Centrally controlled proximity based software installation

• US 8,904,379 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Manahan, Peter R., Nigul, Leho
• Primary Examiner(s): Das, Chameli
• Application Number:
  US13/527,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20120331460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

An illustrative embodiment of a computer-implemented process for a centrally controlled proximity based software installation receives a request to install a software package, sends a list of machines associated with the received request to a rules engine and generates a set of proximity groups using the list of machines. The computer-implemented process uploads the software package of the received request to a selected machine within a proximity group of the set of proximity groups, instructs the selected machine to install the software package and instructs the remaining machines associated with the proximity group of the selected machine to download the software package from the selected machine and to install the software package. Responsive to a determination that no more requests exist, the computer-implemented process reports to a central installer.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented process for performing a centrally controlled proximity based software installation by a computer, the computer-implemented process comprising:

receiving a request to install a software package;

generating a plurality of proximity groups from a list of machines, wherein the list of machines identifies a plurality of machines;

pushing the software package to only a selected machine within a proximity group of the plurality of proximity groups, wherein the proximity group includes the selected machine and one or more remaining machines, and wherein the selection of the selected machine for the proximity group and the pushing the software package to only the selected machine within the proximity group is performed concurrently for each proximity group in the plurality of proximity groups;

instructing the selected machine to install the software package;

instructing the one or more remaining machines in the proximity group to download the software package from the selected machine;

in response to the selected machine installing the software package and the one or more remaining machines downloading the software package from the selected machine, instructing the one or more remaining machines to install the software package; and

in response to determining that no more requests exist, reporting to a central installer.

2. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, wherein generating the plurality of proximity groups using the list of machines further comprises:

sending the list of machines associated with the received request to a rules engine;

receiving a set of user-defined rules that includes a set of proximity definitions, wherein the set of user-defined rules is processed by a plug-in of the rules engine;

determining whether the list of machines can be categorized into the plurality of proximity groups; and

in response to determining the list of machines cannot be categorized into the plurality of proximity groups, reporting to a central installer.

3. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, wherein pushing only the software package of the received request to the selected machine within the proximity group of the plurality of proximity groups further comprises:

selecting one of an upload instruction and a download instruction for transmission to the selected machine, wherein the download instruction includes a specified pre-determined software repository from which the selected machine can download the software package.

4. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, wherein pushing only the software package of the received request to the selected machine within the proximity group of the plurality of proximity groups further comprises:

selecting a particular machine in the proximity group of the plurality of proximity groups as the selected machine, wherein the selected machine provides a seed of the software package for downloading by the one or more remaining machines in the proximity group.

5. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, further comprising:

leveraging a peer-to-peer mechanism to populate installations within the proximity group of the plurality of proximity groups.

6. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, wherein the plurality of proximity groups is dynamically formed using the received request and the list of machines, and the plurality of proximity groups have a transient property.

7. A computer program product for a centrally controlled proximity based software installation, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer storage device containing computer executable program code stored thereon, the computer executable program code comprising computer executable program code for:

receiving a request to install a software package;

generating a plurality of proximity groups from a list of machines, wherein the list of machines identifies a plurality of machines;

pushing the software package to only a selected machine within a proximity group of the plurality of proximity groups, wherein the proximity group includes the selected machine and one or more remaining machines, and wherein the selection of the selected machine for the proximity group and the pushing the software package to only the selected machine within the proximity group is performed concurrently for each proximity group in the plurality of proximity groups;

instructing the selected machine to install the software package;

instructing the one or more remaining machines in the proximity group to download the software package from the selected machine;

in response to the selected machine installing the software package and the one or more remaining machines downloading the software package from the selected machine, instructing the one or more remaining machines to install the software package; and

in response to determining no more requests exist, reporting to a central installer.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the computer executable program code for generating a set of proximity groups using the list of machines further comprises code for:

sending the list of machines associated with the received request to a rules engine;

receiving a set of user-defined rules using a set of proximity definitions, wherein the set of user-defined rules is processed by a plug-in of the rules engine;

determining whether the list of machines can be categorized into the plurality of proximity groups; and

responsive to determining the list of machines cannot be categorized into the plurality of proximity groups, reporting to a central installer.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the computer executable program code for pushing only the software package of the received request to the selected machine within the proximity group of the plurality of proximity groups further comprises code for:

selecting one of an upload instruction and a download instruction for transmission to the selected machine, wherein the download instruction includes a specified pre-determined software repository from which the selected machine can download the software package.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the computer executable program code for pushing only the software package of the received request to the selected machine within the proximity group of the plurality of proximity groups further comprises code for:

selecting a particular machine in the proximity group of the plurality of proximity groups as the selected machine, wherein the selected machine provides a seed of the software package for downloading by the one or more remaining machines in the proximity group.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the computer executable program code further comprises code for:

leveraging a peer-to-peer mechanism to populate installations within the proximity group of the plurality of proximity groups.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the plurality of proximity groups is dynamically formed using the received request and the list of machines, and the plurality of proximity groups have a transient property.

13. An apparatus for a centrally controlled proximity based software installation, the apparatus comprising:

a communications fabric;

a memory connected to the communications fabric, wherein the memory contains computer executable program code;

a communications unit connected to the communications fabric; and

a processor unit connected to the communications fabric, wherein the processor unit executes the computer executable program code to direct the apparatus to;

receive a request to install a software package to form a received request;

generate a plurality of proximity groups from a list of machines, wherein the list of machines identifies a plurality of machines;

push the software package to only a selected machine within a proximity group of the plurality of proximity groups, wherein the proximity group includes the selected machine and one or more remaining machines, and wherein the selection of the selected machine for the proximity group and the push of the software package to only the selected machine within the proximity group is performed concurrently for each proximity group in the plurality of proximity groups;

instruct the selected machine to install the software package;

instructing the one or more remaining machines in the proximity group to download the software package from the selected machine;

in response to the selected machine installing the software package and the one or more remaining machines downloading the software package from the selected machine, instruct the remaining machines to install the software package; and

in response to determining that no more requests exist, report to a central installer.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer executable program code that generates the plurality of proximity groups using the list of machines includes the processor unit executing program code that further comprises code that directs the apparatus to:

send a list of machines associated with the received request to a rules engine;

receive a set of user-defined rules using a set of proximity definitions, wherein the set of user-defined rules is processed by a plug-in of the rules engine;

determine whether the list of machines can be categorized into the plurality of proximity groups; and

in response to determining the list of machines cannot be categorized into the plurality of proximity groups, report to a central installer.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer executable program code that pushes only the software package of the received request to the selected machine within the proximity group of the plurality of proximity groups and further comprises code that directs the apparatus to:

select one of an upload instruction and a download instruction for transmission to the selected machine, wherein the download instruction includes a specified pre-determined software repository from which the selected machine can download the software package.

16. The computer-implemented process of claim 13, wherein the computer executable program code that pushes only the software package of the received request to the selected machine within the proximity group of the plurality of proximity groups and further comprises code that directs the apparatus to:

select a particular machine in the proximity group of the plurality of proximity groups as the selected machine, wherein the selected machine provides a seed of the software package for downloading by the one or more remaining machines in the proximity group.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer executable program code further comprises code that directs the apparatus to:

leverage a peer-to-peer mechanism to populate installations within the proximity group of the plurality of proximity groups.