Pre-computing computer software patch solutions

• US 9,213,535 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Buck, Keith R., Campbell, Robert E., Zweifel, Evan R., Fritz, Robert William
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Marina
• Application Number:
  US11/590,165
• Time in Patent Office: 3,332 Days
• Field of Search: 717/168
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

The present invention provides for precomputing patch solutions for potential user issues. The precomputed patch solutions can include minimum patch solutions and best-like-me patch solutions. Each patch solution can include a patch and a sufficient set of one or more dependencies of that patch.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

pre-computing solutions for a potential user issue, said pre-computing being performed independently of a configuration of a user system, said pre-computing including;

identifying a minimum patch solution including only an earliest patch addressing said potential user issue, and at least one patch upon which said earliest patch depends;

identifying a best-like-minimum patch solution derived from said minimum patch solution by replacing said earliest patch of said minimum patch solution with a successor patch meeting a criterion without introducing any new dependencies, said successor patch of said best-like-minimum patch solution addressing said potential user issue and depending upon said at least one patch upon which said earliest patch depends; and

in response to an actual user issue arising after said pre-computing and corresponding to said potential user issue, providing said minimum patch solution or said best-like-minimum patch solution to a user.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising assigning ratings to a plurality of patches, said best-like-minimum patch solution being selected at least in part as a function of said ratings, said best-like-minimum patch solution including at least one patch not included in said minimum patch solution.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein each of said ratings indicate how reliable a respective patch of said plurality of patches is expected to be.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said provided best-like-minimum patch solution includes information permitting the user to select between said provided best-like-minimum patch solution and another solution based on said configuration of said user system.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said another solution contains a successor to a patch in said best-like-minimum patch solution, said successor having a dependency on a patch already installed on said user system.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said earliest patch and said at least one patch of said minimum patch solution comprise corresponding software patches, and wherein said successor patch in said best-like-minimum patch solution comprises a software patch.

7. A system comprising:

an analysis engine to pre-compute, without regard to a configuration of a particular user system, solutions for a potential issue of a program, said pre-computing including;

identifying a minimum patch solution including only an earliest patch addressing said potential issue, and at least one patch upon which said earliest patch depends,

identifying a best-like-minimum patch solution derived from said minimum patch solution by replacing said earliest patch of said minimum patch solution with a successor patch meeting a criterion without introducing any new dependencies, said successor patch of said best-like-minimum patch solution addressing said potential issue and depending upon said at least one patch upon which said earliest patch depends;

a request handler to respond to an actual issue regarding said particular user system and corresponding to said potential issue by providing to a user at least one of said minimum patch solution or said best-like-minimum patch solution; and

at least one central-processing unit on which said analysis engine and said request handler are executable.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein said analysis engine is to use ratings assigned to a plurality of patches to determine said best-like-minimum patch solution.

9. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein each of said ratings indicate how reliable a respective patch of said plurality of patches is expected to be.

10. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein said request handler is to provide said best-like-minimum patch solution that includes information permitting the user to select between said best-like-minimum patch solution and another solution based on said configuration of said particular user system.

11. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein said another solution contains a successor to a patch in said best-like-minimum patch solution, said successor having a dependency on a patch already installed on said particular user system.

12. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein said earliest patch and said at least one patch of said minimum patch solution comprise corresponding software patches, and wherein said successor patch in said best-like-minimum patch solution comprises a software patch.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that upon execution cause a system to:

pre-compute solutions for a potential issue of a program, said pre-computing being performed independently of a configuration of a user system, said pre-computing including;

identify a minimum patch solution including only an earliest patch addressing said potential issue, and at least one patch upon which said earliest patch depends;

identify a best-like-minimum patch solution derived from said minimum patch solution by replacing said earliest patch of said minimum patch solution with a successor patch meeting a criterion without introducing any new dependencies, said successor patch of said best-like-minimum patch solution addressing said potential issue and depending upon said at least one patch upon which said earliest patch depends; and

in response to an actual issue arising after said pre-computing and corresponding to said potential issue, provide said minimum patch solution or said best-like-minimum patch solution to a user.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein said earliest patch and said at least one patch of said minimum patch solution comprise corresponding software patches for the program, and wherein said successor patch in said best-like-minimum patch solution comprises a software patch for the program.