Intelligent patch checker

• US 6,751,794 B1
• Filed: 05/25/2000
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell Marketing LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Everdream Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: McCaleb, Jed, Rive, Russel
• Primary Examiner(s): DAS, CHAMELI
• Application Number:
  US09/580,931
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 717/168-173, 717/176-178, 709/201-203, 709/217, 709/220, 709/223, 707/203, 719/327
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A method to remotely update software for a plurality of client system is disclosed. A client system sends a request for an upgrade to a server system. The request includes a unique identification that is recognized by the server system as belonging to the client system. In response, the server system sends an instruction to the client system that directs the client system to collect application information about the software application installed on the client system. The client system sends the application information to the server system. The server system performs a comparison between the application information about the software application and the most-updated upgrade package for the software application. The server system sends the most-updated upgrade package for the software application to the client system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending a request for an upgrade to a server system connected in a network, the upgrade being for a plurality of software applications installed in a client system connected in the network, the request sent from the client system, the request comprising a unique identification associated with the client system, the unique identification recognized by the server system as belonging to the client system;

receiving at least one instruction from the server system in response to the request for the upgrade, the server system having a knowledge of the software applications installed on the client system, the at least one instruction directing the client system to collect application information about the software applications installed on the client system, the server system having no knowledge whether most-updated upgrade packages available for the software applications have been installed on the client system;

sending the application information about the software applications to the server system, wherein the server system performs a comparison between the application information about the software applications and the most-updated upgrade packages for the software applications, wherein the most-updated upgrade packages for the software applications are stored in a part database; and

receiving the most-updated upgrade packages for the software applications at the client system automatically when the comparison indicates that the most-updated upgrade packages have not been installed on the client system, wherein a client database stores a plurality of configuration files for a plurality of client systems, a first configuration file associated with the client system providing the sever system with the knowledge of the software applications installed on the client system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identification for the client system is stored in a registry in the client system, wherein the unique identification is recognized by the server system as belonging to the client system when the unique identification is found in a plurality of unique identifications stored in the client database, wherein when the unique identification is not found, the client system is not authenticated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the server system uses the first configuration file to generate the at least one instruction.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the knowledge of the software applications installed on the client system comprises names of the software applications installed on the client system.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the client database is in a first database server connected to the network, and wherein the part database is in a second database server connected to the network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the network is an Internet.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein functions associated with the first database server and functions associated with the second database server are implemented in the server system.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the client database is in the server system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the application information about the software applications comprises version information of the software applications, and wherein the application information about the software applications is stored in a database in the client system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for the upgrade is sent automatically from the client system to the server system at a predetermined time interval.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined time interval is 24 hours.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is sent at any time by a user using the client system.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one instruction received from the server system comprises get a version information for a file, get a modified date for the file, get a size of the file, get an amount of free disk space for a storage drive, and get a value of a registry key.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the most-updated upgrade packages for the software applications from the server system comprises receiving a plurality of download files.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of download files are in a compressed format.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each download file comprises an upgrade utility, a text file and a plurality of data files, wherein the text file provides commands to the upgrade utility to install the plurality of data files in the client system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the commands comprise copy a file, delete a file, registry change, ask for reboot, force reboot, ask the user to install now or later, and ask the user to close all programs.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein each down load file is associated with a uniform resource locator (URL), and wherein each down load file is retrieved by accessing the URL.

19. A machine-readable medium providing instructions, which when executed by a set of one or more processors, cause said set of processors to perform the following:

sending a request for an upgrade to a server system connected in a network, the upgrade being for a plurality of software applications installed in a client system connected in the network, the request sent from the client system, the request comprising a unique identification associated with the client system, the unique identification recognized by the server system as belonging to the client system;

receiving at least one instruction from the server system in response to the request for the upgrade, the server system having a knowledge of the software applications installed on the client system, the at least one instruction directing the client system to collect information about the software applications installed on the client system, the server system having no knowledge whether most-updated upgrade packages available for the software applications have been installed on the client system;

sending the information about the software applications to the server system, wherein the server system performs a comparison between the information about the software applications and the most-updated upgrade packages for the software applications, wherein the most-updated upgrade packages for the software applications are stored in a part database; and

receiving the most-updated upgrade packages for the software applications to the client system automatically when the comparison indicates that the most-updated upgrade packages have not been installed on the client system, wherein a client database stores a plurality of configuration files for a plurality of client systems, a first configuration file providing the sever system with the knowledge of the software applications installed on the client system.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the unique identification for the client system is stored in a registry in the client system, wherein the unique identification is recognized by the server system as belonging to the client system when the unique identification is found in a-plurality of unique identifications stored in the client database, wherein when the unique identification is not found, the client system is not authenticated.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the server system uses the first configuration file to generate the at least one instruction.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the knowledge of the software applications installed on the client system comprises names of the software applications installed on the client system.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the client database is in a first database server connected to the network, and wherein the part database is in a second database server connected to the network.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the network is an Internet.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein functions associated with the first database server and functions associated with the second database server are implemented in the server system.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the client database is in the server system.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the information about the software applications comprises version information of the software applications, and wherein the information about the software applications is stored in a database in the client system.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the request for the upgrade is sent automatically from the client system to the server system at a predetermined time interval.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the predetermined time interval is 24 hours.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the request is sent at any time by a user using the client system.

31. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the at least one instruction received from the server system comprises get a version information for a file, get a modified date for the file, get a size of the file, get an amount of free disk space for a storage drive, and get a value of a registry key.

32. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein receiving the most-updated upgrade packages for the software applications from the server system comprises receiving a plurality of download files.

33. The machine-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the plurality of download files are in a compressed format.

34. The machine-readable medium of claim 33, wherein each download file comprises an upgrade utility, a text file and a plurality of data files, wherein the text file provides commands to the upgrade utility to install the plurality of data files in the client system.

35. The machine-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the commands comprise copy a file, delete a file, registry change, ask for reboot, force reboot, ask the user to install now or later, and ask the user to close all programs.

36. The machine-readable medium of claim 34, wherein each down load file is associated with a uniform resource locator (URL), and wherein each down load file is retrieved by accessing the URL.

37. In an arrangement comprising at least one computer network, the network connecting at least one server computer to at least one client computer, a data processing system for providing software upgrades to the client computer, comprising:

means for generating a request for a software upgrade, the software upgrade being for an application on the client computer;

means for processing the request for the software upgrade comprising;

means for retrieving current information about the application on the client computer from a client database storing a plurality of configuration files for a plurality of client computers, a first configuration file providing the server computer with the current information about the applications on the client computer;

means for comparing the current information about the application on the client computer with information about an updated package for the application, the updated package stored in a part database accessible by the server computer; and

means for sending the updated package from the part database to the client computer when the current information about the application on the client computer and the information about the updated package are not the same.

38. The data processing system of claim 37 further comprising means for verifying a unique identification associated with the client system against a client database accessible by the server computer, the client database comprising the unique identification associated with the client computer, the client computer previously registered with the server computer.

39. The data processing system of claim 37, wherein the current information about the application on the client computer and the information about the updated package comprise version information.

40. The data processing system of claim 37, wherein the request for the software upgrade is generated automatically at a predetermined time interval.

41. In an arrangement comprising at least one computer network, the network connecting at least one server computer to at least one client computer, a data processing system for providing software upgrades to the client computer, comprising:

a first logic in the client computer to generate a request for a software upgrade, the software upgrade being for an application installed on the client computer; and

a second logic in the server computer to process the request for the software upgrade received from the first logic, the second logic comprising;

logic to extract current information about the application installed on the client computer from a client database storing a plurality of configuration files for a plurality of client computers, a first configuration file providing the current information about the application on the client computer;

logic to compare the current information about the application installed on the client computer with information about a most updated upgrade package for the application installed on the client computer, the most updated upgrade package stored in a first database; and

logic to send the most updated upgrade package for the application to the client computer when the current information about the application installed on the client computer does not match the information about the most updated upgrade package for the application.

42. The data processing system of claim 41 further comprising a third logic on the server computer to verify an identification associated with the client computer against a set of valid identifications stored in a client database, wherein the identification associated with the client computer is added to the set of valid identifications when the client computer is registered with the server computer.

43. The data processing system of claim 41, wherein the current information about the application installed on the client computer comprises version numbers of the applications.

44. The data processing system of claim 41, wherein the request for software upgrade is automatically generated by the client computer at a predetermined time interval.

45. The data processing system of claim 41, wherein the request for software upgrade is generated at any time by a user.

46. A method comprising:

receiving a request for an upgrade from a client system connected in a network, the upgrade being for a software application installed in a client system, the request received at a server system connected to the network, the request comprising a unique identification associated with the client system, the unique identification recognized by the server system as belonging to the client system;

sending at least one instruction from the server system to the client system in response to the request for the upgrade, the server system having a knowledge of the software application installed on the client system, the at least one instruction directing the client system to collect information about the software application installed on the client system, the server system having no knowledge whether most-updated upgrade package available for the software application have been installed on the client system;

receiving the information about the software application from the client system, wherein the server system performs a comparison between the information about the software application and the most-updated upgrade package for the software application, wherein the most-updated upgrade package for the software application is stored in a database; and

sending the most-updated upgrade package for the software application to the client system automatically when the comparison indicates that the most-updated upgrade package have not been installed on the client system, wherein a client database stores a plurality of configuration files for a plurality of client systems, a first configuration file providing the sever system with the knowledge of the software applications installed on the client system.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the unique identification for the client system is stored in a registry in the client system, wherein the unique identification is recognized by the server system as belonging to the client system when the unique identification is found in a plurality of unique identifications stored in the client database, wherein when the unique identification is not found, the client system is not authenticated.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the server system uses the first configuration file to generate the at least one instruction.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the knowledge of the software application installed on the client system comprises name of the software application installed on the client system.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the client database is in a first database server connected to the network, and wherein the part database is in a second database server connected to the network.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the network is an Internet.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein functions associated with the first database server and functions associated with the second database server are implemented in the server system.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein the client database is in the server system.

54. The method of claim 46, wherein the information about the software application comprises version information of the software application, and wherein the information about the software application is stored in a database in the client system.

55. The method of claim 46, wherein the request for the upgrade is sent automatically from the client system to the server system at a predetermined time interval.

56. The method of claim 46, wherein the request is sent at any time by a user using the client system.

57. The method of claim 46, wherein the at least one instruction received from the server system comprises get a version information for a file, get a modified date for the file, get a size of the file, get an amount of free disk space for a storage drive, and get a value of a registry key.

58. The method of claim 46, wherein receiving the most-updated upgrade package for the software application from the server system comprises at lest one download file.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the at least one download file is associated with a uniform resource locator (URL), and wherein the at least one down load file is retrieved by accessing the URL.