices each being accessible over a computer network, said method comprising:

identifying component data associated with a software application using a first electronic device;

duplicating said component data on a first server by generating a first server update algorithm by comparing said component data against data present on said first server and executing said first server algorithm;

duplicating said component data on a second server by generating a second server update algorithm by comparing said component data on said first server against data present on said second server and executing said second server algorithm; and

,

generating a second device update algorithm by comparing said component data on said second server to data present on a second device and installing said software application on said second device by executing said second device update algorithm.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating said first server update algorithm comprises:

communicating said component data from said first microprocessor-based device to a first server using said computer network; and

,

identifying which of said component data is not available to said first server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said executing said first server algorithm comprises:

requesting said component data that is not available to said first server from said first microprocessor-based device using said computer network;

communicating said component data that is not available to said first server from said first microprocessor-based device to said first server using said computer network; and

,

associating said component data with said software using said first server.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said executing said second server algorithm comprises:

requesting said component data that is not available to said second server from said first microprocessor-based device using said computer network;

communicating said component data that is not available to said second server from said first server to said second server using said computer network; and

,

associating said component data with said software using said second server.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said generating said second device update algorithm comprises:

communicating said component data from said second server to said second microprocessor-based device using said computer network; and

,

identifying which of said component data is not available to said second microprocessor based device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said executing said second device update algorithm comprises:

requesting said component data that is not available to said second microprocessor-based device from said second server using said computer network;

communicating said component data that is not available to said second microprocessor based device from said second server to said second microprocessor-based device using said computer network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating said second server update algorithm comprises:

communicating said component data from said first server to said second server using said computer network; and

,

identifying which of said component data is not available to said second server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a plurality of server update algorithms by comparing said component data on said first server against data present on a plurality of servers and executing said plurality of server algorithms thereby duplicating said component data on said plurality of servers.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating a plurality of device update algorithms by comparing said component data on select ones of said plurality of servers to data present on said plurality of device and installing said software application on each of said plurality of devices by respectively executing each of said plurality of device update algorithms.

10. A microprocessor-based device-readable medium having microprocessor-executable components for duplicating select data from a first microprocessor-based device to a second microprocessor-based device using a plurality of servers, the microprocessor-executable components comprising:

a first microprocessor-executable component being operable on said first microprocessor-based device and adapted to communicate first data being indicative of a difference between said select data and data available to a first of said servers from said first microprocessor-based device to said first server thereby duplicating said select data so as to be available to said first server;

a second microprocessor-executable component operable on each of said plurality of servers and adapted to communicate second data being indicative of a difference between said select data and data available to a second of said servers from said first microprocessor-based device to said second server thereby duplicating said select data so as to be available to said second server; and

,

a third microprocessor executable component operable on said second microprocessor-based device and adapted to communicate third data being indicative of a difference between said select data and data available to said second microprocessor-based device thereby duplicating said select data on said second microprocessor-based device.

11. The microprocessor-based device-readable medium of claim 10, wherein said select data includes a plurality of data items associated with application software.

12. The microprocessor-based device-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said plurality of data items includes items selected from the group consisting of:

electronic files and environmental changes.

13. The microprocessor-based device-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said first component is further adapted to supply information which identifies each of said data items to said second component.

14. The microprocessor-based device-readable medium of claim 13, wherein said second component is adapted to receive said information and request said first data from said first component.

15. The microprocessor-based device-readable medium of claim 14, wherein said second component is adapted to associate said select data with said software application.

16. The microprocessor-based device-readable medium of claim 15, wherein said second component operating on said first server is adapted to supply information which identifies each of said data items to said second component operating on said second server.

17. The microprocessor-based device-readable medium of claim 16, wherein said second component operating on said second server is adapted to request said second data from said second component operating on said first server.

18. The microprocessor-based device-readable medium of claim 17, wherein said second component is further adapted to supply information which identifies each of said data items to said third component.

19. The microprocessor-based device-readable medium of claim 18, wherein said third component is further adapted to request said third data from said second component in response to said information which identifies each of said data items to said third component.

20. A method for maintaining a software application respectively operating on a plurality of microprocessor based devices each being accessible over a computer network, said method comprising:

identifying component data associated with said software application using a first electronic device;

generating a first server update algorithm by comparing said component data against data present on a first server and executing said first server algorithm thereby duplicating said component data on said first server;

generating a second server update algorithm by comparing said component data on said first server against data present on a second server and executing said second server algorithm thereby duplicating said component data on said second server;

generating a device update algorithm for each of said plurality of devices by respectively comparing said component data on said second server to data present on said devices and reinstalling any of said component data from said second server to said devices which is damaged or missing on said devices by executing said device update algorithm.