Post-install configuration for applications

• US 8,370,829 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Ferris, James M., Huff, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): DENG, ANNA CHEN
• Application Number:
  US11/848,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20090064131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,985 Days
• Field of Search: 717174-176, 717/121
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

Embodiments of the present teachings provide for standardized post installation configuration of a software application. For Linux-based applications, a portal service provides a Red Hat Packet Manager (“RPM”) package that includes selected software to be installed on a user'"'"'s computing device, and a post install configuration file (“PIC”). A post-install configurator accesses the PIC file and performs post-installation configuration based on the contents of the PIC file. The PIC file thus provides a standardized mechanism in which software vendors can specify post-installation configuration of their applications, without having to develop their own tools or applications.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

installing, on a user computing device, a package comprising a software application, a prerequisite software application associated with the software application, a post-install configuration file and a post-install configurator application; and

executing, using a hardware processor of the user computing device, the post-install configurator application, wherein executing the post-install configurator application comprises;

installing the prerequisite software application associated with the software application,

retrieving first configuration information from the post-install configuration file, wherein the first configuration information comprises a description of the post-install configuration,

retrieving second configuration information from a remote server, wherein the second configuration information comprises parameters, provided by an independent software vendor (ISV), for the post-install configuration file,

retrieving third configuration information from a user via a user interface, wherein the third configuration comprises information associated with the user computing device, and

configuring the software application using the first configuration information, the second configuration information, and the third configuration information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein installing the package comprises saving the post-install configurator application and the post-install configuration file to a predefined location.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein executing the post-install configurator application comprises checking for the prerequisite software application associated with the software application.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein installing the package comprises installing the package from a compact disc.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein installing the package comprises installing the package from a flash drive.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein installing the package comprises installing the package over a network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the post-install configurator application further comprises:

generating a graphical user interface and a textual user interface; and

performing a check for the prerequisite software application and to identify an operating system.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

prompting the user through the graphical user interface or the textual user interface for parameters, wherein the parameters comprise at least one of a time zone, a password, a user account, an operating system type, an operating system version, a memory amount or one or more security requirements.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

prompting the user through the graphical user interface or the textual user interface to select a software application;

retrieving the software application selected by the user; and

generating an updated package from the post-install configuration file and the selected software application.

10. An apparatus comprising a processor and a computer program comprising program instructions in executable source code, that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

install, on user computing device, a package comprising a software application, a prerequisite software application associated with the software application, a post-install configuration file, and a post-install configurator application; and

execute the post-install configurator application, wherein executing the post-install configurator application comprises further program instructions in executable source code, that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

install the prerequisite software application associated with the software application,

retrieve first configuration information from the post-install configuration file, wherein the first configuration information comprises a description of the post-install configuration,

retrieve second configuration information from a remote server, wherein the second configuration information comprises parameters, provided by an independent software vendor (ISV), for the post-install configuration file,

retrieve third configuration information from a user via a user interface, wherein the third configuration information comprises information associated with the user computing device, and

configure the software application using the first configuration information, the second configuration information, and the third configuration information.

11. A computer system comprising:

a storage device configured to store a package comprising a software application, a prerequisite software application associated with the software application, a post-install configurator application, and a post-install configuration file; and

a processor configured to;

install the package; and

execute the post-install configurator application, after the package has been installed, wherein executing the post-install configurator application causes the processor to;

install the prerequisite software application associated with the software application;

retrieve first configuration information from the post-install configuration file, wherein the first configuration information comprises a description of the post-install configuration;

retrieve second configuration information from a remote server, wherein the second configuration information comprises parameters, provided by an independent software vendor (ISV), for the post-install configuration file;

retrieve third configuration information from a user via a user interface, wherein the third configuration information comprises information associated with the user computing device; and

configure the software application using the first configuration information, the second configuration information, and the third configuration information.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to save the post-install configurator application and the post-install configuration file to a predefined location in the storage.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to check for the prerequisite software application associated with the software application upon executing the post-install configurator.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium programmed to cause a processor to perform a method for installing a package on a user computing device, the package comprising:

a software application,

a prerequisite software application associated with the software application,

a post-install configuration file, and

a post-installation configurator application, wherein the post-install configurator application is configured to;

install the prerequisite software application associated with the software application,

retrieve first configuration information from the post-install configuration file, wherein the first configuration information comprises a description of the post-install configuration,

retrieve second configuration information from a remote server, wherein the second configuration information comprises parameters, provided by an independent software vendor (ISV), for the post-install configuration file,

retrieve third configuration information from a user via a user interface, wherein the third configuration information comprises information associated with the user computing device, and

configure the software application using the first configuration information, the second configuration information, and the third configuration information.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14, wherein the package comprises program code for saving the post-install configurator application and the post-install configuration file to a predefined location.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14, wherein the program code for the post-install configurator application comprises program code for checking for the prerequisite software application associated with the software application.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14, wherein the medium is a compact disc.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14, wherein the medium is a flash drive.