Method, apparatus, and computer product for updating software

• US 7,716,373 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2007
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Hamanaka, Seishiro, Iyoda, Satoshi, Yoshikawa, Shigehiro, Naitou, Masayuki, Hibi, Yoshinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong; Oanh
• Application Number:
  US11/786,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20070244999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/220, 709/221, 709/223, 709/246, 709/248, 709/224, 718/105, 717/168
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

Current configuration information of an information processing apparatus, post configuration information after updating a software, configuration information of a network device are stored in a database. A selection of a software image for updating the software of the information processing apparatus and a change of a configuration of the network device are considered, based on the pieces of configuration information. An automation of an operation of updating the software is realized by sending a result of consideration to an agent deployed in the information processing apparatus and causing the information processing apparatus to perform a desired processing.

Claims

1. A computer-readable recording medium that stores therein a computer program for performing an information collection and an operation instruction by performing a communication with a program deployed in an information processing apparatus via a network, to perform an update of a software of the information processing apparatus, the computer program causing a computer to execute:

acquiring configuration information from a database that stores therein current configuration information of the information processing apparatus, post configuration information of the information processing apparatus after updating the software, and configuration information of a load balancer connected to the information processing apparatus via the network, the load balancer receiving all requests from clients and assigning some of the requests to the information processing apparatus;

changing a setting of the load balancer as appropriate; and

software applying including;

determining a software to be installed in the information processing apparatus or to be removed from the information processing apparatus by comparing the current configuration information with the post configuration information acquired at the acquiring,

instructing the program deployed in the information processing apparatus to install or remove the software,

determining, from the configuration information of the load balancer acquired at the acquiring, whether a change of the setting of the load balancer is needed upon installing or removing the software, and

instructing, when the change of the setting of the load balancer is determined to be needed, the changing to change the setting of the load balancer.

2. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the software applying includes instructing, when the information processing apparatus in which the software is to be installed or from which the software is to be removed is determined to be connected to the load balancer from the configuration information acquired at the acquiring, the changing to change the setting of the load balancer in such a manner that the load balancer suspends a distribution of a processing to the information processing apparatus before installing or removing the software and resumes the distribution of the processing to the information processing apparatus after installing or removing the software.

3. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the software applying includes

instructing the program deployed in the information processing apparatus to execute an application-result confirming program for confirming a result of installing or removing the software, and

collecting a result of executing the application-result confirming program.

4. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing computer-readable instructions, execution of the instructions by the processor facilitating performance of an information collection and an operation instruction by performing a communication with a program deployed in an information processing apparatus via a network, to perform an update of a software of the information processing apparatus, execution of the instructions by the processor configuring the apparatus to include;

a configuration-information acquiring unit that acquires configuration information from a database that stores therein current configuration information of the information processing apparatus, post configuration information of the information processing apparatus after updating the software, and configuration information of a load balancer connected to the information processing apparatus via the network, the load balancer receiving all requests from clients and assigning some of the requests to the information processing apparatus;

a network-configuration setting unit that changes a setting of the load balancer as appropriate; and

a software applying unit that determines a software to be installed in the information processing apparatus or to be removed from the information processing apparatus by comparing the current configuration information with the post configuration information acquired by the configuration-information acquiring unit, instructs the program deployed in the information processing apparatus to install or remove the software, determines, from the configuration information of the load balancer acquired by the configuration-information acquiring unit, whether a change of the setting of the load balancer is needed upon installing or removing the software, and instructs, when the change of the setting of the load balancer is determined to be needed, the network-configuration setting unit to change the setting of the load balancer.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the software applying unit instructs, when the information processing apparatus in which the software is to be installed or from which the software is to be removed is determined to be connected to the load balancer from the configuration information acquired by the configuration-information acquiring unit, the network-configuration setting unit to change the setting of the load balancer in in such a manner that the load balancer suspends a distribution of a processing to the information processing apparatus before installing or removing the software, and resumes the distribution of the processing to the information processing apparatus after installing or removing the software.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the software applying unit instructs the program deployed in the information processing apparatus to execute an application-result confirming program for confirming a result of installing or removing the software, and collects a result of executing the application-result confirming program.

7. A method of a software updating apparatus for performing an information collection and an operation instruction by performing a communication with a program deployed in an information processing apparatus via a network, to perform an update of a software of the information processing apparatus, the method of the software updating apparatus comprising:

acquiring configuration information from a database that stores therein current configuration information of the information processing apparatus, post configuration information of the information processing apparatus after updating the software, and configuration information of a load balancer connected to the information processing apparatus via the network, the load balancer receiving all requests from clients and assigning some of the requests to the information Processing apparatus;

changing a setting of the load balancer as appropriate; and

software applying including

determining a software to be installed in the information processing apparatus or to be removed from the information processing apparatus by comparing the current configuration information with the post configuration information acquired at the acquiring,

instructing the program deployed in the information processing apparatus to install or remove the software,

determining, from the configuration information of the load balancer acquired at the acquiring, whether a change of the setting of the load balancer is needed upon installing or removing the software, and

instructing, when the change of the setting of the load balancer is determined to be needed, the changing to change the setting of the load balancer.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the software applying includes instructing, when the information processing apparatus in which the software is to be installed or from which the software is to be removed is determined to be connected to the load balancer from the the configuration information acquired at the acquiring, the changing to change the setting of the load balancer in such a manner that the load balancer suspends a distribution of a processing to the information processing apparatus before installing or removing the software and resumes the distribution of the processing to the information processing apparatus after installing or removing the software.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the software applying includes

instructing the program deployed in the information processing apparatus to execute an application-result confirming program for confirming a result of installing or removing the software, and

collecting a result of executing the application-result confirming program.