Networked deployment of multi-application customizations

• US 8,245,223 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bhatia, Saurabh, Erman, Konstantin, Young, Jeffrey Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Tecklu, Isaac
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kabir, Mohammad
• Application Number:
  US12/342,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20100162232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 717/168, 717/174
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons

Abstract

A user node receives a multi-project solution which includes customizations that collectively extend installed applications. The customizations are installed on the user node as a single solution from an end-user perspective, e.g., by displaying a single progress update bar, displaying a single entry for the multi-project solution in an add/remove programs control, and making a single trust decision for the multi-project solution, as opposed to individual displays and individual trust decisions for each customization. Deployment may invoke an enhanced application manifest, an enhanced deployment manifest, or both.

Claims

1. A method for providing a multi-application customization to a user node of a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

a user node receiving a single-action user request to run a multi-application customization, the multi-application customization including interdependent customizations of multiple applications, the interdependent customizations when installed forming a single solution when viewed from an end-user perspective;

the user node receiving, from a remote node of the computer network, in response to the single-action user request, a first customization of the multi-application customization which extends a first application previously installed on the user node;

the user node also receiving, from the same or another remote node, in response to the same single-action user request, a second customization of the multi-application customization which extends a second application previously installed on the user node; and

the user node running the previously installed applications at the user node with the respective customizations of the multi-application customization.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user node displays a single progress update bar for the multi-application customization in response to the single-action user request, as opposed to displaying individual progress bars for each customization.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user node displays a single entry for the multi-application customization in a control for adding and removing programs, as opposed to displaying individual entries for each customization.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a security control of the user node makes a single trust decision regarding the multi-application customization, as opposed to making individual trust decisions for each customization.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein both customizations received in response to the single-action user request are stored in a single directory on the user node without using individual respective directories for each customization.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising confirming that the customizations are lock-step versions before running the installed applications with the respective customizations.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the single-action user request to run a multi-application customization invokes an application manifest which contains multiple entry points, including an entry point for each customization.

8. A computer-readable medium configured with data and instructions for performing a method for deploying a multi-application customization at a user node of a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving from a remote node of the computer network, in response to a single-action user request, a multi-application customization which includes a plurality of interdependent customizations that collectively extend a plurality of applications previously installed on the user node that with the customizations form a single solution when viewed from an end-user perspective; and

displaying a single entry for the entire multi-application customization in a user node control for adding and removing programs; and

running the previously installed applications with the customizations of the multi-application customization.

9. The configured medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises checking a single trust decision for the entire multi-application customization.

10. The configured medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises storing the entire multi-application customization in a single obfuscated folder of the user node.

11. The configured medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises displaying a single progress update bar for the entire multi-application customization as the multi-application customization is received and installed on the user node.

12. The configured medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises updating a previously installed version of the multi-application customization by modifying at least one customization on the user node.

13. The configured medium of claim 12, wherein at least one of the following conditions is true:

an application which was customized by the multi-application customization before the updating step is no longer customized by the multi-application customization after the updating step;

an application which was not customized by the multi-application customization before the updating step is customized by the multi-application customization after the updating step.

14. A user node computer system in a computer network configured by multi-application customization deployment code, the user node computer system comprising:

a logical processor; and

a memory in operable communication with the logical processor, the memory configured with a plurality of installed applications, the memory further configured by the user node computer system performing with the deployment code a method having at least the following steps;

receiving a single-action user request to run a multi-application customization;

receiving from a remote node of the computer network a multi-application customization which includes a plurality of interdependent customizations that collectively extend a plurality of previously installed applications; and

installing the interdependent customizations on the user node computer system as a single solution when viewed from an end-user perspective; and

running the previously installed applications with the customizations of the multi-application customization.

15. The user node computer system of claim 14, in combination with an enhanced application manifest, namely, an application manifest that contains multiple entry points corresponding to respective multiple customizations of the multi-application customization.

16. The user node computer system of claim 14, in combination with an enhanced deployment manifest, namely, a deployment manifest which identifies multiple application manifests that each have a respective entry point for one of the customizations of the multi-application customization.

17. The user node computer system of claim 14, wherein the method displays a single progress update bar for the multi-application customization, as opposed to displaying individual progress bars for each customization.

18. The user node computer system of claim 14, wherein the method displays a single entry for the multi-application customization in a control for adding and removing programs, as opposed to displaying individual entries for each customization.

19. The user node computer system of claim 14, wherein the method makes a single trust decision for the multi-application customization, as opposed to making individual trust decisions for each customization.

20. The user node computer system of claim 14, wherein the method customizes at least two of the following previously installed applications:

a word processing application, a spreadsheet application, an email application, a slide presentation graphics application, a database application, a project management application, an accounts management application, a collaborative workspace application, a graphics visualization application.