Multi-component software application installation facility

• US 8,813,066 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2009
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Allocca, Danilo, De Ingeniis, Claudio, Marella, Pietro, Mariani, Gianluca, Pinelo, Martha, Rossi, Riccardo, Seghetti, Gianluca, Trovato, Ignazio, Marra, Massimo, Noioso, Mario
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Xi D
• Application Number:
  US12/410,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20090282402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,973 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A method is presented for installing a software application on a data processing system that may include multiple data processing entities. The software application may include multiple components for installation on one or more of the entities. The method may include providing input information for each of the components designated for installation. Each component may then be installed according to its corresponding input information, and output information corresponding to each component may be generated. This output information may be provided to one or more data processing entities identified for installation of a subsequent component. The input information corresponding to the subsequent component may be at least partially determined from this output information.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for installing a software application on a data processing system comprising a plurality of data processing entities, the software application including a plurality of software components for installation on the data processing entities, the computer-implemented method comprising:

providing first input information needed to install a first software component on a first data processing entity;

installing the first software component on the first data processing entity using the first input information;

generating, upon installing the first software component, output information related to the installation of the first software component on the first data processing entity, the output information describing the configuration of the first software component on the first data processing entity as determined at the time of installation;

providing the output information to a second data processing entity on which a second software component is to be installed; and

determining, from the output information, at least a portion of second input information needed to install the second software component on the second data processing entity.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the output information and the first and second input information comprises global status information indicating a current status of the installation of the software application.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising one of enabling and preventing installation of the second software component based on the global status information.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the output information and the first and second input information comprises global configuration information to enable software components to interact with one another.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein installing the first software component comprises configuring the first software component according to the global configuration information.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein providing the output information further comprises:

copying the output information to a local memory device of the first data processing entity; and

copying the output information from the local memory device to the second data processing entity.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein copying the output information from the local memory device further comprises:

copying the output information from the local memory device to a removable memory device; and

copying the output information from the removable memory device to the second data processing entity.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein providing the output information further comprises:

storing the output information on a global memory device accessible to both the first and second data processing entities.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein providing the output information to the second data processing entity comprises downloading the output information from the global memory device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein providing the output information further comprises:

providing an activation code that contains at least a portion of the output information; and

entering the activation code into the second data processing entity.

11. A computer program product for installing a software application on a data processing system comprising a plurality of data processing entities, the software application comprising a plurality of software components for installation on the data processing entities, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-usable program code embodied therein, the computer-usable program code comprising;

computer-usable program code for providing first input information needed to install a first software component on a first data processing entity;

computer-usable program code for installing the first software component on the first data processing entity using the first input information;

computer-usable program code for generating, upon installing the first software component, output information related to the installation of the first software component on the first data processing entity, the output information describing the configuration of the first software component on the first data processing entity as determined at the time of installation;

computer-usable program code for providing the output information to a second data processing entity on which a second software component is to be installed; and

determining, from the output information, at least a portion of second input information needed to install the second software component on the second data processing entity.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein at least one of the output information and the first and second input information comprises global status information indicating a current status of the installation of the software application.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising computer-usable program code for one of enabling and preventing installation of the second software component based on the global status information.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein at least one of the output information and the first and second input information comprises global configuration information to enable software components to interact with one another.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein installing the first software component comprises configuring the first software component according to the global configuration information.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer-usable program code for providing the output information further comprises:

computer-usable program code for copying the output information to a local memory device of the first data processing entity; and

computer-usable program code for copying the output information from the local memory device to the second data processing entity.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer-usable program code for copying the output information from the local memory device further comprises:

computer-usable program code for copying the output information from the local memory device to a removable memory device; and

computer-usable program code for copying the output information from the removable memory device to the second data processing entity.

18. A system for installing a software application on a data processing system comprising a plurality of data processing entities, the software application comprising a plurality of software components for installation on the data processing entities, the system comprising:

a plurality of modules, each module implemented in at least one of hardware and a combination of hardware and software, the modules comprising;

an input unit for providing first input information needed to install a first software component on a first data processing entity;

a product module for installing the first software component on the first data processing entity using the first input information;

a producer module for generating, upon installing the first software component, output information related to the installation of the first software component on the first data processing entity, the output information describing the configuration of the first software component on the first data processing entity as determined at the time of installation;

a transfer unit for providing the output information to a second data processing entity on which a second software component is to be installed; and

a consumer module for determining, from the output information, at least a portion of second input information needed to install the second software component on the second data processing entity.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the transfer unit is selected from the group consisting of a removable memory device, a network connection, and a manual input device.