Semantically rich composable software image bundles

• US 9,280,335 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Adi, Asaf, Arnold, William C., Berg, Daniel C., Eilam, Tamar, Joseph, Dinakaran, Kalantar, Michael H., Kofman, Alexander, Konstantinou, Alexander V., Roth, Tova, Snible, Edward C., Sluiman, Harm, Willenborg, Ruth E., Hogstrom, Matt R., Ortiz, Jose I.
• Primary Examiner(s): BODDEN, EVRAL E
• Application Number:
  US12/895,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20120084769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,986 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order

Abstract

A composable software bundle is created by retrieving a semantic representation of a set of software modules. A functional representation of a set of operations is retrieved. Each operation in the set of operations is to be performed on the set of software modules during at least one virtual image life-cycle phase in a set of virtual image life-cycle phases. A set of artifacts including a set of executable instructions associated with the set of operations is identified. The semantic representation, the functional representation, and the set of artifacts, are stored in a composable software bundle.

Claims

1. A method for creating a composable software bundle as part of a virtual image asset, the method comprising:

retrieving a semantic representation of a set of software modules;

retrieving a first set of metadata and a first set of artifacts comprising a set of executable instructions, each executable instructions in the set of executable instructions is to be performed on the set of software modules during at least one virtual image life-cycle phase in a set of virtual image life-cycle phases;

storing the semantic representation and the first set of artifacts, in a composable software bundle associated with the first set of metadata;

receiving a selection of a virtual image asset, wherein the virtual image asset comprises one or more virtual image disks, a second set of metadata, and a second set of artifacts comprising a second set of executable instructions associated with a second set of operations, wherein the composable software bundle is independent of a target environment, is separate and distinct from the virtual image asset, and is installed on the virtual image asset as part of creating a new virtual image asset based on the composable software bundle and the virtual image asset; and

creating a new virtual image asset based on the composable software bundle and the virtual image asset, the new virtual image asset comprising a set of software modules installed by the composable software bundle on the virtual image asset, the new virtual image asset comprising metadata that is based on the composable software bundle and the virtual image asset, the new virtual image asset further comprising a third set of artifacts comprising a third set of executable instructions associated with a third set of operations that is based on the composable software bundle and the second set of artifacts from the virtual image asset, and wherein each executable instruction in the third set of executable instructions being executed at the virtual image life-cycle phase associated with an operation in the third set of operations that is associated with each executable instruction in the third set of executable instructions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the semantic representation semantically represents a set of capabilities and a set of requirements associated with the set of software modules.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of executable instructions comprises at least one of:

a configuration script;

an uninstall script;

a delete file script; and

an add file script.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the composable software bundle is at least one of:

reusable with a plurality of virtual image assets; and

reusable across a plurality of computing environments.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of metadata further comprises:

a set of operation descriptions for each operation in the set of operations.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the set of operation descriptions comprises at least one of:

a set of requirements for an operation in the set of operations;

a description of an execution container for the operation;

a description of how the operation affects the set of software modules;

a set of relationships between a set of parameters associated with the operation and a configuration of the set of software modules represented by the semantic representation; and

a set of ordering constraints associated with the set of operations.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of virtual image life-cycle phases comprises at least one of:

a virtual image build life-cycle phase;

a virtual image capture life-cycle phase; and

a virtual image deploy life-cycle phase.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of executable instructions is a script that installs the set of software modules on the virtual image during at least one of the set of virtual image life-cycle phases associated with the script.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to create a composable software bundle as part of a virtual image asset, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions configured to perform a method comprising:

retrieving a semantic representation of a set of software modules;

retrieving a first set of metadata and a first set of artifacts comprising a set of executable instructions, each executable instructions in the set of executable instructions is to be performed on the set of software modules during at least one virtual image life-cycle phase in a set of virtual image life-cycle phases;

storing the semantic representation and the first set of artifacts, in a composable software bundle associated with the first set of metadata;

receiving a selection of a virtual image asset, wherein the virtual image asset comprises one or more virtual image disks, a second set of metadata, and a second set of artifacts comprising a second set of executable instructions associated with a second set of operations, wherein the composable software bundle is independent of a target environment, is separate and distinct from the virtual image asset, and is installed on the virtual image asset as part of creating a new virtual image asset based on the composable software bundle and the virtual image asset; and

creating a new virtual image asset based on the composable software bundle and the virtual image asset, the new virtual image asset comprising a set of software modules installed by the composable software bundle on the virtual image asset, the new virtual image asset comprising metadata that is based on the composable software bundle and the virtual image asset, the new virtual image asset further comprising a third set of artifacts comprising a third set of executable instructions associated with a third set of operations that is based on the composable software bundle and the second set of artifacts from the virtual image asset, and wherein each executable instruction in the third set of executable instructions being executed at the virtual image life-cycle phase associated with an operation in the third set of operations that is associated with each executable instruction in the third set of executable instructions.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the semantic representation semantically represents a set of capabilities and a set of requirements associated with the set of software modules.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the set of executable instructions comprises at least one of:

a configuration script;

an uninstall script;

a delete file script; and

an add file script.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the composable software bundle is at least one of:

reusable with a plurality of virtual image assets; and

reusable across a plurality of computing environments.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the first set of metadata further comprises:

a set of operation descriptions for each operation in the set of operations.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the set of operation descriptions comprises at least one of:

a set of requirements for an operation in the set of operations;

a description of an execution container for the operation;

a description of how the operation affects the set of software modules;

a set of relationships between a set of parameters associated with the operation and a configuration of the set of software modules represented by the semantic representation; and

a set of ordering constraints associated with the set of operations.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the set of virtual image life-cycle phases comprises at least one of:

a virtual image build life-cycle phase;

a virtual image capture life-cycle phase; and

a virtual image deploy life-cycle phase.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the set of executable instructions is a script that installs the set of software modules on the virtual image during at least one of the set of virtual image life-cycle phases associated with the script.

17. A system configured to create a composable software bundle as part of a virtual image asset, the system comprising:

a memory;

a processor, communicatively couple with the memory; and

a user interface, communicatively coupled with the processor and the memory, for displaying information to a user and for receiving user input from the user, the processor being adapted to perform a method comprising;

retrieving a semantic representation of a set of software modules,

retrieving a first set of metadata and a first set of artifacts comprising a set of executable instructions, each executable instructions in the set of executable instructions is to be performed on the set of software modules during at least one virtual image life-cycle phase in a set of virtual image life-cycle phases;

storing the semantic representation and the first set of artifacts, in a composable software bundle associated with the first set of metadata;

receiving a selection of a virtual image asset, wherein the virtual image asset comprises one or more virtual image disks, a second set of metadata, and a second set of artifacts comprising a second set of executable instructions associated with a second set of operations, wherein the composable software bundle is independent of a target environment, is separate and distinct from the virtual image asset, and is installed on the virtual image asset as part of creating a new virtual image asset based on the composable software bundle and the virtual image asset; and

creating a new virtual image asset based on the composable software bundle and the virtual image asset, the new virtual image asset comprising a set of software modules installed by the composable software bundle on the virtual image asset, the new virtual image asset comprising metadata that is based on the composable software bundle and the virtual image asset, the new virtual image asset further comprising a third set of artifacts comprising a third set of executable instructions associated with a third set of operations that is based on the composable software bundle and the second set of artifacts from the virtual image asset, and wherein each executable instruction in the third set of executable instructions being executed at the virtual image life-cycle phase associated with an operation in the third set of operations that is associated with each executable instruction in the third set of executable instructions.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first set of metadata further comprises:

a set of operation descriptions for each operation in the set of operations, and wherein the set of operation descriptions comprises at least one of;

a set of requirements for an operation in the set of operations;

a description of an execution container for the operation;

a description of how the operation affects the set of software modules;

a set of relationships between a set of parameters associated with the operation and a configuration of the set of software modules represented by the semantic representation; and

a set of ordering constraints associated with the set of operations.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the set of virtual image life-cycle phases comprises at least one of:

a virtual image build life-cycle phase;

a virtual image capture life-cycle phase; and

a virtual image deploy life-cycle phase.

20. A computer program product configured to create a composable software bundle as part of a virtual image asset, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

retrieving a semantic representation of a set of software modules;

retrieving a first set of metadata and a first set of artifacts comprising a set of executable instructions, each executable instructions in the set of executable instructions is to be performed on the set of software modules during at least one virtual image life-cycle phase in a set of virtual image life-cycle phases;

storing the semantic representation and the first set of artifacts, in a composable software bundle associated with the first set of metadata;

receiving a selection of a virtual image asset, wherein the virtual image asset comprises one or more virtual image disks, a second set of metadata, and a second set of artifacts comprising a second set of executable instructions associated with a second set of operations, wherein the composable software bundle is independent of a target environment, is separate and distinct from the virtual image asset, and is installed on the virtual image asset as part of creating a new virtual image asset based on the composable software bundle and the virtual image asset; and

creating a new virtual image asset based on the composable software bundle and the virtual image asset, the new virtual image asset comprising a set of software modules installed by the composable software bundle on the virtual image asset, the new virtual image asset comprising metadata that is based on the composable software bundle and the virtual image asset, the new virtual image asset further comprising a third set of artifacts comprising a third set of executable instructions associated with a third set of operations that is based on the composable software bundle and the second set of artifacts from the virtual image asset, and wherein each executable instruction in the third set of executable instructions being executed at the virtual image life-cycle phase associated with an operation in the third set of operations that is associated with each executable instruction in the third set of executable instructions.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the semantic representation semantically represents a set of capabilities and a set of requirements associated with the set of software modules.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the first set of metadata further comprises:

a set of operation descriptions for each operation in the set of operations, and wherein the set of operation descriptions comprises at least one of;

a set of requirements for an operation in the set of operations;

a description of an execution container for the operation;

a description of how the operation affects the set of software modules;

a set of relationships between a set of parameters associated with the operation and a configuration of the set of software modules represented by the semantic representation; and

a set of ordering constraints associated with the set of operations.

23. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the set of virtual image life-cycle phases comprises at least one of:

a configuration script;

an uninstall script;

a delete file script; and

an add file script.

24. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the set of executable instructions is a script that installs the set of software modules on the virtual image during at least one of the set of virtual image life-cycle phases associated with the script.