Software change modeling for network devices

• US 7,376,945 B1
• Filed: 12/02/2003
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kakumani, Badari, Darling, Glen, Balint, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen; Wei
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phillip H
• Application Number:
  US10/727,099
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• Field of Search: 717169-178
• US Class Current: 717/171
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45537 Provision of facilities of other operating environments, e.g. WINE I/O emulation G06F13/105

Abstract

A method for software change modeling for network devices provides dynamic (on the device) and static (computer) change modeling. The same source code and libraries are used for both modeling applications, allowing a user to see the impact of activating or deactivating specific software modules without affecting the actual node. A master node passes a node the identity of the software package(s) to be updated and the dependencies. The node notifies its running processes about the update. If any of the processes determine that the update will degrade or have a negative impact on the operation of the node, it returns a veto to the node which sends a list of the processes that are impacted along with the reasons why to the master node.

Claims

1. A method of software change modeling of networked nodes on a computer system, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

simulating, using a software update simulator on the computer system, processes from at least one node of the networked nodes;

wherein each simulated process is a minimal version of a functional process that runs on said node; and

receiving a software update for said node by said software update simulator;

wherein the software update contains a set of one or more software packages;

wherein each software package of the set contains at least one software module with corresponding software dependency information;

wherein said software update simulator notifies a control process for said node that a software update is being requested;

wherein said software update simulator passes said control process identities of the set of one or more software packages to be updated and software dependency information; and

wherein said control process determines running functional node processes that will be affected by the software update using the software dependency information.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said control process notifies processes that have indicated interest in software updates that the software update is being requested;

wherein each notified process evaluates the effect that the software update will have on its operation;

wherein if any of the processes determine that the software update will degrade or have a negative impact on said node'"'"'s normal operation, the process returns a veto to said control process along with reasons why; and

wherein if a process finds that the software update will have no negative effects, the process returns an acceptance of the software update to said control process.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said control process waits for all of the notified processes to return the results of their evaluations and once all of the processes have reported to said control process, said control process notifies said software update simulator if any of the processes have vetoed the software update along with their reasons.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein said software update simulator displays node identifiers and the processes that have vetoed the software update along with their reasons to a user.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a user initiates a software update by loading an image containing the software update into said software update simulator.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the user indicates what nodes and which of the set of one or more software packages are to be updated.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a software package contains version information, dependency information, and other metadata information pertaining to software in the package.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the metadata includes a list of application program interface (API) providers and consumers.

9. A method of software change modeling of nodes in a network of nodes on a computer system, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

executing a software update simulator on said computer system;

wherein said software update simulator runs software components normally run on a master node in the network of nodes;

receiving a current software configuration of a node into said software update simulator by receiving current software modules installed on said node;

receiving a request for a simulation of a software update by receiving an updated software image into said simulator;

wherein the software image contains a set of one or more software packages;

wherein each software package of the set contains at least one software module with corresponding software dependency information;

wherein said software update simulator calculates the software update'"'"'s impact on said node using a current software configuration of said node; and

displaying the calculation'"'"'s results to a user.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising receiving at said software update simulator the type of node being analyzed.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said software update is a software downgrade where modules are being removed.

12. An apparatus for software change modeling of nodes in a network of nodes on a computer system, comprising:

one or more processors

a software update simulator on said computer system;

wherein said software update simulator runs software components normally run on a master node in the network of nodes;

means for receiving a current software configuration of a node, in the network of nodes, into said software update simulator by receiving current software modules installed on said node;

means for receiving a request for a simulation of a software update by receiving an updated software image into said simulator; and

wherein the software image contains a set of one or more software packages;

wherein each software package of the set contains at least one software module with corresponding software dependency information;

wherein said software update simulator calculates the software update'"'"'s impact on said node using the current software configuration of said node; and

means for displaying the calculation'"'"'s results to a user.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 12, further comprising means for receiving at said software update simulator the type of node being analyzed.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said software update is a software downgrade where modules are being removed.

15. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for software change modeling of nodes in a network of nodes on a computer system, wherein the computer-readable storage medium is one of a volatile or a non-volatile medium, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

executing a software update simulator on said computer system;

wherein said software update simulator runs software components normally run on a master node in the network of nodes;

receiving a current software configuration of a node into said software update simulator by receiving current software modules installed on said node;

receiving a request for a simulation of a software update by receiving an updated software image into said simulator;

wherein the software image contains a set of one or more software packages;

wherein each software package of the set contains at least one software module with corresponding software dependency information;

wherein said software update simulator calculates the software update'"'"'s impact on said node using a current software configuration of said node; and

displaying the calculation'"'"'s results to a user.

16. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more sequences of instructions include instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of receiving at said software update simulator the type of node being analyzed.

17. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein said software update is a software downgrade where modules are being removed.

18. An apparatus for software change modeling of networked nodes on a computer system, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors

means for simulating, using a software update simulator on the computer system, processes from at least one node of the networked nodes;

wherein each functional process that is simulated is a minimal version of a functional process that runs on said node; and

means for receiving a software update for said node by said software update simulator;

wherein the software update contains a set of one or more software packages;

wherein each software package of the set contains at least one software module with corresponding software dependency information;

wherein said software update simulator notifies a control process for said node that a software update is being requested;

wherein said software update simulator passes said control process identities of the set of one or more software packages to be updated and software dependency information; and

wherein said control process determines running functional node processes that will be affected by the software update using the software dependency information.

19. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for software change modeling of networked nodes on a computer system, wherein the computer-readable storage medium is one of a volatile or a non-volatile medium, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

simulating, using a software update simulator on the computer system, processes from at least one node of the networked nodes;

wherein each functional process that is simulated is a minimal version of a functional process that runs on said node; and

receiving a software update for said node by said software update simulator;

wherein the software update contains a set of one or more software packages;

wherein each software package of the set contains at least one software module with corresponding software dependency information;

wherein said software update simulator notifies a control process for said node that a software update is being requested;

wherein said software update simulator passes said control process identities of the set of one or more software packages to be updated and software dependency information; and

wherein said control process determines running functional node processes that will be affected by the software update using the software dependency information.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a software update simulator on a computer system;

one or more processors;

one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform;

simulating processes from at least one node on said computer system, wherein each functional process that is simulated is a minimal version of a functional process that runs on said node; and

receiving a software update for said node by said software update simulator;

wherein the software update a set of one or more software packages;

wherein each software package of the set contains at least one software module with corresponding software dependency information;

wherein said software update simulator notifies a control process for said node that a software update is being requested;

wherein said software update simulator passes said control process identities of the set of one or more software packages to be updated and software dependency information; and

wherein said control process determines running functional node processes that will be affected by the software update using the software dependency information.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein said control process notifies processes that have indicated interest in software updates that the software update is being requested;

wherein each notified process evaluates the effect that the software update will have on its operation;

wherein if any of the processes determine that the software update will degrade or have a negative impact on said node'"'"'s normal operation, the process returns a veto to said control process along with reasons why; and

wherein if a process finds that the software update will have no negative effects, the process returns an acceptance of the software update to said control process.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein said control process waits for all of the notified processes to return the results of their evaluations and once all of the processes have reported to said control process, said control process notifies said software update simulator if any of the processes have vetoed the software update along with their reasons.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein said software update simulator displays node identifiers and the processes that have vetoed the software update along with their reasons to a user.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a software update simulator on a computer system;

wherein said software update simulator runs software components normally run on a master node in the network of nodes;

receiving a current software configuration of a node into said software update simulator by receiving current software modules installed on said node;

receiving a request for a simulation of a software update by receiving an updated software image into said simulator;

wherein the software image contains a set of one or more software packages;

wherein each software package of the set contains at least one software module with corresponding software dependency information;

wherein said software update simulator calculates the software update'"'"'s impact on said node using a current software configuration of said node;

one or more processors; and

one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform displaying the calculation'"'"'s results to a user.

25. An apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein said software update is a software downgrade where modules are being removed.