SYSTEM, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR COLLABORATIVELY INSTALLING A COMPUTER APPLICATION

• US 20160077821A1
• Filed: 11/10/2015
• Published: 03/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lang, Xin Pei, Ma, Dou, Shi, Jin Liang, Deng, Yuan Yao
• Granted Patent: US 9,720,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for collaboratively installing a computer application includes monitoring an installation process of an application. The method also includes determining that the installation process requires remote assistance in order to continue. Also, the method includes sending a remote assistance request to remote assistance personnel at a remote site in response to the determination that the installation process requires remote assistance in order to continue. Moreover, the method includes receiving a response to the remote assistance request. The response includes remote assistance information required for installing the application provided by the remote assistance personnel at the remote site. Also, the remote assistance information and the response to the remote assistance request are invisible to an installer of the application. In addition, the method includes continuing the installation process of the application using the remote assistance information received from the remote assistance personnel at the remote site.

Claims

1. A computer program product for collaboratively installing a computer application, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions readable by a processor to cause the processor to:

monitor, by the processor, an installation process of an application and detect when an installer of the application encounters problems during the installation process, wherein the installation process is started prior to the monitoring starting;

determine, by the processor, that remote assistance is required in order for the installation process to continue;

send, by the processor, a remote assistance request to remote assistance personnel at a remote site in response to the determination that the installation process requires remote assistance in order to continue;

receive, by the processor, a response to the remote assistance request, wherein the response includes remote assistance information required for installing the application provided by the remote assistance personnel at the remote site, and wherein the remote assistance information and the response to the remote assistance request are invisible to the installer of the application; and

continue, by the processor, the installation process of the application using the remote assistance information received from the remote assistance personnel at the remote site.

2. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote assistance request includes a field for inputting the remote assistance information, and wherein the program instructions readable to cause the processor to determine that remote assistance is required is further readable to cause the processor to determine, by the processor, that one or more parameters must be entered in order to proceed with subsequent operations of the installation process, wherein the subsequent operations cannot proceed until the one or more parameters have been entered.

3. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further readable by the processor to cause the processor to:

invoke, by the processor, a communication module to send the remote assistance request.

4. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the response including the remote assistance information is encrypted, and wherein the program instructions are further readable by the processor to cause the processor to:

decrypt, by the processor, the remote assistance information.

5. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the installation process of the application is configured to be initiated by the installer at an installation site.

6. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the application is an enterprise-level computer application.

7. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote assistance request includes a field for inputting the remote assistance information, wherein the remote assistance request includes a description of the request and authentication information, wherein the installation process of the application is initiated by the installer at an installation site, and wherein the application is an enterprise-level computer application.

8. A system for collaboratively installing a computer application, the system comprising:

a hardware processor and modules integrated with and/or executable by the hardware processor, the modules comprising;

a monitoring module configured to monitor an installation process of an application initiated by an installer at an installation site;

a determining module configured to determine that remote assistance is required in order for the installation process to continue;

a sending module configured to send a remote assistance request to remote assistance personnel at a remote site in response to the determination that the installation process requires remote assistance in order to continue;

a receiving module configured to receive a response to the remote assistance request, wherein the response includes remote assistance information required for installing the application provided by the remote assistance personnel at the remote site, wherein the remote assistance information is provided by remote assistance personnel at a remote site, wherein the remote assistance information and the response to the remote assistance request are invisible to the installer of the application, and wherein the remote assistance information is selected from a list consisting of;

authentication information, user group information, permission information, role information, and access control information; and

an installing module configured to continue the installation process of the application using the remote assistance information received from the remote assistance personnel at the remote site.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the remote assistance request includes a field for inputting the remote assistance information, wherein the determining module is further configured to determine that one or more parameters must be entered in order to proceed with subsequent operations of the installation process, wherein the subsequent operations cannot proceed until the one or more parameters have been entered, and wherein the remote assistance request includes a description of the request and authentication information.

10. The system as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

an invoking module configured to invoke a communication module to send the remote assistance request.

11. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the response including the remote assistance information is encrypted, and further comprising:

a decryption module configured to decrypt the remote assistance information.

12. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the installation process of the application is performed by the installer at the installation site, and wherein the remote assistance information is provided in response to receiving the remote assistance request.

13. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the application is an enterprise-level computer application.

14. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the installation process is started prior to the monitoring starting, and wherein the monitoring module is configured to detect when an installer of the application encounters problems during the installation process.

15. A computer-implemented method for collaboratively installing a computer application, the method comprising:

monitoring an installation process of an application;

determining that the installation process requires remote assistance in order to continue;

sending a remote assistance request to remote assistance personnel at a remote site in response to the determination that the installation process requires remote assistance in order to continue;

receiving a response to the remote assistance request, wherein the response includes remote assistance information required for installing the application provided by the remote assistance personnel at the remote site, and wherein the remote assistance information and the response to the remote assistance request are invisible to an installer of the application; and

continuing the installation process of the application using the remote assistance information received from the remote assistance personnel at the remote site.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the remote assistance request includes a field for inputting the remote assistance information, wherein the determining that the installation process requires remote assistance in order to continue comprises determining that one or more parameters must be entered in order to proceed with subsequent operations of the installation process, and wherein the subsequent operations cannot proceed until the one or more parameters have been entered.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising invoking a communication module to send the remote assistance request.

18. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the response including the remote assistance information is encrypted, and further comprising decrypting the remote assistance information.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the installation process of the application is initiated by the installer at an installation site, and wherein the remote assistance information is provided in response to receiving the remote assistance request.

20. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the application is an enterprise-level computer application.