System and method for facilitating distributed server administration of server systems that are scalable and version independent

• US 6,862,616 B1
• Filed: 03/20/2000
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Netscape Communications Corporation (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tompkins, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARTON, KEVIN S
• Application Number:
  US09/528,844
• Time in Patent Office: 1,807 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709223-224, 709/219, 709/220, 717172-173, 717177-178
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

System and method for facilitating distributed server administration of network server systems that are scalable and version independent. The system and method include and involve a server and a client administrator. The server is configured to store and to serve a software package that corresponds to a server software system of the server. The server is further configured to be accessed by client administrator via an electronic data network, such as the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW). The client administrator is configured to access the server, to receive the software package, and to process the software package to conform to the specifications of the server. Execution of the software package allows the server to be administered by the client administrator without requiring the client administrator to be pre-configured with knowledge of the server.

Claims

1. A distributed server administration system, comprising:

a first server configured to be accessed via an electronic data network and to store and serve a first version of at least one first software package via said electronic data network, wherein said first version of said at least one first software package corresponds to at least one software system of said first server;

a second server configured to be accessed via said electronic data network and to store and serve a second version of said at least one first software package via said electronic data network, wherein said second version of said at least one first software package is different than said first version of said at least one first software package and corresponds to at least one software system of said second server; and

a client administrator configured to access each of said-first server and said second server, to receive each of said first version of said at least one first software package and said second version of said at least one first software package, and to execute each of said first version of said at least one first software package and said second version of said at least one first software package, the execution of said first version of said at least one first software package allowing said first server to be administered by said client administrator via said electronic data network, and the execution of said second version of said at least one first software package allowing said second server to be administered by said client administrator via said electronic data network.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said client administrator is further configured to install and store said at least one first software package.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one first software package is a JAR file.

4. A method for facilitating a distributed server administration system comprising the steps of:

at a client administrator, selecting and accessing a first server to be administered via an electronic data network, said first server configured to store and to serve a first version of at least one first software package corresponding to said first server;

at a client administrator, selecting and accessing a second server to be administered via said electronic data network, said second server configured to store and to serve a second version of said at least one first software package corresponding to said second server;

at said client administrator, receiving each of said first version and said second version of said at least one first software package; and

at said client administrator, executing each of said first version and said second version of said at least one first software package, the execution of said first version of said at least one first software package allowing said first server to be administered by said client administrator via said electronic data network, and the execution of said second version of said at least one first software package allowing said second server to be administered by said client administrator via said electronic data network.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said at least one first software package is a JAR file.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein said client administrator is further configured to install and store said at least one first software package.