Software management systems and methods, including use of such systems and methods in a provider-tenant environment

• US 20070156848A1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Becker, Wolfgang, Brandl, Tobias
• Granted Patent: US 7,917,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying

Abstract

Exemplary methods and systems may associate data structures specific to a first tenant with a first tenant template, determine whether new data structures are specific to the first tenant, and if so, associate the new data structures with a second tenant template. By doing so, methods and systems may determine a difference between the first and second tenant templates, making it possible to upgrade a tenant based on the difference. With this capability a provider-tenant system may upgrade applications and data.

Claims

1. A method for upgrading a first tenant of a plurality of tenants in a provider-tenant system where a provider communicates with the plurality of tenants over a network, the method comprising:

associating an initial set of data structures specific to the first tenant with a first tenant template;

determining whether a first data structure is specific to the first tenant;

associating, when the first data structure is determined to be specific to the first tenant, the first data structure with a second tenant template; and

upgrading the first tenant based on a difference between the first and second tenant templates.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a new tenant database; and

using the difference to associate each data structure determined to be specific to the first tenant with the new tenant database.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

linking the new tenant database to a provider database.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the data structures of the first tenant template to the data structures of the second tenant template.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tenant template is a database schema.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second tenant template is a database schema.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of data structures are in a table-based format.

8. A method for upgrading a first tenant of a plurality of tenants in a provider-tenant system where a provider communicates with the plurality of tenants over a network, the method comprising:

associating data structures specific to the first tenant with a first tenant template;

receiving a patch at a provider, wherein the patch includes a plurality of new data structures;

determining whether at least one of the plurality of new data structures is specific to the first tenant;

associating, when the new data structure is determined to be specific to the first tenant, the new data structure with a second tenant template; and

upgrading the first tenant based on a difference between the first and second tenant templates.

9. A system for upgrading a first tenant of a plurality of tenants in a provider-tenant system where a provider communicates with the plurality of tenants over a network, the system comprising:

means for associating an initial set of data structures specific to the first tenant with a first tenant template;

means for determining whether a first data structure is specific to the first tenant;

means for associating, when the first data structure is determined to be specific to the first tenant, the first data structure with a second tenant template; and

means for upgrading the first tenant based on a difference between the first and second tenant templates.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for creating a new tenant database; and

means for using the difference to associate each data structure determined to be dependent upon the first tenant with the new tenant database.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for comparing the data structures of the first tenant template to the data structures of the second tenant template.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for linking the new tenant database to the provider database.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first tenant template is a database schema.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the second tenant template is a database schema.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of data structures are in a table-based format.