Software update management

• US 8,838,635 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2011
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mulligan, Scott, Beasley, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ortiz Ditren, Belix M
• Application Number:
  US13/196,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20110289495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/759
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A software update method permits a local software update server to act as an update source for client computer systems in its local network. The local update server provides updates for one or more specified groups of client computers. In one disclosed embodiment, the method includes receiving software updates at a local server, receiving (at the local server) an update request from a client computer system and sending the client a list identifying one or more applicable updates (e.g., a catalog of available update packages) based on the client computer'"'"'s membership in one or more of a plurality of user groups. In another embodiment, a single local server may supply update services for client computer systems belonging to a plurality of specified computer groups.

Claims

1. A software update method, comprising:

receiving, at a second computer system configured to distribute software, an update request from a local update server, the local update server configured to obtain software for a first client computer system having membership in a first computer group and a second client computer system having membership in a second computer group different than the first computer group, wherein the update request identifies a composite group of software update packages for the first client computer system and the second client computer system;

identifying, by the second computer system, at least a portion of one or more sources from which the composite group of software updated packages are available;

sending, from the second computer system to the local update server, a message comprising identified software update packages and their corresponding sources of availability;

sending, from the second computer system to the local update server, a first catalog list identifying only applicable updates for the first client computer system based the first client computer system'"'"'s membership in the first computer group; and

sending, from the second computer system to the local update server, a second catalog list identifying only applicable updates for the second client computer system based the second client computer system'"'"'s membership in the second computer group.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, at the first computer system, the identified software update packages from the sources of availability identified in the message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sources comprise sources exclusive of the second computer system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sources comprise the second computer system and at least one other source.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the software update packages identified in the message comprise upgrades to a software application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the software update packages identified in the message comprise a stand-alone software application.

7. A computer system configured to assist in performing a software update, the computer system comprising:

a network communication interface;

a datastore containing software update packages;

a processor communicatively coupled to both the network communication interface and the datastore, the processor configured to receive an update request, via the network communication interface, from a local update server, the local update server configured to assist in obtaining software for a first client computer system having membership in a first computer group and a second client computer system having membership in a second computer group different than the first computer group, wherein the update request identifies a composite group of software update packages for the first client computer system and the second client computer system, identify, using the processor, one or more sources from which at least a portion of the composite group of software updated packages are available, send, via the network communication interface, a message to the local update server comprising identified software update packages and their corresponding sources of availability, send, from the second computer system to the local update server, a first catalog list identifying only applicable updates for the first client computer system based the first client computer system'"'"'s membership in the first computer group, and send, from the second computer system to the local update server, a second catalog list identifying only applicable updates for the second client computer system based the second client computer system'"'"'s membership in the second computer group.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the sources comprise the data store and at least one other source.

9. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the sources comprise sources exclusive of the data store.

10. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the software update packages identified in the message comprise upgrades to a software application.

11. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the software update packages identified in the message comprise a stand-alone software application.

12. A non-transitory program storage device, readable by a programmable control device, comprising instructions stored on the program storage device for causing the programmable control device to perform a method comprising:

receiving, at a second computer system configured to distribute software, an update request from a local update server, the local update server configured to obtain software for a first client computer system having membership in a first computer group and a second client computer system having membership in a second computer group different than the first computer group, wherein the update request identifies a composite group of software update packages for the first client computer system and the second client computer system;

identifying, by the second computer system, at least a portion of one or more sources from which the composite group of software updated packages are available;

sending, from the second computer system to the local update server, a message comprising identified software update packages and their corresponding sources of availability;

sending, from the second computer system to the local update server, a first catalog list identifying only applicable updates for the first client computer system based the first client computer system'"'"'s membership in the first computer group; and

sending, from the second computer system to the local update server, a second catalog list identifying only applicable updates for the second client computer system based the second client computer system'"'"'s membership in the second computer group.

13. A computer system configured to assist in performing a software update, the computer system comprising:

a network communication interface; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the network communication interface and configured to—

receive, via the network communication interface, a first update request from a first client computer system for software updates, the first client computer system having a membership in a first client computer group, receive, via the network communication interface, a second update request from a second client computer for software updates, the second client computer system having a membership in a second client computer group, send, via the network communication interface, a first message to a second computer system, the first message based on a composite of the first and second update requests, the first message identifying a composite group of software update packages to be obtained from sources identified by the second computer system, obtain, via the network communication interface, the composite group of software update packages, send, via the network communication interface, a second message to the first client computer system, the second message based on the first client computer group membership and identifying a first group of software update packages, from the composite group of software update packages, to be obtained from the computer system, and send, via the network communication interface, a third message to the second client computer system, the third message based on the second client computer group membership and identifying a second group of software update packages to be obtained from the computer system wherein the first group of identified software updates is not identical to the second group of identified software updates.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the first client computer group membership additionally comprises membership in a first predetermined user-group.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the second client computer group membership additionally comprises membership in a second predetermined user-group.

16. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the first group and the second group of identified software update packages differ by at least one identified software update package.

17. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the second and third messages identify each software update package with an update package identifier, an update version identifier and a location identifier.

18. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the computer system maintains a unique update package availability list for each of a plurality of client computer system computer groups.

19. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the software update packages identified in the second message comprise upgrades to a software application.

20. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the software update packages identified in the second message comprise a stand-alone software application.

21. A computer system configured as a local update server to assist in performing a software update, the computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a network communication interface; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the network communication interface and configured to—

request and receive, via the network communication interface, a group of software update packages from a distal update server, the group of software update packages based on a composite of software associated with computer group memberships for a plurality of computers, the plurality of computers configured to receive software updates from sources identified by the local update server;

receive a first update request from a first client computer system, the first client computer system having a first computer group membership;

receive a second update request from a second client computer, the second client computer system different from the first client computer system and having a second computer group membership;

send a first message, responsive to the first update request, to the first client computer system, the first message based on the first computer group membership, the first message identifying a first group of software update packages to be obtained from sources identified by the local update server; and

send a second message, responsive to the second update request, to the second client computer system, the second message based on the second computer group membership, the second message identifying a second group of software update packages to be obtained from sources identified by the local update server wherein the first group of identified software updates is not identical to the second group of identified software updates.

22. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the distal update server comprises a software vendor update server.

23. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the local update server, the first client computer system, and the second client computer system are members of a common intranet.

24. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to:

obtain update software packages from the distal update server, based on the computer group membership of the first and second client computer systems, periodically, and independently of requests from the first and second client computer systems.

25. The computer system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the software update packages obtained from the distal update server is not installed on the local update server.

26. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a withdrawal message from the distal update server, the withdrawal message identifying one or more software update packages.

27. The computer system of claim 26, wherein the computer system stops identifying the one or more software update packages identified in the withdrawal message to the first and second client computer systems.

28. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the first computer group membership additionally comprises membership in a first predetermined user-group.

29. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the second computer group membership additionally comprises membership in second predetermined user-group.

30. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the first and second messages identify each software update package with an update package identifier, an update version identifier and a location identifier.

31. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the location identifier identifies a computer system different from the local update server.

32. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to:

maintain a unique update package availability list for each of a plurality of client computer system groups.

33. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the software update packages identified in the first message comprise upgrades to a software application.

34. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the software update packages identified in the first message comprise a stand-alone software application.