Mechanism to dynamically update a windows system with user specific application enablement support from a heterogeneous server environment

A method for updating client computers with user specific application enablement, comprising:

• responsive to a request for updating a client, reading, at the client, a user's installation control file from a server which contains a list of enablement components needed to run a set of applications from the server that have been assigned to the user of a client;
• determining, at the client, if each of the list of enablement components is installed on the client;
• and
• changing, at the client, an operating system of the client to install each of the list of enablement components that is not installed on the client.

A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in a data processing system for updating client computers with user specific application enablement, comprising:

• instructions for creating, at a server, a component control file which defines enablement components needed to run applications from the server assigned to a user on a client and actions to be performed to install the enablement components, wherein the enablement components comprise required changes to an operating system at the client;
• instructions for creating, at the server, an installation control file which lists the applications that have been assigned to the user and the enablement components from the component control file which must be installed in order to execute the applications that have been assigned to the user;
• instructions for determining, at the client, if the enablement components for the applications listed in the installation control file are currently installed on the client;
• and
• instructions for installing, at the client, the enablement components for the applications listed in the installation control file on the client if the enablement components for the applications listed in the installation control file are not currently installed on the client.

A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in a data processing system for updating client computers with user specific application enablement, comprising:

• instructions for reading, at a client, a user's installation control file from a server which contains a list of enablement components needed to run a set of applications from the server that have been assigned to the user of a client, responsive to a request for updating the client;
• instructions for determining, at the client, if each of the list of enablement components is installed on the client;
• and
• instructions for changing, at the client, an operating system of the client to install each of the list of enablement components that is not installed on the client.

A system having means for updating client computers with user specific application enablement, comprising:

• means for creating, at a server, a component control file which defines enablement components needed to run applications from the server on a client and the actions to be performed to install the enablement components, wherein the enablement components comprise required changes to an operating system of the client;
• means for creating, at the server, an installation control file which lists the applications that have been assigned to a user and the enablement components from the component control file which must be installed in order to execute the applications that have been assigned to the user on the client;
• means for determining, at the client, if the enablement components for applications listed in the installation control file are currently installed on the client;
• and
• if the enablement components for the applications listed in the installation control file are not currently installed on the client, installing, at the client, the enablement components for the applications listed in the installation control file on the client.

A system having means for updating client computers with user specific application enablement, comprising:

• means for reading, at a client, a user's installation control file from a server which contains a list of the enablement components needed to run a set of applications from the server that have been assigned to the user, responsive to a request for updating the client;
• means for determining, at the client, if each of the list of enablement components is installed on the client;
• and
• means for changing, at the client, an operating system of the client to install each of the list of enablement components that is not installed on the client.