Update distribution system architecture and method for distributing software

• US 7,853,609 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Dehghan, David, Mohammed, Mazhar, Reus, Edward, Ma, Lie, Roberts, Jason J., Hennessey, David, Raman, Vidyasankar, Hou, Jianbo, Sriram, Thottam R., He, Xiang, Thiruvillamalai, Varadarajan, Soy, Nirmal Rajesh, Shepard, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Miranda
• Application Number:
  US10/799,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20050203968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,468 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-102, 707/104.1, 707200-204, 707/778, 707/781, 707/999.01, 707/999.101, 717171-174, 717/168, 717/177, 709221-224, 709217-219, 709/201, 709/203, 705 50- 51, 705/14, 705/59, 705/67, 714/6, 713/161
• US Class Current: 707/778
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

A hierarchical software update distribution system and method for distributing software updates is presented. The update distribution system includes a root update service node and at least one update service node. In an update distribution system, each update service node, except the root update service node, has one parent update service node. Each update service node may function as a parent update service node to child update service nodes.

Claims

1. A software update distribution system for distributing a software update over a communication network for distribution to client computers, comprising:

a root update service node; and

a plurality of child update service nodes operable to distribute software updates to client computers, wherein each of the plurality of child update service nodes comprises;

an update store for storing software updates;

an update web service through which the child update service node obtains software updates from its parent update service node over the communication network, and through which the child update service node distributes software updates to its child update service nodes over the communication network; and

a child update module for determining software updates available to be distributed to one or more child update service nodes according to the established rules;

a reporting module for generating and sending update activity reports to the parent update service node;

an authentication and authorization module for determining whether an update service node is authorized to obtain software updates from the child update service node;

a client update module for distributing software updates to client computers;

wherein the root update service node and the plurality of child update service nodes are organized in a hierarchical manner such that the root update service node is a parent update service node to at least one child update service node, wherein each of the plurality of child update service nodes has a parent update service node, and wherein a first child update service node of the plurality of child update service nodes is a parent update service node to a second child update service node of the plurality of child update service nodes;

wherein the root update service node includes a first administration application programming interface (API) and first administration user interface, wherein the first administration API and first administration user interface are operable to receive from an administrator a first set of rules for distributing software updates to at least some of the plurality of child update service nodes;

wherein at least the first child update service node includes a second administration API, separate from the first administration API, and a second administration user interface, separate from the first administration user interface, wherein the second administration API and second administration user interface are operable to receive a second set of rules for distributing software updates from the first child update service node to at least the second child update service node, wherein the second set of rules establishes the second child update service node as belonging to a first group and specifies a subset of the software updates as available to the first group; and

wherein the root update service node obtains a first software update from a software provider, and wherein at least one of the plurality of child update service nodes obtains the first software update for distribution by obtaining the first software update from its parent update service node.

2. The software update distribution system of claim 1, wherein the root update service node comprises:

an update store for storing software updates;

an update web service through which the root update service node distributes software updates to its child update service nodes over the communication network; and

a software provider interface through which a software provider submits its software update over the communication network to the root update distribution node.

3. The software update distribution system of claim 1, wherein the update store comprises an update content store in which the update payload for the software update is stored, and an update information store in which update metadata for the software update is stored.

4. The software update distribution system of claim 3, wherein the first child update service node obtains the software update from the root update service node by obtaining update metadata for the software update from the root update service node and obtaining the update payload for the software update from the root update service node, and wherein the obtaining the update payload is separate from the obtaining update metadata.

5. The software update distribution system of claim 4, wherein the first child update service node obtains the update payload for the software update from the root update service node in a just-in-time fashion.

6. The software update distribution system of claim 1, wherein the root update service node further comprises a client update module for distributing software updates to client computers.

7. The software update distribution system of claim 1, wherein the first child update service node may be selectively configured to periodically obtain software updates from the root update service node.

8. A computer-implemented method for facilitating the distribution of software updates in a hierarchical arrangement, the method comprising:

providing a root update service node of a hierarchy of update services nodes;

providing a plurality of child update service nodes organized in a hierarchy under the root update service node, wherein each of the plurality of update service nodes is operable to distribute software updates to client computers; and

providing software update information corresponding to software updates for distribution to client computers connected to update services nodes in the hierarchy of update service nodes;

wherein the root update service node is a parent update service node to at least one of the plurality of child update service nodes and wherein each update service node, except the root update service node, has a parent update service node;

wherein at least a first child update service node of the plurality of child update service nodes is a parent update service node to another child update service node of the plurality of child update service nodes; and

wherein each of the plurality of child update service nodes includes an administration application programming interface (API) and administration user interface through which an administrator establishes a set of rules for distributing software updates, and wherein a first set of rules establishes a first group and specifies a subset of the software updates as available to the first group, wherein each of the plurality of child update service nodes comprises;

storing software updates in an update store;

obtaining software updates from its parent update service node over the communication network through an update web service, and through which the child update service node distributes software updates to its child update service nodes over the communication network;

determining software updates available to be distributed to one or more child update service nodes according to the established rules;

generating and sending update activity reports to the parent update service node;

determining whether an update service node is authorized to obtain software updates from the child update service node; and

distributing software updates to client computers.