MANAGEMENT OF UPGRADEABLE ENDPOINTS

• US 20170046378A1
• Filed: 08/12/2015
• Published: 02/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: FACH, Bradley Alfred, QUIN, Spencer Leavitt George, PARRY, Thomas Owen
• Granted Patent: US 10,229,137 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity

Abstract

Data structures are stored in an endpoint data store. Each data structure represents an endpoint having one or more components, each component having one or more arbitrary properties. Multiple groups of endpoints are identified by name and defined by group criteria expressed in terms of the one or more arbitrary properties of the one or more components of the endpoints that are members of the group. For each group, the group criteria of the group is stored in a data store in association with the name of the group. Packages and releases may be targeted to endpoints in various manners.

Claims

1. A method for conflict resolution performed by a computing device, the method comprising:

responsive to a query involving an arbitrary key, accessing a data structure stored in a data store that is accessible by the computing device, the data structure representing an endpoint that has a component;

retrieving from the data structure a first property tuple that represents an arbitrary property of the component, the first property tuple consisting of the arbitrary key, a first value, a first source identifier, and a first timestamp, wherein the first source identifier identifies a first source of the arbitrary key and the first value;

retrieving from the data structure a second property tuple that represents the arbitrary property of the component, the second property tuple consisting of the arbitrary key, a second value that differs from the first value, a second source identifier, and a second timestamp, wherein the second source identifier identifies a second source of the arbitrary key and the second value;

applying a conflict resolution policy to identify one of the first property tuple and the second property tuple as a selected property tuple and to identify the other of the first property tuple and the second property tuple as an unselected property tuple; and

determining a result for the query by using the selected property tuple and by refraining from using the unselected property tuple,

wherein the conflict resolution policy is based on at least one of a comparison of the first value and the second value, a comparison of the first source identifier and the second source identifier, and a comparison of the first timestamp and the second timestamp.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein identifying the selected property tuple comprises:

comparing the first timestamp and the second timestamp to determine whether the first timestamp is newer or older than the second timestamp;

identifying the first property tuple as the selected property tuple responsive to determining that the first timestamp is newer than the second timestamp; and

identifying the second property tuple as the selected property tuple responsive to determining that the first timestamp is older than the second timestamp.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein identifying the selected property tuple comprises:

comparing the first source identifier and the second source identifier to determine whether the first source identifier is ranked higher or is ranked lower than the second source identifier according to a ranking of sources;

identifying the first property tuple as the selected property tuple responsive to determining that the first source identifier is ranked higher than the second source identifier; and

identifying the second property tuple as the selected property tuple responsive to determining that the first source identifier is ranked lower than the second source identifier.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein identifying the selected property tuple further comprises:

responsive to determining that the first source identifier and the second source identifier are ranked equally according to the ranking of sources, comparing the first timestamp and the second timestamp to determine whether the first timestamp is newer or older than the second timestamp;

identifying the first property tuple as the selected property tuple responsive to determining that the first timestamp is newer than the second timestamp; and

identifying the second property tuple as the selected property tuple responsive to determining that the first timestamp is older than the second timestamp.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the conflict resolution policy differs from a conflict resolution policy for another arbitrary property of the component that is represented by a third property tuple consisting of another arbitrary key that differs from the arbitrary key, a third value, a third source identifier, and a third timestamp.

6. A method for conflict resolution performed by a computing device, the method comprising:

accessing a data structure stored in a data store that is accessible by the computing device, the data structure representing an endpoint that has a component;

retrieving from the data structure a first property tuple that represents an arbitrary property of the component, the first property tuple consisting of an arbitrary key, a first value, a first source identifier, and a first timestamp;

receiving from a source identified by a second source identifier a request to update the data structure, the request including the arbitrary key and a second value that differs from the first value;

applying a conflict resolution policy to identify one of the first value and the second value as a selected value;

responsive to identifying the first value as the selected value, rejecting the request; and

responsive to identifying the second value as the selected value, updating the data structure by replacing the first property tuple with a second property tuple that consists of the arbitrary key, the second value, the second source identifier, and a current timestamp,

wherein the conflict resolution policy is based on at least one of a comparison of the first value and the second value, a comparison of the first source identifier and the second source identifier, and a comparison of the first timestamp and the current timestamp.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein identifying the selected value comprises:

comparing the first timestamp and the second timestamp to determine whether the first timestamp is newer or older than the second timestamp;

identifying the first value as the selected value responsive to determining that the first timestamp is newer than the second timestamp; and

identifying the second value as the selected value responsive to determining that the first timestamp is older than the second timestamp.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein identifying the selected value comprises:

comparing the first source identifier and the second source identifier to determine whether the first source identifier is ranked higher or is ranked lower than the second source identifier according to a ranking of sources;

identifying the first value as the selected value responsive to determining that the first source identifier is ranked higher than the second source identifier; and

identifying the second value as the selected value responsive to determining that the first source identifier is ranked lower than the second source identifier.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein identifying the selected value further comprises:

responsive to determining that the first source identifier and the second source identifier are ranked equally according to the ranking of sources, comparing the first timestamp and the second timestamp to determine whether the first timestamp is newer or older than the second timestamp;

identifying the first value as the selected value responsive to determining that the first timestamp is newer than the second timestamp; and

identifying the second value as the selected value responsive to determining that the first timestamp is older than the second timestamp.

10. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the conflict resolution policy differs from a conflict resolution policy for another arbitrary property of the component that is represented by a third property tuple consisting of another arbitrary key that differs from the arbitrary key, a third value, a third source identifier, and a third timestamp.

11. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions which, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

responsive to a query involving an arbitrary key, access a data structure stored in a data store, the data structure representing an endpoint that has a component;

retrieve from the data structure a first property tuple that represents an arbitrary property of the component, the first property tuple consisting of the arbitrary key, a first value, a first source identifier, and a first timestamp;

retrieve from the data structure a second property tuple that represents the arbitrary property of the component, the second property tuple consisting of the arbitrary key, a second value that differs from the first value, a second source identifier, and a second timestamp;

apply a conflict resolution policy to identify one of the first property tuple and the second property tuple as a selected property tuple and to identify the other of the first property tuple and the second property tuple as an unselected property tuple; and

determine a result for the query by using the selected property tuple and by refraining from using the unselected property tuple,

wherein the conflict resolution policy is based on at least one of a comparison of the first value and the second value, a comparison of the first source identifier and the second source identifier, and a comparison of the first timestamp and the second timestamp.

12. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein identifying the selected property tuple comprises:

comparing the first timestamp and the second timestamp to determine whether the first timestamp is newer or older than the second timestamp;

identifying the first property tuple as the selected property tuple responsive to determining that the first timestamp is newer than the second timestamp; and

identifying the second property tuple as the selected property tuple responsive to determining that the first timestamp is older than the second timestamp.

13. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein identifying the selected property tuple comprises:

comparing the first source identifier and the second source identifier to determine whether the first source identifier is ranked higher or is ranked lower than the second source identifier according to a ranking of sources;

identifying the first property tuple as the selected property tuple responsive to determining that the first source identifier is ranked higher than the second source identifier; and

identifying the second property tuple as the selected property tuple responsive to determining that the first source identifier is ranked lower than the second source identifier.

14. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein identifying the selected property tuple further comprises:

responsive to determining that the first source identifier and the second source identifier are ranked equally according to the ranking of sources, comparing the first timestamp and the second timestamp to determine whether the first timestamp is newer or older than the second timestamp;

identifying the first property tuple as the selected property tuple responsive to determining that the first timestamp is newer than the second timestamp; and

identifying the second property tuple as the selected property tuple responsive to determining that the first timestamp is older than the second timestamp.

15. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the conflict resolution policy differs from a conflict resolution policy for another arbitrary property of the component that is represented by a third property tuple consisting of another arbitrary key that differs from the arbitrary key, a third value, a third source identifier, and a third timestamp.

16. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions which, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

access a data structure stored in a data store, the data structure representing an endpoint that has a component;

retrieve from the data structure a first property tuple that represents an arbitrary property of the component, the first property tuple consisting of an arbitrary key, a first value, a first source identifier, and a first timestamp;

receive from a source identified by a second source identifier a request to update the data structure, the request including the arbitrary key and a second value that differs from the first value;

apply a conflict resolution policy to identify one of the first value and the second value as a selected value;

responsive to identifying the first value as the selected value, not grant the request; and

responsive to identifying the second value as the selected value, update the data structure by replacing the first property tuple with a second property tuple that consists of the arbitrary key, the second value, the second source identifier, and a current timestamp,

wherein the conflict resolution policy is based on at least one of a comparison of the first value and the second value, a comparison of the first source identifier and the second source identifier, and a comparison of the first timestamp and the current timestamp.

17. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein identifying the selected value comprises:

comparing the first timestamp and the second timestamp to determine whether the first timestamp is newer or older than the second timestamp;

identifying the first value as the selected value responsive to determining that the first timestamp is newer than the second timestamp; and

identifying the second value as the selected value responsive to determining that the first timestamp is older than the second timestamp.

18. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein identifying the selected value comprises:

comparing the first source identifier and the second source identifier to determine whether the first source identifier is ranked higher or is ranked lower than the second source identifier according to a ranking of sources;

identifying the first value as the selected value responsive to determining that the first source identifier is ranked higher than the second source identifier; and

identifying the second value as the selected value responsive to determining that the first source identifier is ranked lower than the second source identifier.

19. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein identifying the selected value further comprises:

responsive to determining that the first source identifier and the second source identifier are ranked equally according to the ranking of sources, comparing the first timestamp and the second timestamp to determine whether the first timestamp is newer or older than the second timestamp;

identifying the first value as the selected value responsive to determining that the first timestamp is newer than the second timestamp; and

identifying the second value as the selected value responsive to determining that the first timestamp is older than the second timestamp.

20. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the conflict resolution policy differs from a conflict resolution policy for another arbitrary property of the component that is represented by a third property tuple consisting of another arbitrary key that differs from the arbitrary key, a third value, a third source identifier, and a third timestamp.