Methods, systems and computer program products for management of configurable application programs on a network

A method for management of configurable application programs on a network comprising the steps of:

• receiving an application launcher program associated with an application program having a plurality of configurable preferences from a server;
• providing a user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program to the server;
• and
• requesting that the server provide an instance of the application program and a stored user set and an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences for use in executing the application program responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users.

An application management system for a network including a server and a client,

• the server comprising:
• means for installing an application program having a plurality of configurable preferences and a plurality of authorized users on the server;
• means for distributing an application launcher program associated with the application program to the client;
• means for obtaining a user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program;
• means for obtaining an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences from an administrator;
• and
• means for providing an instance of the application program and a stored user set and the administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences for use in executing the application program responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users;
• and
• the client comprising:
• means for receiving an application launcher program associated with the application program from the server;
• means for providing to the server a user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program;
• and
• means for requesting that the server initiate execution of the application program using the obtained user set and the administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users.

An application management system for a network comprising:

• means for installing an application program having a plurality of configurable preferences and a plurality of authorized users on a server coupled to the network;
• means for distributing an application launcher program associated with the application program to a client coupled to the network;
• means for obtaining a user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program;
• means for obtaining an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences from an administrator;
• and
• means for providing an instance of the application program and a stored user set and the administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences for use in executing the application program responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users.

An application management system for a network comprising:

• means for receiving an application launcher program associated with an application program having a plurality of configurable preferences from a server coupled to the network;
• means for providing a user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of a plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program to the server;
• and
• means for requesting that the server provide and instance of the application program and a stored user set and an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences for use in executing the application program responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users.

A computer program product for application management for a network, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising:
• computer readable program code means for installing an application program having a plurality of configurable preferences and a plurality of authorized users on a server coupled to the network;
• computer readable program code means for distributing an application launcher program associated with the application program to a client coupled to the network;
• computer readable program code means for obtaining a user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program;
• computer readable program code means for obtaining an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences from an administrator;
• and
• computer readable program code means for providing an instance of the application program using a stored user set and the administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences for use in executing the application program responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users.

A computer program product for application management for a network, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising:
• computer readable program code means for receiving an application launcher program associated with an application program having a plurality of configurable preferences from a server coupled to the network;
• computer readable program code means for providing a user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of a plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program to the server;
• and
• computer readable program code means for requesting that the server provide an instance of the application program and a stored user set and an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences for use in executing the application program responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users.