Method and system for installing software

• US 8,726,271 B1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Weathersby, Richard Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Chavis, John
• Application Number:
  US11/322,491
• Time in Patent Office: 3,056 Days
• Field of Search: 717/177
• US Class Current: 717/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

Method and system are disclosed for providing multiple installations of a software application. The method/system creates an installation template from a single correct or “golden” installation of the software application and uses the installation template to produce additional installations of the software application. In one embodiment, any references to a specific host or computing system in the files or directories of the installed software application are replaced with a temporary variable in the installation template. The installation template may then be stored on a designated server and uploaded to any computing system needing a new installation of the software application. Once uploaded, the variable is replaced with system-specific references to complete the new installations. Since the installations are produced from the installation template and not from floppy disks or CD-ROMs, the process takes significantly less time.

Claims

1. A method of distributing a software application over a network with a computing device having a computer processor and computer-readable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and executable by the computer processor, the method comprising:

installing a software application on a template server;

creating an installation template of the software application using details of the installation of the software application on the template server, said installation template containing configuration directories and configuration files for said software application, wherein specific reference to the template server is replaced in said configuration directories and configuration files with a generic reference; and

using one or more software tools to transfer said installation template to a computing system over a network, retrieve said configuration directories and said configuration files from said installation template, and replace the generic reference in said configuration directories and said configuration files with any computing system-specific references required by said software application with respect to said computing system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said network is the Internet.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said installation template is made available through a web site and said computing system is operated by a purchaser of said software application.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said one or more software tools used to retrieve and insert are transferred to said computing system along with or as part of said installation template.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said network is a private network of an organization.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said one or more software tools are controllable by a technical support person of said organization to automatically perform said transfer, said retrieve, and said insert.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more software tools are stored on a deployment server for deploying said installation template over said network.

8. A system for distributing a software application over a network, said system comprising at least one subsystem, wherein the subsystem includes a computing device having a computer processor and computer-readable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and executable by the computer processor, to:

install a software application on a template server;

create an installation template of the software application using details of the installation of the software applicatoin on the template server, said installation template containing configuration directories and configuration files for said software application, wherein specific reference to the template server is replaced in said configuration directories and configuration files with a generic reference; and

use one or more software tools to transfer said installation template to a computing system over a network, retrieve said configuration directories and said configuration files from said installation template, and replace the generic reference in said configuration directories and said configuration files with any computing system-specific references required by said software application with respect to said computing system.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said network is the Internet.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said installation template is made available through a web site and said computing system is operated by a purchaser of said software application.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more software tools used to retrieve and insert are transferred to said computing system along with or as part of said installation template.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein said network is a private network of an organization.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more software tools are controllable by a technical support person of said organization to automatically perform said transfer, said retrieve, and said insert.

14. The system according to claim 8, wherein said one or more software tools are stored on a deployment server for deploying said installation template over said network.

15. A computing device having a computer processor and computer-readable instructions for distributing a software application over a network stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and executable by the computer processor, said non-transitory computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for:

installing a software application on a template server;

creating an installation template of the software application using details of the installation of the software application on the template server, said installation template containing configuration directories and configuration files for said software application, wherein specific reference to the template server is replaced in said configuration directories and configuration files with a generic reference; and

using one or more software tools to transfer said installation template to a computing system over a network, retrieve said configuration directories and said configuration files from said installation template, and replace the generic reference in said configuration directories and said configuration files with any computing system-specific references required by said software application with respect to said computing system.

16. The computing device according to claim 15, wherein said network is the Internet.

17. The computing device according to claim 16, wherein said installation template is made available through a web site and said computing system is operated by a purchaser of said software application.

18. The computing device according to claim 16, wherein said one or more software tools used to retrieve and insert are transferred to said computing system along with or as part of said installation template.

19. The computing device according to claim 15, wherein said network is a private network of an organization.

20. The computing device according to claim 19, wherein said one or more software tools are controllable by a technical support person of said organization to automatically perform said transfer, said retrieve, and said insert.

21. The computing device according to claim 15, wherein said one or more software tools are stored on a deployment server for deploying said installation template over said network.