Transparent recovery of self-sustained code-upgrade

• US 7,971,200 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2007
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fifer, Nicholas D., Gayda, Ilan, Nagin, Kenneth, Goldberg, Itzhack
• Primary Examiner(s): Deng; Anna
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rampuria; Satish
• Application Number:
  US11/671,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A defective self-sustained code-upgrade code is recovered. A relevant unset variable is set to avoid an un-initialized command failure. A relevant set variable is unset to render a second invocation of the set variable to appear as a first invocation A fix-named file is retrieved containing a plurality of code entries organized in a stanza style. The fixed-named file is executed. The plurality of stanza-organized entries are sourced by the defective code-upgrade code to change a variable which has been previously set, thereby overriding an existing process.

Claims

1. A method of repairing an applying computer code, comprising:

setting a relevant unset variable to avoid an un-initialized command failure;

unsetting a relevant set variable to render a second invocation of the set variable to appear as a first invocation;

retrieving a fix-named file containing a plurality of code entries organized in a stanza style;

executing the fix-named file, wherein the plurality of stanza-style entries are sourced by a defective self-sustained code-upgrade code to change a variable which has been previously set, thereby overriding an existing process;

creating a backdoor technique dynamically by configuring a new code-load code command to repair without replacing the defective self-sustained code-upgrade code coming-from code-load code;

terminating at least one relevant running process affecting the correct execution of the new code-load code command; and

executing the defective self-sustained code-upgrade code successfully.

2. The method of claim 1, further unsetting a relevant set variable to render a second invocation of the relevant set variable to appear as a first invocation.

3. The method of claim 1, further including retrieving a fix-named file containing the plurality of code entries organized according to the stanza-style.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the stanza-style entries further include scripting code to perform the variable changing function.

5. A method of recovering defective self-sustained code-upgrade code, comprising:

setting a relevant unset variable to avoid an un-initialized command failure;

unsetting a relevant set variable to render a second invocation of the set variable to appear as a first invocation;

retrieving a fix-named file containing a plurality of code entries organized in a stanza style;

executing the fix-named file, wherein the plurality of stanza-style entries are sourced by the defective self-sustained code-upgrade code to change a variable which has been previously set, thereby overriding an existing process;

creating a backdoor technique dynamically by configuring a new code-load code command to repair without replacing the defective self-sustained code-upgrade code coming-from code-load code;

terminating at least one relevant running process affecting the correct execution of the new code-load code command; and

executing the defective self-sustained code-upgrade code successfully.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the stanza-organized entries further include scripting code to perform the variable changing function.

7. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer usable medium including computer usable program code for recovering defective self-sustained code-upgrade code, said computer program product including;

computer usable program code for setting a relevant unset variable to avoid an un-initialized command failure;

computer usable program code for unsetting a relevant set variable to render a second invocation of the set variable to appear as a first invocation;

computer usable program code for retrieving a fix-named file containing a plurality of code entries organized in a stanza style;

computer usable program code for executing the fix-named file, wherein the plurality of stanza-style entries are sourced by the defective self-sustained code-upgrade code to change a variable which has been previously set, thereby overriding an existing process;

computer usable program code for creating a backdoor technique dynamically by configuring a new code-load code command to repair without replacing the defective self-sustained code-upgrade code coming-from code-load code;

computer usable program code for terminating at least one relevant running process affecting the correct execution of the new code-load code command; and

computer usable program code for executing the defective self-sustained code-upgrade code successfully.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further including computer usable program code for unsetting a relevant set variable to render a second invocation of the relevant set variable to appear as a first invocation.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, further including computer usable program code for retrieving a fix-named file containing the plurality of code entries organized according to the stanza-style.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, further including computer usable program code for terminating an associated process to increase the probability that the stanza-style entries are effectively sourced by the running program.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the stanza-style entries further include scripting code to perform the variable changing function.