Pre-install compliance system

• US 7,624,086 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2006
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maxsp Corporation
• Inventors: Keith, Jr., Robert O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vincent, David R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fernandez Rivas, Omar F
• Application Number:
  US11/368,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20060224544A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 706/10, 706/14, 706/45, 706/50, 706/60, 706/61, 717/100, 717/124, 717/126, 717174-178, 709/202, 709/203, 709220-226, 709/230
• US Class Current: 706/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models

Abstract

The present invention interrogates computer systems prior to software installations to ensure software installations operate correctly and do not conflict with existing hardware and software. An agent application is first installed on a user'"'"'s system. When a new program is about to be installed on the user'"'"'s system, the agent checks if certain prerequisite requirements are met. The prerequisite requirements are downloaded from an expert system library, and the agent interrogates the user'"'"'s system to determine if it passes the downloaded requirements. If the system passes, then the software is installed. If the system does not pass, then a report is sent to the user and/or a remediation script is initiated to repair the problem. After software is installed, if errors arise that were not previously detected, a feedback mechanism sends the errors to the expert system library so future errors are detected preemptively.

Claims

1. A system for assisting correct installation of an application comprising:

a. an expert system library for storing information including computing system data; and

b. an agent coupled to the expert system library for using the information stored in the expert system library to check for and resolve software, hardware and operating system conflicts of installation of the application by interrogating a computing device for prerequisite requirements, determining if the computing device passes the prerequisite requirements and installing the application if the computing device passes the prerequisite requirements and if the computing device does not pass the prerequisite requirements performing one of initiating a remediation script to remediate the conflicts and aborting the installation of the application;

wherein the information stored in the expert system library includes one or more prerequisite modules that are downloaded by the agent as soon they are added to the expert system library.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a feedback mechanism for sending feedback to the expert system library.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the feedback is data related to a conflict and is sent to expand the expert system library.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the computing system data relates to one or more software packages, hardware devices and operating systems.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the computing system data further relates to one or more conflicts between the software packages, hardware devices or operating systems.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the expert system library receives input from multiple sources.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the system is implemented on an application service provider infrastructure.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein business enterprise applications are implemented on the computing device.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the system functions offline.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the system is scaleable to support large application service provider bases.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the system is implemented on disparate network topologies.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a license/subscription scheme.

13. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the expert system library is stored on one or more servers.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the one or more servers are selected from the group consisting of entry-level servers, mid-range servers, enterprise servers, personal computers, Apple computers, thin clients, laptops, cell phones and PDAs.

15. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the agent is stored on one or more computing devices.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the computing devices are selected from the group consisting of personal computers, Apple computers, thin clients, laptops, cell phones and PDAs.

17. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the agent functions on an operating system selected from the group consisting of Microsoft®

Windows®

, Microsoft®

CE, Unix, Linux, handheld operating systems and cell phone operating systems.

18. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the system is implemented on a network.

19. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the expert system library and the agent are not on the same computing device or server.

20. A system for assisting correct installation of an application comprising:

a. one or more servers;

b. one or more computing devices coupled to the one or more servers for computing data;

c. an expert system library contained within the one or more servers for storing information including computing system data;

d. an agent contained within the one or more computing devices for using the information stored in the expert system library to check for and resolve software, hardware and operating system conflicts of installation of the application by interrogating the one or more computing devices for prerequisite requirements, determining if the one or more computing devices pass the prerequisite requirements and installing the application if the one or more computing devices pass the prerequisite requirements and if the one or more computing devices do not pass the prerequisite requirements performing one of initiating a remediation script to remediate the conflicts and aborting the installation of the application; and

e. a feedback mechanism contained within the one or more computing devices for sending feedback information related to unanticipated conflicts that occur after the installation to the expert system library to expand the expert system library.

21. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the computing system data relates to one or more software packages, hardware devices and operating systems.

22. The system as claimed in claim 21 wherein the computing system data further relates to one or more conflicts between the software packages, hardware devices or operating systems.

23. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the expert system library receives input from multiple sources.

24. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the system is implemented on an application service provider infrastructure.

25. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein business enterprise applications are implemented on a computing device.

26. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the system functions offline.

27. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the system is scaleable to support large application service provider bases.

28. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the system is implemented on disparate network topologies.

29. The system as claimed in claim 20 further comprising a license/subscription scheme.

30. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the one or more computing devices are selected from the group consisting of personal computers, Apple computers, thin clients, laptops, cell phones and PDAs.

31. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the one or more servers are selected from the group consisting of entry-level servers, mid-range servers, enterprise servers, personal computers, Apple computers, thin clients, laptops, cell phones and PDAs.

32. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the agent functions on an operating system selected from the group consisting of Microsoft®

Windows®

, Microsoft®

CE, Unix, Linux, handheld operating systems and cell phone operating systems.

33. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the system is implemented on a network.

34. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the expert system library and the agent are not on the same computing device or server.

35. A method of assisting correct installation of an application comprising:

a. detecting initiation of installation of the application;

b. downloading one or more prerequisite modules to a computing device from an expert system library as soon as they are added to the expert system library;

c. interrogating the computing device for prerequisite requirements based on the one or more prerequisite modules;

d. determining if the computing device passes the one or more prerequisite requirements, wherein the prerequisite requirements are related to software, hardware and operating system information;

e. allowing the installation of the application if the computing device passes the prerequisite requirements; and

f. performing one of initiating a remediation script to remediate a conflict and aborting the installation of the application, if the computing device does not pass the prerequisite requirements.

36. The method as claimed in claim 35 further comprising reporting one or more problems to a user if the computing device does not pass the prerequisite requirements.

37. The method as claimed in claim 35 further comprising sending feedback to the expert system library to expand the expert system library.

38. The method as claimed in claim 35 wherein the expert system library receives input from multiple sources.

39. The method as claimed in claim 35 wherein the method is implemented on an application service provider infrastructure.

40. The method as claimed in claim 35 wherein business enterprise applications are implemented on the computing device.

41. The method as claimed in claim 35 wherein the method functions offline.

42. The method as claimed in claim 35 wherein the method is scaleable to support large application service provider bases.

43. The method as claimed in claim 35 wherein the method is implemented on disparate network topologies.

44. The method as claimed in claim 35 further comprising implementing a license/subscription scheme.

45. The method as claimed in claim 35 wherein the expert system library is contained on one or more servers.

46. The method as claimed in claim 45 wherein the one or more servers are selected from the group consisting of entry-level servers, mid-range servers, enterprise servers, personal computers, Apple computers, thin clients, laptops, cell phones and PDAs.

47. The method as claimed in claim 35 wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, an Apple computer, a thin client, a laptop, a cell phone and a PDA.

48. The method as claimed in claim 35 wherein the method is implemented on a network.

49. A network of devices for assisting correct installation of an application comprising:

a. one or more servers;

b. one or more computing devices coupled to the one or more servers for computing data;

c. an expert system library contained within the one or more servers for storing information including computing system data;

d. an agent contained within the one or more computing devices for using the information stored in the expert system library to check for and resolve software, hardware and operating system conflicts of installation of the application by interrogating the one or more computing devices for prerequisite requirements, determining if the one or more computing devices pass the prerequisite requirements and installing the application if the one or more computing devices pass the prerequisite requirements and if the one or more computing devices do not pass the prerequisite requirements performing one of initiating a remediation script to remediate the conflicts and aborting the installation of the application; and

e. a feedback mechanism contained within the one or more computing devices for sending feedback information related to unanticipated conflicts that occur after the installation to the expert system library.

50. The network of devices as claimed in claim 49 wherein the feedback expands the expert system library.

51. The network of devices as claimed in claim 49 wherein the computing system data relates to one or more software packages, hardware devices and operating systems.

52. The network of devices as claimed in claim 51 wherein the computing system data further relates to one or more conflicts between the software packages, hardware devices or operating systems.

53. The network of devices as claimed in claim 49 wherein the expert system library receives input from multiple sources.

54. The network of devices as claimed in claim 49 wherein the network of devices is implemented on an application service provider infrastructure.

55. The network of devices as claimed in claim 49 wherein business enterprise applications are implemented on the network of devices.

56. The network of devices as claimed in claim 49 wherein the network of devices functions offline.

57. The network of devices as claimed in claim 49 wherein the network of devices is scaleable to support large application service provider bases.

58. The network of devices as claimed in claim 49 wherein the network of devices is implemented on disparate network topologies.

59. The network of devices as claimed in claim 49 further comprising a license/subscription scheme.

60. The network of devices as claimed in claim 49 wherein the one or more computing devices are selected from the group consisting of personal computers, Apple computers, thin clients, laptops, cell phones and PDAs.

61. The network of devices as claimed in claim 49 wherein the one or more servers are selected from the group consisting of personal computers, Apple computers, thin clients, laptops, cell phones and PDAs.

62. The network of devices as claimed in claim 49 wherein the agent functions on an operating system selected from the group consisting of Microsoft®

Windows®

, Microsoft®

CE, Unix, Linux, handheld operating systems and cell phone operating systems.

63. The network of devices as claimed in claim 49 wherein the expert system library and the agent are not on the same computing device or server.

64. A system for assisting correct installation of an application comprising:

a. an expert system library for storing information including computing system data;

b. an agent coupled to the expert system library for using the information stored in the expert system library to check for and resolve software, hardware and operating system conflicts of installation of the application by interrogating a computing device for prerequisite requirements, determining if the computing device passes the prerequisite requirements and installing the application if the computing device passes the prerequisite requirements and if the computing device does not pass the prerequisite requirements performing one of initiating a remediation script to remediate the conflicts and aborting the installation of the application; and

c. a feedback mechanism for sending feedback to the expert system library, wherein the feedback is data related to an unanticipated conflict and is sent to expand the expert system library such that the expert system library is able to detect, prevent and resolve the unanticipated conflict in the future and further wherein the expert system library receives input from multiple sources.

65. A method of assisting correct installation of an application comprising:

a. detecting initiation of installation of the application;

b. downloading one or more prerequisite modules to a computing device from an expert system library;

c. interrogating the computing device for prerequisite requirements based on the one or more prerequisite modules;

d. determining if the computing device passes the one or more prerequisite requirements, wherein the prerequisite requirements are related to software, hardware and operating system information;

e. allowing the installation of the application if the computing device passes the prerequisite requirements;

f. performing one of initiating a remediation script to remediate a conflict and aborting the installation of the application, if the computing device does not pass the prerequisite requirements; and

g. sending feedback to the expert system library, wherein the feedback is data related to an unanticipated conflict and is sent to expand the expert system library such that the expert system library is able to detect, prevent and resolve the unanticipated conflict in the future and further wherein the expert system library receives input from multiple sources.