Systems and methods for enterprise software management

• US 7,895,572 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2005
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Stienhans, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): DENG, ANNA CHEN
• Application Number:
  US11/203,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20070038983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,017 Days
• Field of Search: 717/101, 717/102, 717/103, 717120-122, 717/123, 717/126, 717/127, 717/131, 717/132, 717/133, 717/134, 717/135
• US Class Current: 717/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management

Abstract

Methods and systems consistent with embodiments of the present invention receive information reflecting dependencies between software modules, and monitor the software modules for changes using the received information reflecting the dependencies. The information may be derived from dependency data in the software modules.

Claims

1. A method for managing software modules comprising:

receiving, at a computer, dependency information reflecting dependencies between the software modules, wherein the dependency information is included in the software modules and specifies a dependency between a user and at least one of the software modules based on an authorization of the user to use the at least one software module;

monitoring the software modules to obtain updates to the dependencies from the received dependency information;

generating a representation of the software modules according to the received dependency information, the representation reflecting the dependencies between the software modules;

receiving data reflecting a software development change to a first one of the software modules;

providing notification of the software development change to third-party users of the software modules by transmitting an e-mail message to the third party users, the e-mail message containing data indicating affected software modules dependent on the software development change; and

performing, by the computer, design-time checks to determine whether the software development change to the first one of the software modules is consistent with the updated dependencies between the software modules reflected by the received dependency information, wherein the design-time checks are automatically performed before the first one of the software modules is compiled with the software development change.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying at least a portion of the representation.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a notification of changes based on the monitoring.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a portal to access the received dependency information and additional software management information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the dependency information is accessed by the computer using an Application Program Interface (API).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring comprises:

evaluating the change according to the received dependency information reflecting the dependencies; and

generating a software management proposal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the dependencies comprise runtime dependencies.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising ensuring the software modules comply with policies for including dependency information in the software modules to enable the computer to derive the dependencies between the software modules.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the dependency information comprises information on a user role for at least one of the software modules.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preventing a software build of the first software module when the software development change to the first one of the software modules is inconsistent with the received dependency information.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a report when the software development change to the first one of the software modules is inconsistent with the received dependency information, the generated report reflecting the inconsistency.

9. A system comprising:

a memory, and

a processor configured to;

receive dependency information reflecting dependencies between software modules, wherein the dependency information is included in the software modules and specifies a dependency between a user and at least one of the software modules based on an authorization of the user to use the at least one software module;

monitor the software modules to obtain updates to the dependencies from the received dependency information;

generate a representation of the software modules according to the received dependency information, the representation reflecting the dependencies between the software modules;

receive data reflecting a software development change to a first one of the software modules;

provide notification of the software development change to third-party users of the software modules by transmitting an e-mail message to the third party users, the e-mail message containing data indicating affected software modules dependent on the software development change; and

perform design-time checks to determine whether the software development change to the first one of the software modules is consistent with the updated dependencies between the software modules reflected by the received dependency information, wherein the design-time checks are automatically performed before the first one of the software modules is compiled with the software development change.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a display on which the processor displays at least a portion of the representation, using a graphical user interface.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor further provides a notification of changes based on the monitoring.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor further provides a portal to access the received dependency information and additional software management information.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor accesses the dependency information through an Application Program Interface (API).

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor evaluates the changes in the software modules using the received dependency information reflecting the dependencies, and generates a software management proposal.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the dependencies comprise runtime dependencies.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor further ensures the software modules comply with policies for including dependency information in the software modules enable the processor to derive the dependencies between the software modules.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein the dependency information comprises information on a user role for at least one of the software modules.

17. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions to configure a computer to implement a method comprising:

receiving dependency information reflecting dependencies between software modules, wherein the dependency information is included in the software modules and specifies a dependency between a user and at least one of the software modules based on an authorization of the user to use the at least one software module;

monitoring the software modules to obtain updates to the dependencies from the received dependency information;

generating a representation of the software modules according to the received dependency information, the representation reflecting the dependencies between the software modules;

receiving data reflecting a software development change to a first one of the software modules;

providing notification of the software development change to third-party users of the software modules by transmitting an e-mail message to the third party users, the e-mail message containing data indicating affected software modules dependent on the software development change; and

performing design-time checks to determine whether the software development change to the first one of the software modules is consistent with the updated dependencies between the software modules reflected by the received dependency information, wherein the design-time checks are automatically performed before the first one of the software modules is compiled with the software development change.