Zero down-time deployment of new application versions

• US 9,652,220 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2015
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sap Portals Israel Ltd (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Sap Portals Israel Ltd (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Tammam, Ariel, Melamed, Gadi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Mongbao
• Application Number:
  US14/708,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20160335079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

The disclosure generally describes methods, software, and systems, including a method for application versioning. An updated version of a software component to be executed by an application is received while an instance of the application is executing using an instance of a current version. The updated version is stored with new version information, concurrently with the current version. A request is received for execution of the application that uses the software component. Invoking logic in the application is updated to invoke the software component. The updating includes modifying the invoking logic to invoke the updated version using the updated version information in the invoking logic. The updating causes the invoking logic to invoke, at runtime, the updated version. Instances of the application invoked prior to the receiving and storing continue to execute using the current version. The application is provided for execution, including the updated invoking logic.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an updated version of a software component to be executed by an application, where the updated version of the software component is received while an instance of the application is executing using an instance of a current version of the software component;

storing the updated version of the software component with new version information, wherein the updated version is stored concurrently with the current version of the software component;

receiving a request for execution of the application that uses the software component after storing the updated version of the software component;

in response to receiving the request for execution of the application that uses the software component after storing the updated version of the software component, automatically identifying the new version information of the updated version of the software component;

automatically updating, responsive to identifying the new version information, invoking logic in the application, the invoking logic configured to invoke the software component, wherein the updating includes modifying the invoking logic to include the new version information of the updated version of the software component in the invoking logic, wherein updating the invoking logic includes concatenating a name of the software component with a string representing the new version information, the updating causing the invoking logic to invoke, at run-time, the updated version of the software component, and wherein instances of the application invoked prior to the receiving and storing of the updated version continue to execute using the current version of the software component; and

providing the application, including the updated invoking logic, for execution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the invoking logic includes replacing a name of the software component in the invoking logic with a new name of the software component associated with the updated version information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the version information includes one or more of version identifiers selected from a group comprising a timestamp, a version number, a test/production indicator, and a development path identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the instances of the application invoked prior to the receiving and storing of the updated version using the current version of the software component are no longer executing; and

deleting, disabling, or archiving the current version of the software component, based on the determining.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the software component is a stored procedure.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the stored procedure has multiple versions, each with different version information, and wherein the method further comprises:

managing the multiple versions of the stored procedure to prevent an occurrence of consistency issues associated with the multiple versions; and

supporting development of applications using a name of the software component without a developer knowledge of version information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the software component is a method, a procedure, or a subroutine.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the updated version of a software component and the current version of the software component are stored in a common database.

9. A system comprising:

a memory storing;

a software components library including information for components associated with plural applications; and

an application for;

receiving an updated version of a software component to be executed by an application, where the updated version of the software component is received while an instance of the application is executing using an instance of a current version of the software component;

storing the updated version of the software component with new version information, wherein the updated version is stored concurrently with the current version of the software component;

receiving a request for execution of the application that uses the software component after storing the updated version of the software component;

in response to receiving the request for execution of the application that uses the software component after storing the updated version of the software component, automatically identifying the new version information of the updated version of the software component;

automatically updating, responsive to identifying the new version information, invoking logic in the application, the invoking logic configured to invoke the software component, wherein the updating includes modifying the invoking logic to include the new version information of the updated version of the software component in the invoking logic, wherein updating the invoking logic includes concatenating a name of the software component with a string representing the new version information, the updating causing the invoking logic to invoke, at run-time, the updated version of the software component, and wherein instances of the application invoked prior to the receiving and storing of the updated version continue to execute using the current version of the software component; and

providing the application, including the updated invoking logic, for execution.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein updating the invoking logic includes replacing a name of the software component in the invoking logic with a new name of the software component associated with the updated version information.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the version information includes one or more of version identifiers selected from a group comprising a timestamp, a version number, a test/production indicator, and a development path identifier.

12. The system of claim 9, the application further comprising:

determining that the instances of the application invoked prior to the receiving and storing of the updated version using the current version of the software component are no longer executing; and

deleting, disabling, or archiving the current version of the software component, based on the determining.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the software component is a stored procedure.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable media encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

receiving an updated version of a software component to be executed by an application, where the updated version of the software component is received while an instance of the application is executing using an instance of a current version of the software component;

storing the updated version of the software component with new version information, wherein the updated version is stored concurrently with the current version of the software component;

receiving a request for execution of the application that uses the software component after storing the updated version of the software component;

in response to receiving the request for execution of the application that uses the software component after storing the updated version of the software component, automatically identifying the new version information of the updated version of the software component;

automatically updating, responsive to identifying the new version information, invoking logic in the application, the invoking logic configured to invoke the software component, wherein the updating includes modifying the invoking logic to include the new version information of the updated version of the software component in the invoking logic, wherein updating the invoking logic includes concatenating a name of the software component with a string representing the new version information, the updating causing the invoking logic to invoke, at run-time, the updated version of the software component, and wherein instances of the application invoked prior to the receiving and storing of the updated version continue to execute using the current version of the software component; and

providing the application, including the updated invoking logic, for execution.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein updating the invoking logic includes replacing a name of the software component in the invoking logic with a new name of the software component associated with the updated version information.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the version information includes one or more of version identifiers selected from a group comprising a timestamp, a version number, a test/production indicator, and a development path identifier.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, the application further comprising:

determining that the instances of the application invoked prior to the receiving and storing of the updated version using the current version of the software component are no longer executing; and

deleting, disabling, or archiving the current version of the software component, based on the determining.