Integrated package development and machine configuration management

• US 8,719,782 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2009
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: DeHaan, Michael Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Mamo, Elias
• Application Number:
  US12/608,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20110107299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/121
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44536 Selecting among different versions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors

Abstract

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for integrated package development and machine configuration management. In aspects, a stage management engine can be invoked by a developer to initiate the development, testing, and deployment of a software package, e.g. an application or operating system. A set of repositories can store related versions of the software under development at different stages of building, testing, and deployment. The repositories can enforce consistent file naming and avoid duplication of stored files. In embodiments, the stage management engine can likewise interface with a configuration management database that stores and manages a resource configuration state of a host virtual machine used to develop and run the subject software package. Both the package and virtual machine bed can be moved through various development stages to production in coordinated fashion, ensuring consistency in both the software to be installed and the target machine for the installation.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing, by a management server comprising a processor, a plurality of software package versions, each software package version assigned to one development stage;

for each software package version of the plurality of software package versions, storing, by the management server, the software package version to a repository in a plurality of repositories corresponding to the development stage assigned to the software package version;

for each development stage assigned to the plurality of software package versions, storing, by the management server, a configuration management profile for a target virtual machine, the configuration management profile comprising an operating system type of the target virtual machine, an operating system version of the target virtual machine, a processor allocation, and a memory allocation of the target virtual machine; and

providing access to at least one software package version of the plurality of software package versions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of software package versions comprises at least one of a testing stage software version, a stable stage software version, a quality assurance stage software version, or a production stage software version.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of software package versions comprises at least one of a plurality of application software package versions or a plurality of operating system software versions.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising distributing at least one installable version to a plurality of installation virtual machines based on a plurality of installation virtual machines conforming to the configuration management profile of the target virtual machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of software package versions are migratable between the plurality of development stages.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each configuration management profile is migratable between the plurality of development stages.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the target virtual machine is migratable between the plurality of development stages without requiring reinstallation of resources specified by the configuration management profile.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of repositories comprises a plurality of network-accessible databases to store software package versions assigned to the plurality of development stages.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein duplicate versions of a plurality of staged software package versions are stored as one file.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising mirroring the plurality of repositories to a backup storage site.

11. A system, comprising:

a first interface to a plurality of repositories to store a plurality of software package versions, each software package version assigned to one development stage, each software package version of the plurality of software package versions is stored in a repository corresponding to the development stage assigned to the software package version;

a second interface to a configuration management database to store a configuration management profile for a target virtual machine for each development stage assigned to the plurality of software package versions, the configuration management profile comprising an operating system type of the target virtual machine, an operating system version of the target virtual machine, a processor allocation, and a memory allocation of the target virtual machine; and

a processor, to communicate with the set of repositories via the first interface and the configuration management database via the second interface, the processor to provide access to at least one version of the set of software package versions via a network.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of software package versions comprises at least one of a testing stage software version, a stable stage software version, a quality assurance stage software version, or a production stage software version.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of software package versions comprises at least one of a plurality of application software package version or a plurality of operating system software versions.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising distributing at least one installable version to a set of installation virtual machines based on the set of installation virtual machines conforming to the configuration management profile of the target virtual machine.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of software package versions are migratable between the plurality of development stages.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein each configuration management profile is migratable between the plurality of development stages.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the target virtual machine is migratable between the plurality of development stages without requiring reinstallation of resources specified by the configuration management profile.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of repositories comprises a plurality of network-accessible databases to store software package versions assigned to the plurality of development stages.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein duplicate versions of a plurality of staged software package versions are stored as one file.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further to minor the plurality of repositories to a backup storage site.