Self-describing software image update components

• US 20050132356A1
• Filed: 05/01/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Shell, Scott R., Cross, Brian D., McNeill, Lorna Rebecca, Markley, Michael E., Glaum, Jeffery D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,549,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates

Abstract

Described is a system and method in which software images including updates are provided as packages. The package is self-describing, thereby facilitating the replacement of only component parts of an image. A software build process maps operating system features (comprising files, metadata, configuration information and so forth) into the packages, and executable code is processed for relocation purposes. The final package includes a device manifest file that describes the package and conveys dependency information and information about the priority of settings (shadow data).

Claims

1. In a computing environment, a method comprising:

building a package, the package corresponding to part of an operating system image and containing files and settings; and

associating information with the package that describes the contents of the package such that an installation mechanism can determine how to install the package to a device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information associated with the package comprises a device manifest file, and further comprising, adding the device manifest file to the package.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising writing data into the device manifest file comprising dependency information that describes a dependency of at least some contents of the package on another entity.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the other entity comprises another package, and further comprising extracting the device manifest file from the package and extracting another device manifest file from the other package.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising writing data into the device manifest file comprising shadow information that describes precedence of settings data relative to other settings data.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein building a package comprises, determining which files are executable files and performing a relocation process on the executable files.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein associating information with the package that describes the contents of the package comprises associating dependency information that describes a dependency of at least some contents of the package on another entity.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein associating information with the package that describes the contents of the package comprises associating shadow information that describes precedence of settings data relative to other settings data.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising adding settings information to the package.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein building a package comprises mapping a package to a definition for that package that defines existing files, reading a build manifest file that specifies the file contents for that package, and generating the package based on the package definition and the build manifest file.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising creating the build manifest file from a binary image builder file for the operating system image and a component to package mapping file.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising processing executable code identified in the build manifest file, to enable executable code relocation at install time to a device.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein building the package comprises reading a binary image builder file that contains a list of files to be included in the package when built.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein building the package comprises creating a build manifest file corresponding to the binary image builder file and reading the build manifest file.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein building the package comprises reading a settings file that contains a list of setting information to be included in the package when built.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein building the package comprises reading a component mapping file that maps module-related information and files to the package.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein building the package comprises reading a component relationships file that defines shadow relationships.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the information associated with the package comprises a device manifest file, and further comprising, writing information to the device manifest file based on the shadow relationships, and adding the device manifest file to the package.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein building the package comprises reading a component relationships file that defines dependency relationships.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the information associated with the package comprises a device manifest file, and further comprising, writing information to the device manifest file based on the dependency relationships, and adding the device manifest file to the package.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein building the package comprises reading a package definition file that defines what packages exist.

22. The method of claim 2 wherein building a package comprises having at least some executable code files that are separate from language-dependent data files such that at least some of the executable code is independent of any language.

23. At least one computer-readable media having computer-executable instruction which when executed perform the method of claim 1.

32. The method of claim 2 wherein the package generation process allows a distinction between at least some executable code and data such that at least some of the executable code is independent of any language.

24. In a computing environment, a method comprising:

a package generation process that builds a package containing files and settings; and

a package file creation process that creates a package file from the package by associating information with the package to describe the contents of the package, the information including component relationship information.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the package file creation process associates the information with the package by adding a device manifest file and the package to the package file.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the component relationship information describes a dependency on another entity.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the other entity is another package.

28. The system of claim 24 wherein the component relationship information describes a shadow relationship with another entity.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the other entity is another package.

30. The system of claim 24 wherein the package generation process determines which files are executable files and performs a relocation process on the executable files.

31. The system of claim 24 wherein the package generation process determines which files are executable files and performs a relocation process on the executable files.