Public network distribution of software updates
First Claim
1. A method of disseminating to a plurality of user devices an update set for a software product produced by an enterprise, the method involving a computer having a processor and comprising:
- executing, on the processor, instructions that cause the computer to;
(A) transmit the update set to one or more first network devices that are not affiliated with the enterprise; and
(B) transmit, to a plurality of second network devices, an update notification that identifies, as a source of the update set;
a resolvable domain name that is resolvable to a source of the update set specific to a group with which the respective user devices are associated;
an enterprise domain name that resolves to an enterprise server provided by the enterprise, and an enterprise priority identifier indicating a priority of retrieving the update set from the enterprise server;
a non-affiliated domain name that resolves to at least one of the first network devices that are not affiliated with the enterprise, and a non-affiliated priority identifier indicating a priority of retrieving the update set from the non-affiliated server, wherein the non-affiliated priority identifier is different than the enterprise priority identifier.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Updates for an enterprise'"'"'s software product are made available to user devices on-line, even when network resources of the enterprise are unavailable. Software update sets and notifications concerning the update sets may be published by an enterprise for consumption by content distribution partners of the enterprise and parties not affiliated with the enterprise. Each abstraction relating to an update, including update notifications and update sets may include a cryptographic signature for later use in authenticating the source of the abstraction. Update notifications also may include information indicative of: available update sets; and network locations at which the update sets can be accessed. Further, an update notification may be configured with a time-to-live (TTL) value indicating a value of time after which the notification expires. TTL values give the enterprise some control over the distribution of update sets by limiting the lifespan of the update notifications corresponding to the update sets.
34 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of disseminating to a plurality of user devices an update set for a software product produced by an enterprise, the method involving a computer having a processor and comprising:
executing, on the processor, instructions that cause the computer to; (A) transmit the update set to one or more first network devices that are not affiliated with the enterprise; and (B) transmit, to a plurality of second network devices, an update notification that identifies, as a source of the update set; a resolvable domain name that is resolvable to a source of the update set specific to a group with which the respective user devices are associated; an enterprise domain name that resolves to an enterprise server provided by the enterprise, and an enterprise priority identifier indicating a priority of retrieving the update set from the enterprise server; a non-affiliated domain name that resolves to at least one of the first network devices that are not affiliated with the enterprise, and a non-affiliated priority identifier indicating a priority of retrieving the update set from the non-affiliated server, wherein the non-affiliated priority identifier is different than the enterprise priority identifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A user device associated with a group, the user device comprising:
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a processor; and a memory storing instructions that, as a result of being executed on the processor of the user device, cause the user device to apply an update set including one or more updates to a software product produced by an enterprise, by; (A) receiving an update notification indicating that an update set is available for download for the software product from; an enterprise domain name that resolves to an enterprise server provided by the enterprise; and a resolvable domain name that is resolvable to a source of the update set specific to the group with which the user device is associated; and at least one non-affiliated domain name that resolves to at least one non-affiliated network devices that arc is not affiliated with the enterprise; (B) submit the resolvable domain name to a domain name service of the group, and receive from the domain name server a resolved address of a group server of the group that stores update sets; (C) retrieving the update set from the group server at the resolved address; (D) only responsive to failing to retrieve the update set from the group server; (D1) from the enterprise domain name and the at least one non-affiliated domain name, choosing a lower-priority domain name; and (D2) retrieving the update set from the lower-priority domain name; and (E) responsive to retrieving the update set, applying the update set to the software product. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of updating a software product provided by an enterprise and installed in a memory of a device having a processor and associated with a group, the method comprising:
executing, on the processor, instructions that cause the device to; (A) receive an update notification indicating that an update set is available for download for the software product from; an enterprise domain name that resolves to an enterprise server provided by the enterprise, and an enterprise priority identifier indicating a priority of retrieving the update set from the enterprise server; and a resolvable domain name that is resolvable to a source of the update set specific to the group with which the device is associated; and at least one non-affiliated domain name that resolves to at least one non-affiliated network device that are not affiliated with the enterprise; (B) submit the resolvable domain name to a domain name service of the group, and receive from the domain name service a resolved address of a group server of the group that stores update sets; (C) retrieve the update set from the group server at the resolved address; (D) only responsive to failing to retrieve the update set from the group server; (D1) from the enterprise domain name and the at least one non-affiliated domain name, choose a lower-priority domain name; and (D2) retrieve the update set from the lower-priority domain name; and (E) responsive to retrieving the update set, apply the update set to the software product. - View Dependent Claims (20)
Specification