Reversible atomic steps to undo application startup

• US 7,752,602 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hepner, Daniel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Van H
• Application Number:
  US10/953,255
• Time in Patent Office: 2,107 Days
• Field of Search: 717/109, 717/174, 717/120, 717/127, 717/128, 719/221, 719/223, 719/321, 719/323, 718/1, 714/6, 714/45, 714/48, 714/100
• US Class Current: 717/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

An application package startup procedure is divided into a plurality of atomic steps. For each of the plurality of atomic steps, a start fragment is created. The start fragment is configured to execute substeps that further the startup procedure. A stop fragment is created. The stop fragment is configured to execute substeps that undo its corresponding start fragment.

Claims

1. A method for creating application package startup code configured to startup an application package, comprising:

dividing steps associated with a procedure for starting said application package into atomic steps;

for each of a first plurality of said atomic steps,

creating a start fragment, said start fragment being configured to execute substeps that further said startup of said application package;

creating a stop fragment, said stop fragment being configured to execute substeps that undo its corresponding start fragment;

executing, on a computer, said start fragment; and

creating code for executing, on said computer, a number of stop fragments associated with said atomic steps to cause all traces of said application package startup code being attempted to be removed if a start fragment associated with said atomic steps encounters an error.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one of a start fragment and a stop fragment of a given atomic step of said atomic steps is null, and another of said start fragment and said stop fragment of said given atomic step respectively furthers said startup of said application package or partially reverses said startup of said application package.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of a second plurality of said atomic steps is configured to be as large as possible while still being atomic.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of a second plurality of said atomic steps is substantially self-contained.

5. A method for starting an application package utilizing application package startup code, comprising:

executing, on a computer, start fragments associated with a plurality of atomic steps in a step-wise manner until one of said start fragments encounters an error, wherein said application package startup code is divided into said plurality of atomic steps, each of said plurality of atomic steps including a start fragment and a stop fragment configured to undo its corresponding start fragment; and

if said one of said start fragments encounters said error,

a) executing, on said computer, a stop fragment corresponding to said one of said start fragments that encountered said error,

b) executing, on said computer, previous stop fragments in a step-wise manner; and

(c) removing, after said stop fragment corresponding to said one of said start fragments that encountered said error and said previous stop fragments have been executed, all traces of said application package startup code being attempted.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said application package startup code is executed in a computer cluster environment.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each of said plurality of atomic steps is configured to be as large as possible while still being atomic.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

executing, after substantially all traces of said application package startup code being attempted have been removed, said start fragments in a step-wise manner on another computer in said computer cluster environment.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein each of said plurality of atomic steps is substantially self-contained.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein one of a start fragment and a stop fragment of a given atomic step of said plurality of atomic steps is null.

11. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium having computer readable code stored thereon, comprising:

computer readable code for executing start fragments associated with a plurality of atomic steps in a step-wise manner until one of said start fragments encounters an error, wherein said computer readable code being configured to start an application package utilizing application package startup code, said application package startup code is divided into said plurality of atomic steps, each of said plurality of atomic steps including a start fragment and a stop fragment configured to undo its corresponding start fragment;

computer readable code for executing, if said one of said start fragments encounters said error, a stop fragment corresponding to said one of said start fragments that encountered said error;

computer readable code for executing thereafter, if said one of said start fragments encounters said error, previous stop fragments in a step-wise manner; and

computer readable code for removing, after said stop fragment corresponding to said one of said start fragments that encountered said error and said previous stop fragments have been executed, all traces of said application package startup code being attempted.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 11, further comprising computer readable code stored thereon for:

executing, after substantially all traces of said application package startup code being attempted have been removed, said start fragments associated with said plurality of atomic steps in a step-wise manner on another computer in a computer cluster environment.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of atomic steps is configured to be as large as possible while still being atomic.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of atomic steps is substantially self-contained.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 11, wherein said application package startup code is executed in a computer cluster environment.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein one of a start fragment and a stop fragment of a given atomic step of said plurality of atomic steps is null.