Software distribution method and system

• US 7,490,322 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2003
• Issued: 02/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Marinelli, Claudio, Pichetti, Luigi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kiss; Eric B
• Application Number:
  US10/510,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20050149925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,189 Days
• Field of Search: 717/170, 717/177
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/64 Retargetable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates

Abstract

A software distribution method and system are provided. In a software distribution application, packages including instructions specifying the actions to be carried out on each target computer for installing or removing selected software products are prepared in a central site. Each package is transmitted to the target computer, and the corresponding instructions are interpreted so as to enforce the desired software products meeting the current configuration of the target computer. The configuration of the target computer is monitored to detect any hardware upgrade. In response thereto, the target computer generates a list of actions for removing software products not meeting the new configuration any longer and a list of action for installing software products now meeting the new configuration. These lists are transmitted to the central site, and they trigger the building of a delta package. The delta package is then distributed to the target computer.

Claims

1. A software distribution method including the steps of:

on a source computer providing a package including an indication of actions to be performed on each one of a plurality of target computers for enforcing corresponding software features, at least one of the actions being conditioned to a configuration of the target computer,

transmitting the package from the source computer to the target computer,

performing the actions meeting the configuration of the target computer,

detecting a change resulting in a new configuration of the target computer,

determining correction actions for enforcing the software features meeting the new configuration, and

performing the correction actions, wherein the step of performing the correction actions includes;

transmitting an indication of the correction actions to the source computer, building a further package for causing execution of the correction actions on the target computer, and

transmitting the further package to the target computer.

2. A program application product comprising a computer readable medium on which a computer program application is stored, the computer program application being directly loadable into a working memory of a data processing system for performing a software distribution method when the application is run on the data processing system, wherein the method includes the steps of:

on a source computer providing a package including an indication of actions to be performed on each one of a plurality of target computers for enforcing corresponding software features, at least one of the actions being conditioned to a configuration of the target computer,

transmitting the package from the source computer to the target computer,

performing the actions meeting the configuration of the target computer,

detecting a change resulting in a new configuration of the target computer,

determining correction actions for enforcing the software features meeting the new configuration, and

performing the correction actions, wherein the package further includes an indication of at least one condition based on at least one configuration parameter of the target computer, each condition being associated with at least one action,

and wherein the step of performing the actions meeting the configuration of the target computer includes;

performing a first evaluation of each condition according to the configuration of the target computer, and performing the at least one action associated with the condition when a corresponding result of the first evaluation is met by the target computer,

and the step of determining the correction actions includes;

identifying the conditions based on at least one configuration parameter affected by the change, performing a second evaluation of each identified condition according to the new configuration, and selecting the at least one action associated with the identified condition when the corresponding result of the first evaluation is not met by the target computer and the corresponding result of the second evaluation is met by the target computer.

3. A program product comprising a computer readable medium on which a computer program is stored, the computer program being directly loadable into a working memory of a target computer for performing a software distribution method when the program is run on the target computer, wherein the target computer is coupled with a source computer providing a package including an indication of actions to be performed on the target computer for enforcing corresponding software features and wherein at least one of the actions is conditioned to a configuration of the target computer, the method including the steps of:

receiving the package from the source computer,

performing the actions meeting the configuration of the target computer,

detecting a change resulting in a new configuration of the target computer,

determining correction actions for enforcing the software features meeting the new configuration, and

performing the correction actions, wherein the step of performing the correction actions includes;

transmitting an indication of the correction actions to the source computer, and

receiving a further package at the target computer, the further package having been built by the source computer, in response to the source computer receiving the indication of the correction actions, for causing execution of the correction actions on the target computer.

4. A software distribution system including a source computer and a plurality of target computers, the source computer having a software module for providing a package including an indication of actions to be performed on each one of the target computers for enforcing corresponding software features, at least one of the actions being conditioned to a configuration of the target computer, wherein the system further includes network services for transmitting the package from the source computer to the target computer and wherein the target computer includes an engine for performing the actions meeting the configuration of the target computer, and a monitor for detecting a change resulting in a new configuration of the target computer and for determining correction actions for enforcing the software features meeting the new configuration, the engine being further suitable to perform the correction actions by transmitting an indication of the correction actions to the source computer, wherein the source module of the source computer builds a further package for causing execution of the correction actions on the target computer and transmits the further package to the target computer.