Managing the distribution of client packages

• US 9,047,163 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2008
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Kinder, Nathan G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ravetti, Dante
• Application Number:
  US12/191,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20100042990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,483 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51, 705/16, 705/21, 705/59, 380/44, 380/262, 380/278, 380/279
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates

Abstract

A method and system of a distributing server that encapsulates a client package within a client software repository package. The client software repository package contains at least a portion of a client repository. The client repository is installed at the subscribing server and is associated with one or more clients that are not authorized to access the distributing server. The distributing server transmits the client software repository package to a subscribing server that is authorized to access the distributing server. The subscribing server then serves the client package to the clients through the client repository.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing, by a processor executing a subscribing manager on a subscribing server, a client software repository package with a client package in a subscribing server client repository;

determining, by the processor, a query from the subscribing server for a new or updated client package in a distributing server client repository;

sending, by the processor, the determined query to a distributing server;

receiving, by the processor, an encapsulated client software repository package from the distributing server;

storing the encapsulated client software repository package in the subscribing server client repository in a format compatible with the distributing server;

installing, by the processor, the encapsulated client software repository package on the subscribing server;

extracting, by the processor, from the encapsulated client software repository package, at least a client package and a client repository information encapsulated within the encapsulated client software repository package;

storing the extracted client package and the extracted client repository information into the subscribing server client repository in a different format from the distributing server;

receiving, by the processor, a second query from one or more clients for a new or updated client package in the subscribing server client repository;

controlling access of one or more clients to the subscribing server client repository that are not authorized to access the distributing server in view of the second query; and

transmitting the extracted client package to the at least one of the clients using the subscribing manager in view of the controlling.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication from the distributing server that a new update to the client package is available.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling access of one or more clients comprises registering the one or more clients with the subscribing server and providing access to the subscribing server client repository under the control of the subscribing server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscribing server has direct control of the one or more clients.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the encapsulated client software repository package is associated with a software product that is subscribed to by the subscribing server.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the encapsulated client software repository package contains one or more additional client packages associated with one or more additional software products that are subscribed to by the subscribing server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the client software repository package enables installation and update of a software product on the one or more clients.

8. A system comprising:

a processing device;

a data storage device;

the data storage device comprising stored instructions, when executed by the processing device causes the processing device to perform operations;

executing a subscribing manager on a subscribing server;

accessing a client software repository package with a client package in a subscribing server client repository;

determining a query from the subscribing server for a new or updated client package in a distributing server client repository;

sending the determined query to a distributing server;

receiving an encapsulated client software repository package from the distributing server;

storing the encapsulated client software repository package in the subscribing server client repository in a format compatible with the distributing server;

installing the encapsulated client software repository package on the subscribing server;

extracting from the encapsulated client software repository package, at least a client package and a client repository information encapsulated within the encapsulated client software repository package;

storing the extracted client package and the extracted client repository information into the subscribing server client repository in a different format from the distributing server;

receiving a second query from one or more clients for a new or updated client package in the subscribing server client repository;

controlling access of one or more clients to the subscribing server client repository that are not authorized to access the distributing server in view of the second query; and

transmitting the extracted client package to the at least one of the clients using the subscribing manager in view of the control.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing device is further to receive an indication from the distributing server that a new update to the client package is available.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein to control access of one or more clients comprises to register the one or more clients with the subscribing server and provide access to the subscribing server client repository under the control of the subscribing server.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the subscribing server has direct control of the one or more clients.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the encapsulated client software repository package is associated with a software product that is subscribed to by the subscribing server.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the encapsulated client software repository package contains one or more additional client packages associated with one or more additional software products that are subscribed to by the subscribing server.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the client software repository package enables installation and update of a software product on the one or more clients.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions when executed by a processing device, causes the processing device to perform operations:

accessing by executing a subscribing manager on a subscribing server, a client software repository package with a client package in a subscribing server client repository;

determining by the processing device, a query from the subscribing server for a new or updated client package in a distributing server client repository;

sending the determined query to a distributing server;

receiving an encapsulated client software repository package from the distributing server;

storing the encapsulated client software repository package in the subscribing server client repository in a format compatible with the distributing server;

installing the encapsulated client software repository package on the subscribing server;

extracting from the encapsulated client software repository package, at least a client package and a client repository information encapsulated within the encapsulated client software repository package;

storing the extracted client package and the extracted client repository information into the subscribing server client repository in a different format from the distributing server;

receiving a second query from one or more clients for a new or updated client package in the subscribing server client repository;

controlling access of one or more clients to the subscribing server client repository that are not authorized to access the distributing server in view of the second query; and

transmitting the extracted client package to the at least one of the clients using the subscribing manager in view of the control.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the processing device is further to:

receiving an indication from the distributing server that a new update to the client package is available.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein to control access of one or more clients comprises to register the one or more clients with the subscribing server and provide access to the subscribing server client repository under the control of the subscribing server.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the subscribing server has direct control of the one or more clients.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the encapsulated client software repository package is associated with a software product that is subscribed to by the subscribing server.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the encapsulated client software repository package contains one or more additional client packages associated with one or more additional software products that are subscribed to by the subscribing server.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the client software repository package enables installation and update of a software product on the one or more clients.