Dynamic installation and configuration broker

• US 6,633,899 B1
• Filed: 09/16/1999
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Coward, Daniel R.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/397,162
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: 709/102, 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/217, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225, 709/311, 709/313, 709/319, 709/318
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for facilitating communication among a plurality of devices during a process being performed on a remotely located server. A broker is provided that is adapted for receiving and storing information associated with the process and capable of sending at least some of the information to selected ones of the devices.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating communication among a plurality of devices during an application installation process initiated by one of the plurality of devices, the method comprising:

generating a broker that is to be shared by two or more of the plurality of devices during the application installation process, the broker being adapted for storing a plurality of status updates provided by the two or more devices and being capable of communicating the status updates to selected ones of the devices, each of the status updates including status information associated with the process, the two or more devices including a first device upon which one or more software components are installed during the process and a second device responsible for initiating the installation of the one or more software components on the first device; and

at least one of receiving selected ones of the status updates regarding the application installation process from the broker and updating the broker with one of the status updates regarding the application installation process, wherein updating the broker is performed by the first device upon which one or more software components are installed during the process or the second device responsible for initiating the installation of the one or more software components on the first device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving selected status updates regarding the application installation process from the broker; and

wherein updating the broker is performed in response to the selected status updates regarding the application installation process received from the broker.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising

registering as a listener to the broker so that the broker is notified to communicate at least some of the status updates to the listener.

46. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the broker maintains an access list including one or more IP addresses and indicating whether each network device identified by the associated IP address is permitted to receive status updates regarding the application installation process from the broker.

47. The method as recited in claim 46, further comprising:

registering as a listener to the broker so that the broker is notified to communicate at least some of the status updates to the listener;

wherein the registration is accepted by the broker if the broker determines from the access list that the listener is permitted to receive status updates regarding the application installation process from the broker.

48. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the broker maintains an access list including one or more IP addresses and indicating whether each network device identified by the associated IP address is permitted to update the broker with status updates regarding the application installation process.

49. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the broker maintains an access list including one or more IP addresses that are permitted to receive status updates regarding the application installation process from the broker.

50. The method as recited in claim 49, further comprising:

registering as a listener to the broker so that the broker is notified to communicate at least some of the status updates to the listener;

wherein the registration is accepted by the broker if the broker determines from the access list that the listener is permitted to receive status updates regarding the application installation process from the broker.

51. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the broker maintains an access list including one or more IP addresses that are permitted to update the broker with status updates regarding the application installation process.

52. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the broker maintains a history of one or more events occurring during the application installation process.

53. The method as recited in claim 52, wherein the broker maintains a history of one or more status update messages communicated to one or more of the devices in response to the events.

54. The method as recited in claim 53, wherein one of the devices initiates transmission of one of the status update messages.

55. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the one of the devices is not the first device or the second device.

56. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the one of the devices initiates the transmission of one of the status update messages in response to one of the status updates regarding the application installation process.

57. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the one of the devices initiates transmission of one of the status update messages by updating the broker with one of the status updates.

58. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein updating the broker with one of the status updates comprises setting an indicator in a state of the broker.

59. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein updating the broker with one of the status updates comprises setting a status message in a state of the broker.

60. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein updating the broker with one of the status updates regarding the application installation process comprises at least one of a modifying an application installation process status indicator and setting a message to be transmitted to one or more of the devices.

61. The method as recited in claim 60, wherein receiving selected ones of the status updates regarding the application installation process from the broker comprises receiving a message indicating a status of the installation process.

4. A method of facilitating communication among a plurality of devices during an application installation process initiated by a first one of the plurality of devices such that the application is installed on a second one of the plurality of devices, the method comprising:

accessing a broker that is shared by two or more of the plurality of devices, the broker being adapted for storing a plurality of status updates provided by the two or more devices and being capable of communicating the status updates to selected ones of the devices, the updates including information regarding the application installation process, the two or more devices including the second device upon which one or more software components are installed during the process and the first device responsible for performing or initiating the installation of the one or more software components on the first device;

performing at least a portion of the application installation process such that one or more software components are installed on the second device; and

at least one of receiving selected ones of the status updates from the broker and updating the broker to store one of the status updates associated with the portion of the application installation process performed, wherein updating the broker is performed by the first device responsible for performing or initiating the installation of the one or more software components on the second device or the second device upon which one or more software components are installed.

5. In a source network device, a method of providing a data structure suitable for use in installing an application on a server such that one or more software components are loaded onto the server, comprising:

generating a broker adapted for storing one or more updates supplied by at least one of the source network device and the server, each of the updates indicating a status of the installation of the application on the server, the broker being capable of communicating the updates to one or more network devices, the server being a device upon which the one or more software components are installed and the source network device being responsible for performing or initiating the installation of the one or more software components on the server;

sending application data that identifies the application from the source network device to the server to enable the server to install the application; and

wherein the broker is accessible to the server and the source network device, thereby enabling the server and the network device to modify the updates stored by the broker such that the modified updates can be communicated to the one or more network devices.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the broker is capable of communicating the updates to each one of the network devices that has registered as a listener to the broker.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising sending a broker reference identifying the broker to the server so that the server can access and update the broker.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising sending the application to the server.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the application has associated configuration information that includes one or more parameter values.

10. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the one or more network devices include the source network device and the server.

11. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the one or more network devices include a device other than the source network device and the server.

12. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising at least one of de-referencing the broker and deleting the broker.

13. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising registering as a listener to the broker so that selected updates are received from the broker.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising receiving the selected updates from the broker.

62. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein generating a broker comprises instantiating a broker object associated with the application installation process.

15. A method of installing an application including one or more software modules, comprising:

(a) receiving application data that identifies the application at a network device;

(b) installing a portion of the application on the network device; and

(c) updating a broker associated with the application with one or more updates associated with the installation of the portion of the application, each of the updates indicating a status of the installation of at least a portion of the application on the network device, the broker being capable of communicating the one or more updates to one or more network devices that have registered as listeners to the broker so that one or more of the updates are received from the broker during the installation of the application on the network device.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, further including repeating steps (b) and (c) until the installation is at least one of completed, cancelled, suspended, and terminated.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising receiving a broker reference identifying the broker.

18. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising receiving the application, wherein the updates are received from at least one of a device initiating the installation of the application and a device installing the application.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising registering as a listener to the broker so that selected updates are received from the broker during the installation of the application.

20. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

receiving selected ones of the updates from the broker.

21. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein when the broker receives an update that indicates an occurrence of an error during the installation, terminating the installation and de-installing portions of the application that have previously been installed.

22. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein when the broker receives an update that indicates a cancellation of the installation, terminating the installation and de-installing portions of the application that have previously been installed.

23. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein when the broker receives an update that indicates that the installation has been paused, suspending the installation until a notification indicating that the pause has been lifted is received.

24. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising at least one of de-referencing the broker and deleting the broker.

25. A method of installing an application including one or more software modules, comprising:

receiving application data that identifies the application to be installed on a device;

installing at least one of the software modules on the device; and

updating a broker associated with the application with updates associated with the installation of the application, the updates including information regarding the status of the installation of the at least one of the software modules of the application on the device, the broker being capable of communicating the updates to one or more network devices that have previously registered with the broker as listeners to the broker during the installation of the application on the device.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, further comprising receiving a broker reference identifying the broker.

27. The method as recited in claim 25, further comprising registering as a listener to the broker so that the updates are received from the broker.

28. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the configuration information includes one or more parameter values.

29. A method of transmitting information during installation of an application including one or more software modules on a server, comprising:

(a) providing a broker adapted for storing one or more updates associated with the installation of the application on the server, each of the updates indicating a status of the installation of one or more of the software modules of the application on the server, the broker being capable of communicating the updates to one or more receiving devices throughout the installation of the application;

(b) receiving at the broker the one or more updates from at least one of the server performing the installation of the application including one or more software modules and a device initiating the installation of the application including one or more software modules on the server; and

(c) transmitting from the broker at least a portion of the updates to the one or more receiving devices that have registered as listeners to the broker.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, further including repeating steps (b) and (c) until the installation is at least one of completed, cancelled, suspended, and terminated.

31. A method of transmitting information during installation of an application including one or more software modules on a server, comprising:

providing a broker adapted for storing one or more status updates associated with the installation of the application on the server, the broker being capable of communicating the status updates to one or more receiving devices, the status updates including information indicating a status of the installation of one or more of the software modules of the application on the server;

registering the one or more receiving devices as listeners to the broker so that the broker is notified to transmit at least a portion of the status updates to the one or more receiving devices throughout the installation of the application; and

transmitting at least a portion of the status updates to the one or more receiving devices that have registered as listeners to the broker.

32. The method as recited in claim 31, further including identifying one or more of the updates for which the one or more receiving devices request notifications.

33. The method as recited in claim 31, further including receiving a registration request from each one of the receiving devices, the registration request indicating a request for registration as a listener to the broker.

34. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein the one or more receiving devices include at least one of a server performing the installation and a network device that initiated the installation.

35. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein the one or more receiving devices include a receiving device other than a server installing the application and a network device that initiated the installation.

36. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein the application includes configuration information for configuring the application.

37. The method as recited in claim 31, further comprising:

updating the broker with the one or more updates regarding installation of at least a portion of the application.

38. The method as recited in claim 37, further comprising receiving the one or more updates from at least one of the server installing the application and a network device initiating the installation.

39. The method as recited in claim 37, further comprising communicating at least some of the updates to the one or more receiving devices.

40. The method as recited in claim 39, wherein the one or more updates include at least one of indicating an occurrence of an error during the installation and indicating a state of progress of the installation.

41. The method as recited in claim 40, wherein the one or more updates include a status message associated with the state of progress of the installation.

42. The method as recited in claim 40, wherein when the one or more updates include indicating the occurrence of an error, the one or more updates further including an error message specifying the error with a previous installation of one or more portions of the application.

43. The method as recited in claim 37, further comprising maintaining a history of broker updates that have been performed in association with a previous installation of one or more portions of the application.

44. The method as recited in claim 31, further comprising updating the broker with the one or more updates indicating at least one of cancellation of the installation and pausing the installation.

45. A computer system for facilitating communication among a plurality of devices during an application installation process initiated by one of the plurality of devices, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor, wherein at least one of the memory and the processor are adapted to hot provide a broker that is capable of being shared by two or more of the plurality of devices, the broker being adapted for storing a plurality of updates received from the two or more devices and being capable of communicating the updates during the application installation process to selected ones of the devices that have registered as listeners to the broker, the updates including information associated with the application installation process, each of the updates indicating a status of at least a portion of the process, the two or more devices including a first device upon which one or more software components are installed during the application installation process and a second device responsible for performing or initiating the installation of the one or more software components on the first device.

63. A computer-readable medium storing thereon computer-readable instructions for facilitating communication among a plurality of devices during an application installation process initiated by one of the plurality of devices, comprising:

instructions for generating a broker that is to be shared by two or more of the plurality of devices during the application installation process, the broker being adapted for storing a plurality of status updates provided by the two or more devices and being capable of communicating the status updates to selected ones of the devices, each of the status updates including status information associated with the process, the two or more devices including a first device upon which one or more software components are installed during the process and a second device responsible for initiating the installation of the one or more software components on the first device; and

instructions for at least one of receiving selected ones of the status updates regarding the application installation process from the broker and updating the broker with one of the status updates regarding the application installation process, wherein updating the broker is performed by the first device upon which one or more software components are installed during the process or the second device responsible for initiating the installation of the one or more software components on the first device.

64. A system for facilitating communication among a plurality of devices during an application installation process initiated by one of the plurality of devices, comprising:

means for generating a broker that is to be shared by two or more of the plurality of devices during the application installation process, the broker being adapted for storing a plurality of status updates provided by the two or more devices and being capable of communicating the status updates to selected ones of the devices, each of the status updates including status information associated with the process, the two or more devices including a first device upon which one or more software components are installed during the process and a second device responsible for initiating the installation of the one or more software components on the first device; and

means for at least one of receiving selected ones of the status updates regarding the application installation process from the broker and updating the broker with one of the status updates regarding the application installation process, wherein updating the broker is performed by the first device upon which one or more software components are installed during the process or the second device responsible for initiating the installation of the one or more software components on the first device.

65. A system for facilitating communication among a plurality of devices during an application installation process initiated by one of the plurality of devices, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor and the memory being adapted for;

generating a broker that is to be shared by two or more of the plurality of devices during the application installation process, the broker being adapted for storing a plurality of status updates provided by the two or more devices and being capable of communicating the status updates to selected ones of the devices, each of the status updates including status information associated with the process, the two or more devices including a first device upon which one or more software components are installed during the process and a second device responsible for initiating the installation of the one or more software components on the first device; and

at least one of receiving selected ones of the status updates regarding the application installation process from the broker and updating the broker with one of the status updates regarding the application installation process, wherein updating the broker is performed by the first device upon which one or more software components are installed during the process or the second device responsible for initiating the installation of the one or more software components on the first device.