Techniques for reducing down time in updating applications with metadata

• US 8,589,909 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Hu, Wei-Ming, McKinney, Denny, Pratt, Marilyn Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): Deng, Anna
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bourzik, Brahim
• Application Number:
  US11/972,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20090183145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,140 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running

Abstract

A method and apparatus for reducing down time in updating applications with metadata is provided. The application contains both code and metadata. A copy of the application is made. A software update is installed on the copy of the application. During installation, the original application continues to run and service users, who may modify the metadata of the original application. Periodically, the metadata of the copy of the application is updated to incorporate changes to the metadata of the original application. When the software update is completed, users are prevented from further modifying the metadata of the original application. The metadata of the copy of the application is updated to incorporate the final changes to the metadata of the original application. Users are redirected from the original application to the copy of the application.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for updating an application that contains metadata, comprising the steps of:

while running an original version of the application prior to running an updated version of the application, performing;

labeling metadata in the original version of the application with a first version identifier;

making a copy of the original version of the application;

wherein the copy of the original version of the application contains the metadata as labeled with the first version identifier and as said metadata existed when the copy of the original version of the application was made;

installing an update to the copy of the original version of the application to generate the updated version of the application, wherein installing the update includes modifying the metadata in the copy of the original version of the application while installing the update to the copy of the original version of the application,

allowing one or more users to continue modifying the metadata in the original version of the application, and

determining periodically whether installing the update to the updated version of the application has been completed, and in response to a determination that installing the update to the updated version of the application has not been completed, performing;

labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with another version identifier;

determining a first difference between the metadata labeled with the another version identifier in the original version of the application and metadata most recently labeled with a most recent another version identifier;

updating the metadata in the updated version of the application to incorporate the first difference;

after making the metadata in the original version of the application read-only, labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with a new version identifier;

determining a second difference between the metadata labeled with the new version identifier and the metadata in the original version labeled with the most recent another version identifier;

updating the metadata in the updated version of the application to incorporate the second difference.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

redirecting requests to the application to the updated version of the application; and

shutting down the original version of the application.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

updating the metadata in the updated version of the application to incorporate the first difference further comprises resolving conflicts between the metadata in the original version of the application and the metadata in the updated version of the application.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein:

resolving conflicts between the metadata in the original version of the application and the metadata in the updated version of the application further comprises;

displaying, to a user, an indication of a conflict; and

receiving, from the user, instruction on how to resolve the conflict.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first difference or the second difference comprises information that is used to determine a behavior of code contained in the application.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first difference or the second difference comprises information that is used to configure a user interface of the application.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with a first version identifier comprises making a first copy of the metadata in the original version of the application at the time of labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with a first version identifier;

wherein the first copy of the metadata is identified with the first version identifier;

labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with a second version identifier comprises making a second copy of the metadata in the original version of the application at a time of labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with a second version identifier;

wherein the second copy of the metadata is identified with the second version identifier;

labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with a new version identifier comprises making a new copy of the metadata in the original version of the application at a time of labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with a new version identifier;

wherein the new copy of the metadata is identified with the new version identifier.

8. A computer-implemented method for updating an application that contains metadata, comprising the steps of:

while running an original version of the application prior to running an updated version of the application, performing;

labeling metadata in the original version of the application with a first version identifier;

making a copy of the original version of the application;

wherein the copy of the original version of the application contains the metadata as labeled with the first version identifier and as said metadata existed when the copy of the original version of the application was made;

installing an update to the copy of the original version of the application to generate the updated version of the application, wherein installing the update includes modifying the metadata in the copy of the original version of the application;

while installing the update to the copy of the original version of the application,

allowing one or more users to continue modifying the metadata in the original version of the application, and

determining periodically whether installing the update to the updated version of the application has been completed, and in response to a determination that installing the update to the updated version of the application has not been completed, performing;

labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with another version identifier;

determining a first difference between the metadata labeled with the another version identifier in the original version of the application and metadata most recently labeled with a most recent another version identifier;

updating the metadata in the updated version of the application to incorporate the first difference.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

redirecting requests to the application to the updated version of the application; and

shutting down the original version of the application.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, wherein the instructions include instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform steps of:

while running an original version of an application prior to running a updated version of the application, performing;

labeling metadata in the original version of the application with a first version identifier;

making a copy of the original version of the application;

wherein the copy of the original version of the application contains the metadata as labeled with the first version identifier and as said metadata existed when the copy of the original version of the application was made;

installing an update to the copy of the original version of the application to generate the updated version of the application, wherein installing the update includes modifying the metadata in the copy of the original version of the application;

while installing the update to the copy of the original version of the application,

allowing one or more users to continue modifying the metadata in the original version of the application, and

determining periodically whether installing the update to the updated version of the application has been completed, and in response to a determination that installing the update to the updated version of the application has not been completed, performing;

labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with another version identifier;

determining a first difference between the metadata labeled with the another version identifier in the original version of the application and metadata most recently labeled with a most recent another version identifier;

updating the metadata in the updated version of the application to incorporate the first difference;

after making the metadata in the original version of the application read-only, labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with a new version identifier;

determining a second difference between the metadata labeled with the new version identifier and the metadata in the original version labeled with the most recent another version identifier;

updating the metadata in the updated version of the application to incorporate the second difference.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for:

redirecting requests to the application to the updated version of the application; and

shutting down the original version of the application.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein:

the instructions for updating the metadata in the updated version of the application to incorporate the first difference further comprises resolving conflicts between the metadata in the original version of the application and the metadata in the updated version of the application.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein:

the instructions for resolving conflicts between the metadata in the original version of the application and the metadata in the updated version of the application further comprises;

displaying, to a user, an indication of a conflict; and

receiving, from the user, instruction on how to resolve the conflict.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first difference or the second difference comprises information that is used to determine a behavior of code contained in the application.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first difference or the second difference comprises information that is used to configure a user interface of the application.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein:

the instructions for labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with a first version identifier comprises making a first copy of the metadata in the original version of the application at the time of labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with a first version identifier;

wherein the first copy of the metadata is identified with the first version identifier;

the instructions for labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with a second version identifier comprises making a second copy of the metadata in the original version of the application at a time of labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with a second version identifier;

wherein the second copy of the metadata is identified with the second version identifier;

the instructions for labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with a new version identifier comprises making a new copy of the metadata in the original version of the application at a time of labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with a new version identifier;

wherein the new copy of the metadata is identified with the new version identifier.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, wherein the instructions include instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform steps of:

while running an original version of an application prior to running an updated version of the application, performing;

labeling metadata in the original version of the application with a first version identifier;

making a copy of the original version of the application;

wherein the copy of the original version of the application contains the metadata as labeled with the first version identifier and as said metadata existed when the copy of the original version of the application was made;

installing an update to the copy of the original version of the application to generate the updated version of the application, wherein installing the update includes modifying the metadata in the copy of the original version of the application;

while installing the update to the copy of the original version of the application,

allowing one or more users to continue modifying the metadata in the original version of the application, and

determining periodically whether installing the update to the updated version of the application has been completed, and in response to a determination that installing the update to the updated version of the application has not been completed, performing;

labeling the metadata in the original version of the application with another version identifier;

determining a first difference between the metadata labeled with the another version identifier in the original version of the application and metadata most recently labeled with a most recent another version identifier;

updating the metadata in the updated version of the application to incorporate the first difference.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for:

redirecting requests to the application to the updated version of the application; and

shutting down the original version of the application.