US 2004/0003266 A1 · Non-invasive automatic offsite patch fingerprinting and updating system and method

Abstract

Methods, systems, and configured storage media are provided for discovering software updates, discovering if a given computer can use the software update, and then updating the computers with the software as needed automatically across a network without storing the updates on an intermediate machine within the network. Furthermore, when a failure is detected, the rollout is stopped and the software can be automatically removed from those computers that already were updated. The software update can be stored originally at an address that is inaccessible through the network firewall by intermediately uploading the software update to an update computer which is not a part of the network but has access through the firewall, which is then used to distribute the update.

Claims62

Dependent claims

An automated method for updating software in a system having a first target computer in a non-update state connected across a network to an update server in a pre-update state, the system also having a package computer which may be inaccessible to the first target computer and is accessible to the update server, and a repository component accessible to the first target computer and the update server, the method comprising the steps of:

putting at least one patch fingerprint which defines a specific software update into the repository component;
gathering information about the first target computer;
comparing at least a portion of the gathered information with the patch fingerprint to determine if the specific software update is absent from the target computer;
placing at least one task identifier on an update task list, the task identifier specifying the first target computer, the task identifier also specifying at least one download address which references a location on the package computer that contains a software update for the first target computer;
in response to the task identifier, downloading the software update from the package computer to the update server;
and
performing a second download of the software update from the update server to the first target computer.

4 more elements

A configured program storage medium having a configuration that represents data and instructions which will cause at least a portion of a computer system to perform method steps of an automated method for updating software in the system, the system having a first target computer in a non-update state connected across a network to an update server in a pre-update state, the system also having a package computer which may be inaccessible to the first target computer and is accessible to the update server, and a repository component accessible to the first target computer and the update server, the method comprising the steps of:

putting at least one patch fingerprint which defines a specific software update into the repository component;
gathering information about the first target computer;
comparing at least a portion of the gathered information with the patch fingerprint to determine if the specific software update is absent from the target computer;
placing at least one task identifier on an update task list, the task identifier specifying the first target computer, the task identifier also specifying at least one download address which references a location on the package computer that contains a software update for the first target computer;
in response to the task identifier, downloading the software update from the package computer to the update server;
and
performing a second download of the software update from the update server to the first target computer.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Non-invasive automatic offsite patch fingerprinting and updating system and method

Life of this patent

Non-invasive automatic offsite patch fingerprinting and updating system and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims62