Systems and methods for tracking a history of changes associated with software packages in a computing system

• US 8,443,361 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Vidal, Seth Kelby, Likins, Adrian Karstan, DeHaan, Michael Paul, Antill, James
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, RONGFA PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US12/551,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20110055826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 717/177
• US Class Current: 717/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

In order to track actions performed by a package manager, a computing system can be configured to include a tagging tool. The tagging tool can be configured to cooperate with the package manager in order to determine and generate a history of the actions performed by the package manager. The history can include a description of the actions, the reasons why the actions were performed, and a list and description of the software programs, files, and software libraries that are affected by the actions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

acquiring, by a processor, information associated with a change in software on a computing system;

extracting, by the processor, specific information from the acquired information associated with the change, the specific information comprising at least one of a description of the change, a reason for the change, or an identification of at least one item affected by the change; and

storing, by the processor, the specific information in a database accessible to the computing system, wherein storing the specific information comprises;

storing the specific information in a first record, and

storing the specific information in a second record associated with the at least one item affected by the change.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving a request for a set of the specific information;

retrieving the set of the specific information based on the request from the database; and

providing the set of the specific information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the set of the specific information comprises:

providing the set of the specific information in a graphical user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquired information associated with the change comprises at least one of metadata for installing a software package, information from a package manager describing the change, or information provided by a user of the computing system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein acquiring the information comprises:

receiving the information associated with the change from a package manager that caused the change.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein acquiring the information comprises:

providing an interface to receive information about the change from a user of the computing system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one item affected by the change comprises at least one of a software program, a file, or a software library.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the specific information further comprises:

storing a unique identification for the change in the first record; and

storing the unique identification for the change in the second record associated with the at least one item affected by the change.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for causing a processor to perform a method, comprising:

acquiring, by the processor, information associated with a change in software on a computing system;

extracting, by the processor, specific information from the acquired information associated with the change, the specific information comprising at least one of a description of the change, a reason for the change, or an identification of at least one item affected by the change; and

storing, by the processor, the specific information in a database accessible to the computing system, wherein storing the specific information comprises;

storing the specific information in a first record, and

storing the specific information in a second record associated with the at least one item affected by the change.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, the method further comprising:

receiving a request for a set of the specific information;

retrieving the set of the specific information based on the request from the database; and

providing the set of the specific information.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein providing the set of the specific information comprises:

providing the set of the specific information in a graphical user interface.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the acquired information associated with the change comprises at least one of metadata for installing a software package, information from a package manager describing the change, or information provided by a user of the computing system.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein acquiring the information comprises:

receiving the information associated with the change from a package manager that caused the change.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein acquiring the information comprises:

providing an interface to receive information about the change from a user of the computing system.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the at least one item affected by the change comprises at least one of a software program, a file, or a software library.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein storing the specific information further comprises:

storing a unique identification for the change in the first record; and

storing the unique identification for the change in the second record associated with the at least one item affected by the change.

17. A system, comprising:

a database; and

a processor, communicating with the database and configured to execute a package manager and a tagging tool, wherein the package manager is configured to;

perform a change in software stored in the database, and

wherein the tagging tool is configured to;

acquire information associated with the change in the software;

extract specific information from the acquired information associated with the change, the specific information comprising at least one of a description of the change, a reason for the change, or an identification of at least one item affected by the change; and

store the specific information in the database, wherein to store the specific information, the tagging tool is configured to;

store the specific information in a first record, and

store the specific information in a second record associated with the at least one item affected by the change.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a display communicating with the processor, wherein the tagging tool is further configured to:

provide an interface to the display to receive information about the change from a user.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the tagging tool is further configured to:

receiving the information associated with the change from the package manager.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the tagging tool is further configured to:

store a unique identification for the change in the first record; and

store the unique identification for the change in the second record associated with the at least one item affected by the change.