Download discovery for web servers

• US 8,392,911 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2008
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Delahunty, Brian, Mares, Carlos Aguilar, Verma, Nitasha, Lucero, Robert J., Bukovec, Mai-Ian T., Staples, William J., Hoyer, Crystal L., Birck, Andrew Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, Chat
• Assistant Examiner(s): CURBELO III, SERGIO JOSE
• Application Number:
  US12/122,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20090288081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178
• US Class Current: 717/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons

Abstract

Facilitating installation of additional functionality on a web server. The method includes at a data store, receiving a request from a client to access programmatic code units. The data store includes programmatic code units. The programmatic code units are configured to provide additional web server functionality when installed at a web server. The client is distinct and separate from the data store. The method further includes, at the data store, providing information about one or more programmatic code units to the client. Input is received from the client selecting one or more programmatic code units to be installed on a web server. The web server is separate and distinct from both the data store and the client. The one or more selected programmatic code units are sent to the web server, where after the one or more selected programmatic code units are installed on the web server.

Claims

1. A method, implemented at a repository computer system that includes one or more processors and system memory, for providing a module to a server computer system for installation at the server computer system, the method comprising:

an act of the repository computer system receiving server profile information, the server profile information including the identity of one or more first modules that are already installed on the server computer system, wherein the repository computer system, a client computer system, and the server computer system are each separate computer systems;

based on receiving the server profile information, an act of the repository computer system identifying at least one module that is appropriate for installation at the server computer system, the at least one module being selected from among the one or more second modules, including;

comparing the one or more first modules that are already installed on the server computer system with the one or more second modules that are stored at the repository computer system and that are available for installation at the server computer system,

identifying that the at least one module is commonly installed at servers that include modules that are similar to the one or more first modules that are already installed on the server computer system, and

identifying that the at least one module is of interest to one or more users of the server computer system based on one or more geographical locations of the one or more users when accessing the server computer system and on one or more types of connections that are used by the one or more users to access the server computer system;

an act of the repository computer system generating feature information, the feature information at least identifying the at least one module that was selected from the one or more second modules that are available for installation at the server computer system;

an act of the repository computer system sending the feature information to the client computer system;

subsequent to sending the feature information to the client computer system, an act of the repository computer system receiving a request from the client computer system, the request requesting that the at least one module that was identified in the feature information be installed at the server computer system; and

based on the request, an act of the repository computer system initiating installation of the at least one module at the server computer system, including an act of the repository computer system sending the at least one module to the server computer system directly for installation exclusive of further interaction by the client computer system.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of the repository computer system receiving server profile information comprises and act of the repository computer system receiving the server profile information from the server computer system.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the server profile information includes the identity of one or more administrators who manage the server computer system.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the server profile information includes the identity of one or more users who use the server computer system.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of the repository computer system receiving server profile information comprises and act of the repository computer system receiving the server profile information from the client computer system.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the server computer system comprises a web server computer system, and wherein the server profile information comprises web server profile information.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of the repository computer system initiating installation of the at least one module at the server computer system comprises an act of the repository computer system sending the at least one module to the client computer system.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of the repository computer system identifying at least one module that is appropriate for installation at the server computer system comprises one or more of:

an act of the repository computer system identifying that the at least one module provides an update to the one or more first modules that are already installed on the server computer system;

or

an act of the repository computer system identifying that the at least one module provides additional functionality to the one or more first modules that are already installed on the server computer system.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of the repository computer system identifying at least one module that is appropriate for installation at the server computer system comprises an act of the repository computer system identifying that the at least one module is of interest to one or more administrators who manage the server computer system based on one or more of:

profile information that is associated with the one or more administrators;

or

previous interaction of the one or more administrators with the repository computer system.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the feature information includes one or more of:

a ranking of modules, an organization of modules based on relevance, or user reviews.

11. A computer program product comprising one or more physical storage devices storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a repository computer system, cause the repository computer system to implement a method for providing a module to a server computer system for installation at the server computer system, the method comprising:

an act of repository computer system receiving server profile information, the server profile information including the identity of one or more first modules that are already installed on the server computer system, wherein the repository computer system, a client computer system, and the server computer system are each separate computer systems;

based on receiving the server profile information, an act of the repository computer system identifying at least one module that is appropriate for installation at the server computer system, the at least one module being selected from among the one or more second modules, including;

comparing the one or more first modules that are already installed on the server computer system with the one or more second modules that are stored at the repository computer system and that are available for installation at the server computer system,

identifying that the at least one module is commonly installed at servers that include modules that are similar to the one or more first modules that are already installed on the server computer system, and

identifying that the at least one module is of interest to one or more users of the server computer system based on one or more geographical locations of the one or more users when accessing the server computer system and on one or more types of connections that are used by the one or more users to access the server computer system;

an act of the repository computer system generating feature information, the feature information at least identifying the at least one module that was selected from the one or more second modules that are available for installation at the server computer system;

an act of the repository computer system sending the feature information to the client computer system;

subsequent to sending the feature information to the client computer system, an act of the repository computer system receiving a request from the client computer system, the request requesting that the at least one module that was identified in the feature information be installed at the server computer system; and

based on the request, an act of the repository computer system initiating installation of the at least one module at the server computer system, including an act of the repository computer system sending the at least one module to the server computer system directly for installation exclusive of further interaction by the client computer system.

12. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the act of the repository computer system identifying at least one module that is appropriate for installation at the server computer system comprises an act of the repository computer system identifying that the at least one module provides an update to the one or more first modules that are already installed on the server computer system.

13. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the act of the repository computer system identifying at least one module that is appropriate for installation at the server computer system comprises an act of the repository computer system identifying that the at least one module provides additional functionality to the one or more first modules that are already installed on the server computer system.

14. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the act of the repository computer system receiving server profile information comprises and act of the repository computer system receiving the server profile information from the client computer system.

15. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the act of the repository computer system initiating installation of the at least one module at the server computer system comprises an act of the repository computer system sending the at least one module to the client computer system.

16. A repository computer system, comprising:

one or more processors;

system memory; and

one or more computer storage devices storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the repository computer system to implement a method for providing a module to a server computer system for installation at the server computer system, including the following;

receiving server profile information, the server profile information including the identity of one or more first modules that are already installed on the server computer system, wherein the repository computer system, a client computer system, and the server computer system are each separate computer systems;

based on receiving the server profile information, identifying at least one module that is appropriate for installation at the server computer system, the at least one module being selected from among one or more second modules, including;

comparing the one or more first modules that are already installed on the server computer system with the one or more second modules that are stored at the repository computer system and that are available for installation at the server computer system,

identifying that the at least one module is commonly installed at servers that include modules that are similar to the one or more first modules that are already installed on the server computer system, and

identifying that the at least one module is of interest to one or more users of the server computer system based on one or more geographical locations of the one or more users when accessing the server computer system and on one or more types of connections that are used by the one or more users to access the server computer system;

generating feature information, the feature information at least identifying the at least one module that was selected from the one or more second modules that are available for installation at the server computer system;

sending the feature information to the client computer system;

subsequent to sending the feature information to the client computer system, receiving a request from the client computer system, the request requesting that the at least one module that was identified in the feature information be installed at the server computer system; and

based on the request, initiating installation of the at least one module at the server computer system, including an act of the repository computer system sending the at least one module to the server computer system directly for installation exclusive of further interaction by the client computer system.