Realtime configuration updates and software distribution to active client positions

• US 7,171,661 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2000
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pinera, Carlos V., Ringhof, Paul G., Slutzky, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Dam; Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kiss; Eric B.
• Application Number:
  US09/691,968
• Time in Patent Office: 2,294 Days
• Field of Search: 717/172, 717/171, 717/173, 717176-178, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A system for updating active client positions can include a platform for managing active application components; a configuration server for storing updates; and, a configuration client for receiving updates from the configuration server and communicating the received updates to the platform. The platform can receive the updates from the configuration client. Subsequently, the platform can terminate selected ones of the active application components. Then, the platform can apply the received updates to the terminated application components. Finally, the platform can reload the updated application components.

Claims

1. A method for distributing realtime updates to active application components in an active client position, comprising:

when said client position undergoes a bootstrap procedure, instantiating in the client position a loader and a configuration client;

reading a bootstrap properties file containing a resource locator of a configuration server and a position identifier;

establishing a first communications connection between a platform managing the active application components and said configuration client;

establishing a second communications connection between said configuration client and a configuration server;

performing by the configuration client an initial query of said configuration server using the position identifier as a search argument, and in response to the initial query receiving a list of application components to be updated;

based upon said list, performing by the configuration client at least one secondary query over said second communications connection, and in response to said at least one secondary query receiving at least one executable module and configuration data for a corresponding application component, and when necessary for execution of the corresponding application component, at least one server address;

delivering updates to said configuration client over said second communications connection in response to said at least one secondary query, wherein each update corresponds to at least one particular application component;

notifying said platform that updates are available; and

delivering each said update over said first communications connection to said platform, applying each said update to said at least one corresponding application component, and re-executing each said updated application component.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising terminating execution of said particular active application components in response to said notification, wherein said terminating comprises terminating instances of each said identified application component before said instances self-terminate and removing interdependencies between said terminated application component instances and other application components, and wherein said terminating step further comprises identifying at least one particular corresponding application component to be updated based on said notification.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said re-executing step comprises:

instantiating each said updated application component; and

initializing each said updated application component instance.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said initializing step comprises:

communicating configuration information to said configuration client; and

reinitializing state information internal to each said updated application component based on said configuration information.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising requesting from said configuration client update notifications, said update notifications notifying said platform of application component updates as said updates become available in said configuration server.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting update notifications over said second communications connection to said configuration client, said update notifications notifying said configuration client of application component updates as said updates become available in said configuration server.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of transmitting update notifications over said second connection, comprises the steps of:

packetizing said update notifications within a datagram; and

transmitting said datagram to said configuration client.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said configuration server is an LDAP server.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising storing said application component updates in an LDAP-based database in said LDAP server.

10. A system for updating active client positions comprising:

a platform for managing active application components;

a configuration server for storing updates; and

a configuration client for receiving client-specific updates from said configuration server and communicating said received updates to said platform;

wherein said platform instantiates said configuration client when a client position in which said platform is disposed undergoes a bootstrap process, said bootstrap process also instantiating in the client position a loader;

wherein said configuration client, upon instantiation,

reads a bootstrap properties file containing a resource locator of said configuration server and a client position identifier;

establishes a first communications connection between said platform and said configuration client, establishes a second communications connection between said configuration client and said configuration server;

performs an initial query of said configuration server using the position identifier as a search argument, and in response to the initial query, receives a list of application components to be updated;

performs at least one secondary query based upon said list, and in response to said at least one secondary query, receives at least one executable module and configuration data for a corresponding application component, and when necessary for execution of the corresponding application component, at least one server address;

receives updates to said configuration client over said second communications connection in response to said at least one secondary query;

notifies said platform that updates are available; and

delivers each said update over said first communications connection to said platform.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said configuration client further comprises:

a notifier object and a listener interface,

wherein said active application components are configured to receive update notifications from said configuration client through said listener interface.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said configuration server further comprises:

a notifier object and a listener interface,

wherein said configuration client is configured to receive update notifications from said configuration server through said listener interface.

13. A machine readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections for distributing realtime updates to active application components in an active client position, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

instantiating in said client position a loader and a configuration client when said client position undergoes a bootstrap procedure;

reading a bootstrap properties file containing a resource locator of a configuration server and a position identifier;

establishing a first communications connection between a platform managing the active application components and said configuration client;

establishing a second communications connection between said configuration client and a configuration server;

performing by the configuration client an initial query of said configuration server using the position identifier as a search argument, and in response to the initial query receiving a list of application components to be updated;

based upon said list, performing by the configuration client at least one secondary query over said second communications connection, and in response to said at least one secondary query receiving at least one executable module and configuration data for a corresponding application component, and when necessary for execution of the corresponding application component, at least one server address;

delivering updates to said configuration client over said second communications connection in response to said at least one query, wherein each update corresponds to at least one particular application component;

notifying said platform that updates are available; and

delivering each said update over said first communications connection to said platform, applying each said update to said at least one corresponding application component, and re-executing each said updated application component.

14. The machine readable storage of claim 13, further comprising terminating execution of said particular active application components in response to said notification, wherein said terminating comprises terminating instances of each said identified application component before said instances self-terminate and removing interdependencies between said terminated application component instances and other application components, and wherein said terminating step further comprises identifying at least one particular corresponding application component to be updated based on said notification.

15. The machine readable storage of claim 13, wherein said re-executing step comprises:

instantiating each said updated application component; and

initializing each said updated application component instance.

16. The machine readable storage of claim 15, wherein said initializing step comprises:

communicating configuration information to said configuration client; and

reinitializing state information internal to each said updated application component based on said configuration information.

17. The machine readable storage of claim 15, further comprising requesting from said configuration client update notifications, said update notifications notifying said platform of application component updates as said updates become available in said configuration server.

18. The machine readable storage of claim 13, further comprising the step of transmitting update notifications over said second communications connection to said configuration client, said update notifications notifying said configuration client of application component updates as said updates become available in said configuration server.

19. The machine readable storage of claim 18, wherein said step of transmitting update notifications over said second connection, comprises the steps of:

packetizing said update notifications within a datagram; and

transmitting said datagram to said configuration client.

20. The machine readable storage of claim 13, wherein said configuration server is an LDAP server.

21. The machine readable storage of claim 20, further comprising storing said application component updates in an LDAP-based database in said LDAP server.

22. A method for distributing realtime updates to active application components executing in an active client position, comprising:

when said client position undergoes a bootstrap procedure, instantiating in the client position a loader and a configuration client;

reading a bootstrap properties file containing a resource locator of a configuration server and a position identifier;

performing an initial query of a configuration server using the position identifier as a search argument, and in response to the initial query receiving a list of application components to be updated;

based upon said list, performing at least one secondary query, and in response to said at least one secondary query receiving at least one executable module and configuration data for a corresponding application component, and when necessary for execution of the corresponding application component, at least one server address;

receiving updates to the active application components from said configuration client in response to said at least one secondary query from the active client position, each update corresponding to at least one particular application component;

terminating execution of each particular active application component having a received corresponding update;

applying said received updates to said corresponding application components; and

,

re-executing said updated application components.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein said re-executing step comprises:

instantiating each updated application component; and

initializing each updated application component instance.

24. The method according to claim 22, further comprising subscribing to update notifications from said configuration client, said update notifications notifying the active client position of application component updates as said updates become available.

25. A machine readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections for distributing realtime updates to active application components executing in an active client position, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

when said client position undergoes a bootstrap procedure, instantiating in the client position a loader and a configuration client;

reading a bootstrap properties file containing a resource locator of a configuration server and a position identifier;

performing an initial query of a configuration server using the position identifier as a search arguments and in response to the initial query receiving a list of application components to be updated;

based upon said list, performing at least one secondary query and in response to said at least one secondary query receiving at least one executable module and configuration data for a corresponding application component, and when necessary for execution of the corresponding application component, at least one server address;

receiving updates to the active application components from said configuration client in response to said at least one query from the active client position, each update corresponding to at least one particular application component;

terminating execution of each particular active application component having a received corresponding update;

applying said received updates to said corresponding application components; and

,

re-executing said updated application components.

26. The machine readable storage of claim 25, wherein said re-executing step comprises:

instantiating each updated application component; and

initializing each updated application component instance.

27. The machine readable storage of claim 25, further comprising subscribing to update notifications from said configuration client, said update notifications notifying the active client position of application component updates as said updates become available.