System and method for configurable software provisioning
First Claim
1. A method for provisioning an application to a target server machine connected to a master server via a communications network, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving, at said master server, a parameterized application model (PAM) of said application, wherein said PAM is received from a database associated with said master server and comprises;
a variable to be instantiated; and
at least one selected from a group consisting a file reference to said application, an action reference for installing said application, a configuration data reference for said application, and a configuration file reference for said application;
receiving, at said master server, parameterized application configuration information associated with said application;
receiving, at said master server, an environmental characteristic corresponding to said variable of said parameterized application model;
creating, at said master server, a data model for said application based on said parameterized application model, said parameterized application configuration information, and said environmental characteristic;
creating, at said master server, a set of instructions based on said data model and executable by said target server machine; and
providing said set of instructions from said master server to said target server machine via said communications network,wherein provisioning allows said application to operate without said master server.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for the automated provisioning of software applications onto one or more computers. The provisioning system uses a model of the application, which describes the application in terms of its software features and the actions to manipulate the application. The model preferably describes this information in a general way, such that it is independent of any environmental characteristics associated with the computers. The provisioning system also receives as input a set of references to selected ones of the computers onto which the application is to be provisioned.
135 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method for provisioning an application to a target server machine connected to a master server via a communications network, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, at said master server, a parameterized application model (PAM) of said application, wherein said PAM is received from a database associated with said master server and comprises; a variable to be instantiated; and at least one selected from a group consisting a file reference to said application, an action reference for installing said application, a configuration data reference for said application, and a configuration file reference for said application; receiving, at said master server, parameterized application configuration information associated with said application; receiving, at said master server, an environmental characteristic corresponding to said variable of said parameterized application model; creating, at said master server, a data model for said application based on said parameterized application model, said parameterized application configuration information, and said environmental characteristic; creating, at said master server, a set of instructions based on said data model and executable by said target server machine; and providing said set of instructions from said master server to said target server machine via said communications network, wherein provisioning allows said application to operate without said master server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method, performable by a first computer, for reconfiguring an application provisioned on a second computer, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, at said first computer, a parameterized application model for said application, said parameterized application model including at least one variable to be instantiated for describing an environmental characteristic associated with said reconfiguration, wherein said parameterized application model is received from a database associated with said first computer and further includes at least one selected from a group consisting a file reference to said application, an action reference for installing said application, a configuration data reference for said application, and a configuration file reference for said application; retrieving, from a database associated with said first computer, a first set of configuration data corresponding to a previous configuration of said application on said second computer; computing, at said first computer, a value for said at least one variable in accordance with said environmental characteristic; generating, at said first computer and based on said parameterized application model and said value thus computed, a second set of configuration data; computing, at said first computer, a difference between said first and second sets of configuration data; and generating a sequence of instructions for reconfiguring said application based on said difference, wherein said reconfigured application operates without said first computer. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions recorded therein, said instructions executable by a master server for provisioning an application to a target server machine connected to said master server via a communications network, said instructions comprising:
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instructions for receiving a parameterized application model (PAM) of said application, wherein said PAM is received from a database associated with said master server and comprises; a variable to be instantiated; and at least one selected from a group consisting a file reference to said application, an action reference for installing said application, a configuration data reference for said application, and a configuration file reference for said application; instructions for receiving parameterized application configuration information associated with said application; instructions for receiving an environmental characteristic corresponding to said variable in said parameterized application model; instructions for creating a data model for said application based on said parameterized application model, said parameterized application configuration information, and said environmental characteristic; instructions for creating a set of instructions based on said data model and executable by said target server machine; and instructions for providing said set of instructions from said master server to said target server machine via said communications network, wherein provisioning allows said application to operate without said master server. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer-readable storage2e medium having instructions recorded therein, said instructions executable by a first computer to reconfigure an application provisioned on a second computer, said instructions comprising:
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instructions for receiving a parameterized application model for said application, said parameterized application model including at least one variable to be instantiated for describing an environmental characteristic associated with said reconfiguration, wherein said parameterized application model is received from a database associated with said master server and comprises at least one selected from a group consisting a file reference to said application, an action reference for installing said application, a configuration data reference for said application, and a configuration file reference for said application; instructions for retrieving, from a database associated with said first computer, a first set of configuration data corresponding to a previous configuration of said application on said second computer; instructions for computing a value for said at least one variable in accordance with said environmental characteristic; instructions for generating, based on said parameterized application model and said value thus computed, a second set of configuration data; instructions for computing a difference between said first and second sets of configuration data; and instructions for generating a sequence of instructions for reconfiguring said application based on said difference, wherein said reconfigured application operates without said first computer.
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18. An application provisioning system for provisioning an application to a target server machine, comprising:
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a master server, connected to said target server machine via a communications network, said master server including; a plan executor for receiving a parameterized application model (PAM) of said application, parameterized application configuration information associated with said application, and an environmental characteristic corresponding to a variable to be instantiated of said parameterized application model; and a configuration generator for computing a value for said at least one variable in accordance with said environmental characteristic, said plan executor creating a data model for said application, and creating a set of instructions based on said data model and executable by said target server machine; wherein said data model is based on said parameterized application model, said parameterized application configuration information, and said value; and wherein said master server is adapted for providing said set of instructions to said target server machine via said communications network, wherein provisioning allows said application to operate without said master server, wherein said PAM is received from a database associated with said master server and comprises at least one selected from a group consisting a file reference to said application, an action reference for installing said application, a configuration data reference for said application, and a configuration file reference for said application. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An application provisioning system for provisioning an application onto a plurality of target server machines, comprising:
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a master server, connected to said plurality of target server machines via a communications network, said master server including; a plan executor for receiving a parameterized application model of said application, said parameterized application model containing a variable to be instantiated for describing an environmental characteristic associated with said plurality of target server machines; and a configuration generator for computing a corresponding value for said variable for each of said plurality of target server machines, said plan executor generating corresponding configuration data for each of said plurality of target server machines based on said value, and creating a corresponding sequence of instructions for each of said plurality of target server machines in accordance with said corresponding configuration data; and a plurality of agent programs for executing, at each corresponding one of said plurality of target server machines, said corresponding sequence of instructions to provision said application onto said target server machine, wherein provisioning allows said application to operate without said master servers wherein said parameterized application model is received from a database associated with said master server and comprises at least one selected from a group consisting a file reference to said application, an action reference for installing said application, a configuration data reference for said application, and a configuration file reference for said application. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. An application reconfiguration system for reconfiguring an application provisioned on a target server machine, comprising:
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a master server, connected to said target server machine via a communications network, said master server including; a reconfiguration executor for receiving a parameterized application model for said application, said parameterized application model including at least one variable to be instantiated for describing an environmental characteristic associated with said reconfiguration, and retrieving, from a database associated with said first computer, a first set of configuration data corresponding to a previous configuration of said application on said second computer; and a configuration generator for computing a value for said at least one variable in accordance with said environmental characteristic, and generating a second set of configuration data based on said model and said value thus computed; said reconfiguration executor computing a difference between said first and second sets of configuration data and generating a sequence of instructions for reconfiguring said application based on said difference, wherein said reconfigured application operates without said master server, wherein said parameterized application model is received from a database associated with said master server and comprises at least one selected from a group consisting a file reference to said application, an action reference for installing said application, a configuration data reference for said application, and a configuration file reference for said application.
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Specification