Patent Grant
9317267
1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to computing systems. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to an improved approach to deploying software to computing systems.
2. Discussion
In computing system and information technology (IT) environments, there is a growing need to reduce software deployment complexities. For example, software deployments may be increasingly dependent on hardware types, operating system, middleware and other applications. Software deployment may also involve complex configuration and integration for high availability and redundancy. In addition, the advent of Web 2.0 and dependence on third party providers for mashable software services may have created further challenges. Software deployments in this environment, for example, can become error prone, and time consuming. These challenges can impact an organization's ability to go to market quickly with new approaches, could increase labor costs and may reduce productivity. Moreover, customers typically do not have expertise in the deployment characteristics and requirements for complex applications. Indeed, they may often expect the software vendor to provide the deployment expertise in a simple and consumable form to the customer.
Most solutions to these challenges may typically address the creation of metadata and packages but do not address the skills gap that may exist. Some examples of software deployment being offered as a service in order to bridge the gap might include anti-virus updates, patch updates and updates to desktop products. These capabilities, however, may typically be limited to updates, which can require minimal knowledge of system and topology dependencies. Accordingly, there remains considerable room for improvement with regard to software deployment.
Embodiments may provide for a computer-implemented method in which a current software topology of a deployment site is compared to a software deployment topology, wherein the software deployment topology is required to deploy the application. The method may also provide for identifying a mismatch between the current software topology and the software deployment topology.
Embodiments can also provide for a computer-implemented method in which a current software topology of a deployment site is uploaded. A selection of a software application may be received and a software deployment topology required to deploy the application as a new software application may be determined. The method can also provide for comparing the current software topology to the software deployment topology. A mismatch between the current software topology and the software deployment topology may be determined, wherein the mismatch can include at least one of a hardware mismatch, an operating system (OS) mismatch, a patch level mismatch, an application level mismatch, an application configuration mismatch and a memory mismatch. The method may also provide for transmitting an action plan to a user via a graphical user interface based on the mismatch.
Embodiments may also provide for a computer program product having a computer readable medium and computer usable code stored on the computer readable medium, where, if executed by a processor, the computer usable code can cause a computer to upload a current software topology of a deployment site and receive a selection of a software application. A software deployment topology required to deploy the application as a new software installation may be determined. The current software topology can also be compared to the software deployment topology. In addition, the computer usable code may also cause a computer to identify a mismatch between the current software topology and the software deployment topology, wherein the mismatch may include at least one of a hardware mismatch, an OS mismatch, a patch level mismatch, an application level mismatch, an application configuration mismatch and a memory mismatch. The computer usable code may also cause a computer to transmit an action plan to a user via graphical user interface based on the mismatch.
Embodiments may also provide for resources satisfying a topology or a subset of the topology to be transferred temporarily from the customer to the provider for the purposes of deploying and configuring the software. Upon completion of the software deployment, the resources with the deployed software and configuration can be returned to the customer by the provider for completion of configuration and interconnection with other parts of the customer topology. Further, the temporary transfer of the resources can be accomplished using secure mechanisms to ensure separation of access between the customer and the provider including mechanisms such as staging VLANs (virtual local area networks).
The various advantages of the embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art by reading the following specification and appended claims, and by referencing the following drawings, in which:
As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.
Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.
Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).
Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
Referring now to
In addition, the network 16 can include any suitable combination of servers, access points, routers, base stations, mobile switching centers, public switching telephone network (PSTN) components, etc., to facilitate communication between the UE 12 and the servers 14. The servers 14 may be distributed and/or redundant web-based servers that are able to respond to web page requests for content. Thus, the servers 14 can have stored thereon hypertext markup language (HTML) and other markup language-encoded content, as well as databases and applications such as Java and other applications. The servers 14 could also be part of a cloud computing environment in which resources are shared across platforms in a complex fashion.
In one example, each server 14 constitutes a computer product having a computer readable medium with computer usable code stored on the computer readable medium, wherein, if executed by a processor, the computer usable code may cause the server 14 to implement a customized software deployment action plan.
In particular,
In one example, the application may be deployed as a new software installation rather than as a mere software update, which may require minimal knowledge of system and topology dependencies. Example applications include, but are not limited to, cloud computing applications, business-to-business applications, middleware, database applications, and so on. Moreover, installation of the selected application could involve many complex activities such as installing multiple levels of middleware, connecting to databases, configuring events, aggregating data, etc., where the software associated with each of these activities can have software topology requirements and/or dependencies.
The current software topology can be compared with the software deployment topology at block 26. If it is determined at block 28 that there are one or more mismatches between the current software topology and the software deployment topology, a customized deployment action plan may be implemented at block 30. Potential mismatches include, but are not limited to, hardware mismatches, OS mismatches, patch level mismatches, application level mismatches, application configuration (e.g., thread size, heap dumps, etc.) mismatches, memory mismatches, number of user mismatches, and so on. The action plan can therefore enable the user to address any potential deployment issues that may arise before deployment of the application is attempted. Thus, both the end user of the application and the vendor of the application can validate the various ways the software deployment could be a success or failure without going through extensive testing or trial and error methods. Indeed, the action plan could be developed and promoted as a pre-tested, pre-configured model and can be used to improve the consulting services offered by a given software vendor. Once any topology mismatches have been resolved, block 32 provides for deploying the selected application to the deployment site.
Turning now to
The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. In addition, the terms “first”, “second”, etc. are used herein only to facilitate discussion, and carry no particular temporal or chronological significance unless otherwise indicated.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad techniques of the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while the embodiments of this invention have been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the embodiments of the invention should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification, and following claims.
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