Implementing a software installation process
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsRohit Kapoor, Manqing Li, Glen Shortliffe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for implementing a software installation process so as to install, modify or uninstall a software program. The software installation process has a plurality of sequential steps, and the method comprises recording, for each sequential step commenced, step metadata identifying the sequential step so that the step metadata is associated with the software program. The step metadata is recorded in recoverable storage.
Claims42
A computer-implemented method of implementing, for a data processing system, a software installation process for a software program, the software installation process comprising a plurality of sequential steps, the method comprising:
- maintaining, in recoverable storage across multiple iterations of the software installation process, installation state metadata comprising a step metadata mode indicator for the plurality of sequential steps that specifies a prior completion state of a prior installation of at least a portion of the software program;
- performing recovery processing of the software program in response to determining that the installation state metadata from the prior installation indicates an incomplete installation state of the at least the portion of the software program;
- and
- updating in the recoverable storage, prior to commencement of each sequential step of a current iteration of the software installation process commenced, the installation state metadata with a value of the step metadata mode indicator that identifies an installation state of the sequential step so that the installation state metadata is associated with the software program;
- where:
- the updated installation state metadata in the recoverable storage is recoverable during a subsequent iteration of the software installation process to determine whether the current iteration of the software installation process successfully updated the software program;
- and
- the installation state metadata comprises a backup step in the software installation process for uninstalling the software program.
A computer program product comprising a computer-usable storage device having computer-usable program code for implementing, for a data processing system, a software installation process for a software program, the software installation process comprising a plurality of sequential steps, the computer program product comprising:
- computer-usable program code for maintaining, in recoverable storage across multiple iterations of the software installation process, installation state metadata comprising a step metadata mode indicator for the plurality of sequential steps that specifies a prior completion state of a prior installation of at least a portion of the software program;
- computer-usable program code for performing recovery processing of the software program in response to determining that the installation state metadata from the prior installation indicates an incomplete installation state of the at least the portion of the software program;
- and
- computer-usable program code for updating in the recoverable storage, prior to commencement of each sequential step of a current iteration of the software installation process commenced, the installation state metadata with a value of the step metadata mode indicator that identifies an installation state of the sequential step so that the installation state metadata is associated with the software program;
- where:
- the updated installation state metadata in the recoverable storage is recoverable during a subsequent iteration of the software installation process to determine whether the current iteration of the software installation process successfully updated the software program;
- and
- the installation state metadata comprises a backup step in the software installation process for uninstalling the software program.
A data processing system comprising:
- a processor;
- a bus coupled to the processor;
- and
- a computer usable medium coupled to the bus, wherein the computer usable medium contains a set of instructions for implementing a software installation process for a software program, the software installation process comprising a plurality of sequential steps, where the processor is programmed to carry out the set of instructions by causing the data processing system to:
- maintain, in recoverable storage across multiple iterations of the software installation process, installation state metadata comprising a step metadata mode indicator for the plurality of sequential steps that specifies a prior completion state of a prior installation of at least a portion of the software program;
- perform recovery processing of the software program in response to determining that the installation state metadata from the prior installation indicates an incomplete installation state of the at least the portion of the software program;
- and
- update in the recoverable storage, prior to commencement of each sequential step of a current iteration of the software installation process commenced, the installation state metadata with a value of the step metadata mode indicator that identifies an installation state of the sequential step so that the installation state metadata is associated with the software program;
- where:
- the updated installation state metadata in the recoverable storage is recoverable during a subsequent iteration of the software installation process to determine whether the current iteration of the software installation process successfully updated the software program;
- and
- the installation state metadata comprises a backup step in the software installation process for uninstalling the software program.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.