Upgrade management of application components

• US 8,689,208 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2010
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kern, Jonathan Fred, McConnell, Timothy Paul, Livingston, Sean Lamont Grant, Liu, Hai, Mex, Luis Angel
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phillip H
• Application Number:
  US12/822,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20110321029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 717/170, 717/171, 717/173, 717/178
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Architecture that enables separation of a user interface (UI) upgrade from the content and application logic upgrade. Administrators can upgrade to take advantage of new infrastructure features, and independently schedule the UI upgrade, for example, to accommodate customization work or to ensure user training. Furthermore, administrators can now allow users to choose when to switch to the new UI. More specifically, the architecture facilitates the separation of a UI upgrade from content and application logic upgrade, the ability to control the UI upgrade at multiple levels of precision, the ability for application logic and UI components to change behaviors based on the UI version of the context, and the ability to “preview” the updated UI before permanently switching to it. Additionally, UI components can be filtered to only appear in the appropriate UI version, and the site'"'"'s UI version can be compared to versions that a component is compatible with.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a selection of a first version of a first subcomponent of a server application on a hosting site, the server application including a second subcomponent separate from the first subcomponent, wherein the hosting site includes a second version of the first subcomponent concurrently with the first version;

executing the server application with the selected first version of the first subcomponent with the second subcomponent on the hosting site;

monitoring for an indication that the selected first version of the first subcomponent is compatible with the second subcomponent; and

in response to the monitored indication, enabling operation of the selected first version of the first subcomponent on the hosting site with the second subcomponent.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the first version is newer than the second version, and wherein monitoring for the indication includes:

monitoring for an indication that the selected newer first version of the first subcomponent is compatible with the second subcomponent; and

in response to the received indication, replacing the second version with the newer first version of the first subcomponent on the hosting site.

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

monitoring for an indication that the selected first version of the first subcomponent is incompatible with the second subcomponent; and

in response to the received indication, switching the first subcomponent from the selected first version to the second version on the hosting site.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the first version is newer than the second version, and wherein the method further includes:

monitoring for an indication that the selected newer first version of the first subcomponent is incompatible with the second subcomponent; and

in response to the received indication, switching the first subcomponent from the selected newer first version to the second version on the hosting site.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the first version is newer than the second version, and wherein monitoring for the indication includes:

monitoring for an indication that the selected newer first version of the first subcomponent is incompatible with the second subcomponent;

in response to the received indication, switching the first subcomponent from the selected newer first version to the second version on the hosting site;

receiving a fix to the incompatibility between the selected first version of the first subcomponent and the second subcomponent; and

subsequently,

executing the server application with the first version of the first subcomponent with the second subcomponent on the hosting site; and

monitoring for an indication that the first version of the first subcomponent is compatible with the second subcomponent.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising repeating the switching, receiving, executing, and monitoring for an indication that the first version of the first subcomponent is compatible with the second subcomponent operations until the first version of the first subcomponent is operating correctly with the second subcomponent of the server application.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the first subcomponent is a user interface subcomponent, and wherein the second subcomponent is a logic subcomponent.

8. A computer system having a processor and a memory containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, causing the processor to perform a process comprising:

receiving a selection of a first version a user interface subcomponent of a server application on a hosting site that also has a second version of the user interface subcomponent, the server application including a logic subcomponent separate from the user interface subcomponent, wherein the first version is newer than the second version;

allowing execution of the server application with the selected first version of the user interface subcomponent with the logic subcomponent on the hosting site;

monitoring for an indication of compatibility between the selected first version of the user interface subcomponent and the logic subcomponent; and

in response to an indication that the selected first version of the user interface subcomponent is compatible with the logic subcomponent, enabling operation of the selected first version of the user interface subcomponent on the hosting site;

or

in response to another indication that the selected first version of the user interface subcomponent is incompatible with the logic subcomponent, switching the first subcomponent from the selected first version to the second version on the hosting site.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the process performed by the processor further includes:

in response to the another indication that the selected first version of the user interface subcomponent is incompatible with the logic subcomponent,

receiving a fix to the incompatibility between the first version of the user interface subcomponent and the logic subcomponent; and

subsequently, executing the server application with the first version of the user interface subcomponent with the logic subcomponent on the hosting site.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the process performed by the processor further includes switching the user interface subcomponent between the first version and the second version.

11. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the process performed by the processor further includes filtering parts of the first version of the user interface subcomponent for those compatible with the logic subcomponent.

12. A computer system, comprising:

a processor and a memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, causing the processor to perform a process comprising;

receiving a selection of a first version of a first subcomponent of a server application on a hosting site, the server application including a second subcomponent separate from the first subcomponent, wherein the hosting site includes a second version of the first subcomponent concurrently with the first version;

executing the server application with the selected first version of the first subcomponent with the second subcomponent on the hosting site;

monitoring for an indication that the selected first version of the first subcomponent is compatible with the second subcomponent; and

in response to the monitored indication, enabling operation of the selected first version of the first subcomponent on the hosting site with the second subcomponent.

13. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the first version is newer than the second version, and wherein monitoring for the indication includes:

monitoring for an indication that the selected newer first version of the first subcomponent is compatible with the second subcomponent; and

in response to the received indication, replacing the second version with the newer first version of the first subcomponent on the hosting site.

14. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the process performed by the processor further includes:

monitoring for an indication that the selected first version of the first subcomponent is incompatible with the second subcomponent; and

in response to the received indication, switching the first subcomponent from the selected first version to the second version on the hosting site.

15. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the first version is newer than the second version, and wherein the process performed by the processor further includes:

monitoring for an indication that the selected newer first version of the first subcomponent is incompatible with the second subcomponent; and

in response to the received indication, switching the first subcomponent from the selected newer first version to the second version on the hosting site.

16. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the first version is newer than the second version, and wherein monitoring for the indication includes:

monitoring for an indication that the selected newer first version of the first subcomponent is incompatible with the second subcomponent;

in response to the received indication, switching the first subcomponent from the selected newer first version to the second version on the hosting site;

receiving a fix to the incompatibility between the selected first version of the first subcomponent and the second subcomponent; and

subsequently,

executing the server application with the first version of the first subcomponent with the second subcomponent on the hosting site; and

monitoring for an indication that the first version of the first subcomponent is compatible with the second subcomponent.

17. The computer system of claim 16 wherein the process performed by the processor further includes repeating the switching, receiving, executing, and monitoring for an indication that the first version of the first subcomponent is compatible with the second subcomponent operations until the first version of the first subcomponent is operating correctly with the second subcomponent of the server application.

18. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the first subcomponent is a user interface subcomponent, and wherein the second subcomponent is a logic subcomponent.