Update installer with technical impact analysis

• US 9,626,176 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Thomas, Satish, Nachimuthu, Arunpriyaa, Srinivasan, Sri, Gupta, Amit
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rivera, Anibal
• Application Number:
  US14/151,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20150082291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3624 by performing operations on the source code, e.g. via a compiler
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3672 Test management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/254 Extract, transform and load [ETL] procedures, e.g. ETL data flows in data warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/577 Assessing vulnerabilities and evaluating computer system security
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/78 Methods to solve the "Year 2000" [Y2K] problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

An update installer generates an update display for a user that allows a user to select updates in an identified environment. The update installer accesses the objects and layers in the identified environment and displays an impact display identifying portions of the identified environment that will be affected by the selected updates, before the updates are installed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

identifying a target computer system environment;

identifying a plurality of updates to install in the target computer system environment;

identifying a plurality of objects in the target computer system environment that will be affected by installation of the plurality of updates, each object having an object class that defines a function for the object;

before installation of the plurality of updates in the target computer system environment, generating a representation of an impact display that identifies a set of the object classes and includes a set of numerical indicators corresponding to the set of object classes, wherein each numerical indicator in the set of numerical indicators is visually associated with one of the object classes and indicates how many updates in the plurality of updates will affect the associated object class;

based at least in part on the representation of the impact display, receiving an indication of an installation input that indicates whether to install the plurality of updates in the target computer system environment; and

based on the indication of an installation input, selectively installing the updates to the target computer system environment.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the representation of the impact display comprises:

an indication of a layer in the target computer system environment that is affected,

an indication of a model that is affected,

an indication of an object type of a particular one of the identified objects that is affected, and

an indication of an object name of the particular object that is affected.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, and further comprising:

generating a representation of an environment identification input mechanism;

receiving an indication of an identification input from the environment identification input mechanism; and

based on the indication of the identification input, identifying the target computer system environment.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the representation of the impact display comprises:

an indication that a first one of the selected updates conflicts with a second one of the selected updates.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein generating a representation of an environment identification display comprises:

generating a representation of a client configuration display with a configuration input mechanism;

receiving an indication of a client configuration user input that actuates the configuration user input mechanism; and

based on the indication of the client configuration user input, identifying a configuration of the target computer system environment for which the impact display is to be generated.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein generating a representation of an environment identification display comprises:

generating a representation of a model store selection mechanism;

receiving an indication of a user selection input that actuates the model store selection mechanism; and

based on the indication of the user selection input, identifying a model store that holds models in the identified configuration of the target computer system environment.

7. A computer system, comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor,

configure the computer system to;

generate a representation of an update selection display with an update selection user input mechanism;

receive an indication of a user selection input from the update selection user input mechanism;

based on the indication of the user selection input, select a plurality of updates;

generate a representation of a target environment identification display;

receive an indication of a target identifier user input from the target environment identification display;

based on the indication of the target identifier user input, identify a target computer system environment;

perform impact analysis to identify a plurality of specific programming objects of the identified target computer system environment that are affected by installation of the plurality of updates;

determine that a set of updates, from the selected plurality of updates, conflict based on the impact analysis;

before the plurality of updates are applied to the target computer system environment, generate a representation of an impact display that indicates the specific programming objects and indicates that the set of updates create a conflict, the impact display including a set of numerical indicators corresponding to the plurality of specific programming objects, wherein each numerical indicator in the set of numerical indicators is visually associated with one of the specific programming objects and indicates how many updates in the plurality of updates will affect the associated specific programming object;

based at least in part on the representation of the impact display, receive an indication of an installation input that indicates whether to install the plurality of updates in the target computer system environment; and

based on the indication of an installation input, selectively install the updates to the target computer system environment.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein each programming object has an object class that defines a function that is inherited by the object.

9. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the instructions configure the computer system to:

generate a representation of the impact display to show a number of items in each identified specific programming object of the target computer system environment that are affected by the plurality of updates.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the instructions configure the computer system to:

install the plurality of updates to the identified target computer system environment.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the instructions configure the computer system to:

generate a representation of the target environment identification display with a configuration user input mechanism;

receive an indication of a configuration identifier user input from the configuration user input mechanism; and

based on the indication of the configuration identifier user input, identify a client configuration of the target computer system environment.

12. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the instructions configure the computer system to:

generate a representation of the target environment identification display with a model store user input mechanism that receives an indication of a model store identifier user input; and

based on the indication of the model store identifier user input, identify a model store storing models to be analyzed in the target computer system environment.

13. A computing system comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor,

configure the computer system to;

identify a target computer system environment to install a plurality of updates;

identify objects in the target computer system environment that will be updated by installation of the plurality of updates, each object having an object class that defines a function for the object;

before installation of the plurality of updates in the target computer system environment, generate a representation of an impact analysis display that indicates the plurality of objects of the target computer system environment that will be updated by the plurality of updates, wherein the impact analysis display includes a plurality of numerical indicators corresponding to the plurality of objects, wherein each numerical indicator in the plurality of numerical indicators is visually associated with one of the objects and is indicative of a number of updates in the plurality of updates that will be applied to the associated object;

based at least in part on the representation of the impact analysis display, receive an indication of an installation input that indicates whether to install the plurality of updates in the target computer system environment; and

based on the indication of an installation input, selectively install the updates to the target computer system environment.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein representation of the impact analysis display comprises:

an indication of a layer in the target computer system environment that is affected,

an indication of a model that is affected,

an indication of an object type that is affected, and

an indication of an object name of an object that is affected.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the instructions configure the computing system to:

generate a representation of a client configuration display with a configuration input mechanism that receives an indication of a client configuration user input; and

based on the indication of the client configuration user input, identify a configuration of the target computer system environment for which the impact display is to be generated.

16. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the instructions configure the computing system to:

generate a representation of an environment identification display with an identification input mechanism;

receive an indication of a user identification input from the identification input mechanism; and

based on the indication of the user identification input, identify the target computer system environment to install the plurality of updates.

17. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the instructions configure the computing system to:

generate the representation of the impact analysis display to indicate whether plurality of updates create a conflict in the identified objects.

18. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the instructions configure the computing system to:

generate the representation of the impact analysis display to indicate an update model that is updating one or more of the objects in the plurality of objects.

19. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the instructions configure the computing system to:

generate a representation of a model store selection mechanism that receives an indication of a user selection input; and

based on the indication of the user selection input, identify a model store that holds models in the identified configuration of the target computer system environment.

20. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the instructions configure the computing system to:

determine that a first one of the selected updates conflicts with a second one of the selected updates; and

generate a representation of a user interface element that indicates that the first update conflicts with the second update.