Abstract:
A computer-implemented vault centrally archives an application from a client. Each application may be formed from one or more files, and each application has a unique meta description for reconstructing the application using the one or more files. The vault has one or more files which may be shared among applications; an access controller for allowing the client to retrieve a file from the vault based on the meta description; and a post controller for allowing the client to store a single instance of a uniquely indexed file based on the meta description.

Description:
This application is a continuation application and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. Section 120 of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/205,418, filed Dec. 2, 1998, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,859, on Dec. 19, 2000. The disclosure of the prior application is considered part of and is incorporated by reference in the disclosure of this application. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Inexorable advances in electronics have led to widespread deployment of inexpensive, yet powerful computers that are networked together. Over time, programs installed on these computers are updated and these updates need to be maintained. Information system departments and their users face the thorny task of maintaining numerous instances of software across their complex distributed environments. The maintenance process covers a number of tasks, including software installation, synchronization, backup, recovery, analysis and repair. 
     A detailed knowledge of a computer&#39;s dynamic environment and its system configuration is needed in the maintenance process to prevent situations where modifications to one component may introduce problems in other components. Moreover, an accurate knowledge of the system&#39;s configuration is required to verify compatibility and to ensure integrity across multiple operating environments and across diverse processors. Software applications can have numerous components and dependencies and, in a modern network with diverse processors and peripherals, the range of possible configurations can be staggering. 
     Historically, relationships between software components have been manually detected and component states have been recorded in a log. This state information is external of the components themselves and must be updated whenever the components change. As state information is recorded only at the time of installation, changes made subsequent to installation may be lost. As the rate of change increases and complexity of the software configuration grows, the external state representation becomes difficult to maintain and prone to error. Moreover, during normal operation, users may make changes to the software through individual personalization and through the installation of additional software, thus changing the state information. The difference in state information between software installation and software operation can lead to unpredictable behavior and may require support from information system personnel. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect, a computer-implemented vault archives software components, where only a single instance of each component that is multiply-used is stored in the vault. The vault includes unique instances of the one or more software components and an access controller for performing a direct, random access retrieval of the one or more software components from the vault. 
     Implementations of the invention include one or more of the following. The access controller generates a unique key. The unique key may be used to access a software component. The unique key may be generated from a persistent metadata description. A post controller may perform a direct, random access insertion of a software component to the vault. The post controller may generate a unique key from the new component and optimizes storage if the unique key exists. A look-up controller may perform a direct, random access determination of the existence of a software component in the vault. A client may be coupled to the vault, the client having a physical software component residing on the client, the client generating a key from the physical software component. One or more secondary vaults may be coupled to the vault with a fault-tolerant rollover system for sequentially searching each vault for the presence of a target software component. The secondary vaults may be ordered based on accessibility of the vaults. A client may generate a key and apply the key to recover the target software component from the most accessible of the vaults. The client may use a metadata description to generate the key. If the search of a determined vault fails to locate the target software component, the client may skip the determined vault and modify the search order of the vaults in recovering the target software component. 
     In a second aspect, a computer-implemented vault archives software components, where only a single instance of each component that is multiply-used is stored in the vault. The vault includes means for storing unique instances of the one or more software components on the vault; and access means for performing a direct, random access retrieval of the one or more software components from the vault. 
     Implementations of the invention include one or more of the following. The access means may generate a unique key. The unique key may be used to access a software component. The unique key may be generated from a persistent metadata description. A post means may perform a direct, random access insertion of a software component to the vault. The post means may generate a unique key from the new component and optimize storage if the unique key exists. A look-up means may perform a direct, random access determination of the existence of a software component in the vault. A client may be coupled to the vault, the client having a physical software component residing on the client, the client generating a key from the physical software component. One or more secondary vaults may be coupled to the vault with means for sequentially searching each vault for the presence of a target software component. The secondary vaults may be ordered based on accessibility of the vaults. The client may have a means for applying the key to recover the target software component from the most accessible of the vaults. The client may use a metadata description to generate the key. If the search of a determined vault fails to locate the target software component, the client may skip the determined vault and modifies the search order of the vaults in recovering the target software component. 
     In a third aspect, a method for archiving software components where only a single instance of each component that is multiply-used is stored in a vault includes: storing unique instances of the one or more software components in the vault; and performing a direct, random access retrieval of the one or more software components from the vault. 
     Implementations of the invention include one or more of the following. The method may generate a unique key. The unique key may be used to access a software component. The unique key may be generated from a persistent metadata description. The method may perform a direct, random access insertion of a software component to the vault. A unique key may be generated from the new component and used to optimize storage if the unique key exists. The method may perform a direct, random access determination of the existence of a software component in the vault. A client may be coupled to the vault, the client having a physical software component residing on the client, the client generating a key from the physical software component. One or more secondary vaults may be coupled to the vault and sequentially searched for the presence of a target software component. The secondary vaults may be ordered based on accessibility of the vaults. The client may apply the key to recover the target software component from the most accessible of the vaults. The client may use a metadata description to generate the key. If the search of a determined vault fails to locate the target software component, the client may skip the determined vault and modifies the search order of the vaults in recovering the target software component. 
     Advantages of the invention include one or more of the following. The vault can inventory, install, deploy, maintain, repair and optimize software across local and wide area networks (LANs and WANs). By automating the human-intensive process of managing software throughout its life cycle, the vault reduces the total cost of ownership of computers in networked environments. Users can reduce the time required for software packaging by simply probing an application for its current state and storing unique instances of components of the software in a vault. Software installation may then be performed by moving valid working states from one client machine to another. Further, error prone installation of the software is avoided, increasing the out-of-box success by installing known working software states and insuring against deletion of shared components. 
     Moreover, the vault can be used to diagnose problems by comparing an existing state on a client computer to both a previously working state and a reference state stored in the vault. Further, the vault can be used to allow applications which have been damaged to self-heal applications by automatically restoring previously working states or reinstalling components from reference states. 
     The vault can also support remote and disconnected users by protecting applications on their desktop and ensuring that software is configured appropriately. The vault can also synchronize user desktops by automatically updating all application components and configuration settings while still allowing custom settings for the user. The vault also automates custom computer setups/upgrades by providing replication of working states from client machines. Information stored in the vault may be used to provide vital application information including system values and resource conflicts to help information systems personnel. 
     Further, the vault decreases network overhead and increases scalability of electronic software distribution by eliminating delivery of duplicate files that make up software packages. The flexible architecture of the invention protects user investment in existing solutions for enterprise-wide systems management, network management, and application management. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a system with one or more vaults for communicating with one or more clients. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating communications between the client and the one or more vaults. 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a process for accessing software components from the vault. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a process for comparing keys in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a process for posting software components to the vault. 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating in more detail the process for generating a post key in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating a process for performing lookup based on an identity key. 
         FIGS. 8A and 8B  are flowcharts illustrating alternative processes for software management. 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart illustrating a process for publishing meta data information associated with the software components. 
         FIG. 10  is a flowchart illustrating a process for storing software components on the vault. 
         FIG. 11  is a flowchart illustrating a process for replicating software components from the vault. 
         FIG. 12  is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary application of the vault in installing software. 
         FIG. 13  is a diagram of an exemplary application for maintaining software using the vault. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a computer system  100  with one or more vaults. The system  100  has one or more clients  102 , each of which has a set of catalogs  104 , as well as a client vault  106 . The client vault  106  is a computer readable medium which stores one or more software components (entities) which are designated by the set of catalogs  104 . In this case, the client vault  106  exists on a data storage device such as a hard drive on the computer system  100 . Alternatively, the vault may reside on one or more data storage devices connected to a network  110 , as discussed below. Each of the software components may be referenced by more than one application, and the software components are used to reconstruct the application. 
     Each catalog  104  includes metadata which is generated by determining run-time states of each software application. Generally, the metadata for each software application is an abstract representation of a predetermined set of functionalities tailored for a particular user during installation or customized during operation of the software application. The metadata is a list pointing to various software components (entities) making up an application software and a root entity which represents an action that may be performed by the user at another machine, place or time. 
     The metadata is generated by analyzing the run-time states of the software application and checking the existence of the entities and entity dependencies, which may change over time. The list of the entities is pruned by deleting overlapping entities and by combining similar entities. In the grouping of entities in the metadata, an intersection of the entities is determined such that a package of entities can be succinctly defined and that all the information necessary for it can be represented as the metadata with or without the actual entities. Enough information about each entity is included in the metadata so that an analysis of correctness may be performed. The resulting metadata provides indices to the client vault  106 , which stores unique instances of software components locally to the client  102 . 
     In addition to the client vault  106 , the client  102  may also access remotely stored component files associated with the catalog  104 . To access these remote component files, the client  102  communicates over the network  110 , which may be an intranet, or a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet. The network  110  may also be a local area network (LAN). Connected to the network  110  are one or more vaults  112 ,  114  and  116 . Each of the vaults  112 – 116  includes sets of catalogs  118 – 120  which are indices of metadata files that represent the physical components of the software being “published” for the client  102 . 
       FIG. 2  shows in more detail various communication modules between a client  122  and one or more vaults  130 – 132 . The vaults  130 – 132  may be local vaults, remote vaults accessible from a network, or a combination of both. In  FIG. 2 , an access controller  124  allows the client  122  to retrieve files from the one or more vaults  130 – 132 . A post controller  126  allows the client  122  to place one or more files on the vaults  130 – 132 . A lookup controller  128  allows the client  122  to preview and compare catalogs of files stored locally versus files stored on the vaults  130 – 132 . Each of controllers  124 ,  126  and  128  may be implemented using a processor on the client  122  and computer instructions as described below. Alternatively, each of controllers  124 ,  126  and  128  may be implemented using a processor  15 ′ which is located on the network  110 . Pseudo-code showing file accesses using the access controller  124 , the post controller  126  and the lookup controller  128  is as follows:
         //**** Access Controller   Pass metadata descriptor   Transform metadata descriptor into key   for each vault
           directly access key on vault   if found then end for   
           next   return full URL and file for key   //**** Post Controller   Pass metadata descriptor   Transform metadata descriptor into key   for each vault
           directly access key on vault   if found then end for   
           next   if not found then
           locate first writable vault   insert file with key   
           end if   return   //**** Lookup Controller   Pass metadata descriptor   Transform metadata descriptor into key   for each vault
           directly access key on vault   if found then return full URL   
           next   return not found       
     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , a process  140  for accessing files stored on one of the vaults  130 – 132  is shown. The process  140  first generates a key from a metadata file (step  142 ). The metadata file identifies all elements that make up a single application, as identified using a state probe. The operation of the state probe is described in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,073, entitled “System and Method for Determining Computer Application State,” issued on Nov. 30, 1999, the content of which is incorporated by reference. 
     The metadata file describes the elements of the application, including the location of the files and the configuration of the application. The size of the metadata file is typically a small fraction of the size of the total state referenced. The key from the metadata file may be used to access and retrieve component files stored in the vaults  130 – 132 . 
     If the component files of the application software to be recreated using the key are large and therefore cumbersome to transfer, it is more efficient to determine whether the component files of the application software already exist locally. Such determination may be made by first looking up the key on the client  122  (step  144 ) and then optionally comparing the key generated from the metadata file to the key on the client  122  (step  146 ) and is described in reference to  FIG. 4 . The key comparison process sets a flag if a difference exists and otherwise clears the flags. 
     The difference flag is then checked (step  148 ). If the difference flag is set, the key generated from the metadata file is used to retrieve software components files from the vault (step  150 ). Alternatively, if the flag is cleared, the desired file already exists on the client  122  and the process  140  exits (step  152 ). Pseudo-code for the process  140  is as follows:
         Transform metadata descriptor into key   Using location attributes of key, locate file on client   Generate key for local file   compare metadata key and local key   if metadata key matches local key then return   for each vault
           directly access key on vault   if found then retrieve file   
           next   return success if found       

     Turning now to  FIG. 4 , the key comparison step  146  of  FIG. 3  is illustrated in more detail. First, the difference flag is initialized to zero (step  160 ). Next, the process  146  determines whether binary data associated with the files being compared are different (step  162 ). If no difference exists, the process exits (step  176 ). Alternatively, if the binary data differ, the process then compares the keys based on various sequence attributes associated with each of the files being compared (step.  164 ). 
     For example, location attributes, defined as directory paths, may be checked. Once the location attributes are determined to be equal, the sequence attributes may be used for further identification. A combination of multiple sequence attributes may be used together to reliably determine identity. Common examples of sequence attributes may include, but are not limited to, attributes such as date created, date modified, date last accessed, and version number. Certain sequence attributes may take precedence over other sequence attributes. For example, if the version numbers are not equal, date attributes may be ignored. 
     The process of  FIG. 4  checks whether the sequence attributes are equal (step  166 ). If so, the difference flag is set (step  168 ). From step  166 , if the attributes are not equal, the process checks whether one of the attributes is newer than the other (step  170 ). If so, the process proceeds to step  168  to set the difference flag. Alternatively, in the event that the attribute is not newer, the process then checks whether or not one of the attributes is older (step  172 ). If no, the process proceeds to step  168  to set the difference flag. Alternatively, in the event that one of the attributes is older, the process determines whether or not the file may be overwritten (step  174 ). If so, the difference flag is set (step  168 ). Alternatively, the process exits (step  176 ). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a flowchart illustrating a post-process  180  for placing files onto the vault is shown. The post-process  180  first generates a post key from the metadata file (step  182 ). Optionally, the process  180  may look up the key present on the vault (step  184 ) and compare the keys (step  186 ). If the comparison causes the difference flag to be set (step  188 ), the key from the metadata is used to post the file to the vault from the client (step  190 ). From step  188  or step  190 , the process of  FIG. 5  exits (step  191 ). Pseudo-code for the process  180  is as follows:
         Transform metadata descriptor into key   for each vault
           directly access key on vault   if found then end for   
           next   if not found then
           locate first writable vault   insert file with key   
           end if   return       

     Turning now to  FIG. 6 , the process  182  of  FIG. 5  to generate the post key from the metadata file is shown in more detail. In  FIG. 6 , metadata associated with each file is generated (step  183 ). Next, the process  182  verifies the integrity of the file (step  185 ). 
     Integrity is verified using a sufficiently unique byte level check to statistically guarantee that the file is intact. Various known algorithms may be used, including 32-bit checksums, cyclic redundancy checks, and hash-based functions and checksums. While any method which detects a change in the byte ordering of the file may be used, a method with high levels of statistical uniqueness and favorable performance characteristics should be used. For example, MD5 (Ron Rivest, 1992) provides a cryptographically strong checksum. 
     A key is then generated from the metadata (step  187 ) before the process  182  exits (step  189 ). Key generation should include an integrity checksum as described above as well as basic information about the size, name, and attributes of the file. In the form of a checksum, the key allows identity information as well as integrity information to be easily verified. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 7 , a process  190  for performing look-ups based on an identity key is shown. The process  190  first enumerates all available vaults in a vault chain (step  192 ). Next, for each vault, the process  190  generates a universal resource locator (URL) based on the vault and the identity key (step  194 ). Next, the process  190  checks for the existence of the URL (step  196 ). If the URL exists in step  198 , the vault has been located and the process  190  exits (step  202 ). 
     The URL specifies a unique address using one or more protocols to identify and access local and remote resources. Alternatively, if the current vault fails to offer the correct URL, the next vault is selected (step  200 ) before the process  190  loops back to step  194  to continue searching all vaults in the vault chain. If all vaults have been searched but the URL is not found, the process returns with an error indication. Pseudo-code for the process  190  is as follows:
         Transform metadata descriptor into identity key   Construct redundant vault chain   Sort vault chain in order of closest accessibility for each vault
           form URL based on vault location and identity key   check existence of URL   if found then return vault location and URL   
           next   if not found then return error       

       FIGS. 8A and 8B  show alternative processes to provide state-based software life cycle management using a vault. Turning now to  FIG. 8A , a process for performing software management first generates the metadata (step  403 ), as described in  FIG. 1 . The metadata may include DNA information, as described in more detail in the incorporated-by-reference application. The information is then used to maintain software (step  405 ) before the process exits. Correspondingly,  FIG. 8B  shows a second software life cycle management process. Initially, the metadata information is generated and published (step  410 ). Next, components of the software are replicated (step  450 ) based on the metadata. The software is then installed (step  470 ). After installation, the software may be maintained (step  490 ). 
     Turning now to  FIG. 9 , the metadata publication step  410  is shown in more detail. In  FIG. 9 , a vault is located (step  412 ). The vault may be a server that maintains items referenced in the metadata files. Next, component files associated with the software are stored in the vault (step  414 ). Similarly, metadata is stored in the vault (step  416 ). A catalog, or an index of metadata files that represent the physical components of the software being published, is updated (step  418 ). Finally, the process  410  exits (step  420 ). 
     Turning now to  FIG. 10 , the file storing step  414  of  FIG. 9  is shown in more detail. Each item in the metadata file is initially selected (step  432 ). The integrity of the item is verified (step  434 ). The metadata information is used to verify the integrity of the item. Simple sequence and identity attributes are compared to ensure that no change has occurred to the file. The fastest comparisons are performed first with slower but more reliable checks being performed later. By using a combination of attributes which may include the date accessed, date modified, version number, date created, multiple file checksums, block checksums, complete byte comparisons, secure file hashing, and file attribute comparison, the integrity of the file may be reliably correlated to the information in the metadata. 
     The replicate step  450  of  FIG. 8B  is shown in more detail in  FIG. 11 . First, the source vault is located (step  452 ). Next, the destination vault is located (step  454 ). Files are then transferred from the source vault to the destination vault (step  456 ). Similarly, metadata information is copied from the source vault to the destination vault (step  458 ). Finally, the vault catalog is updated (step  460 ) before the process of  FIG. 11  exits (step  462 ). 
     Turning now to  FIG. 12 , the installation step  470  ( FIG. 8B ) is shown in more detail in  FIG. 12 . First, the vault catalog is loaded (step  472 ). Next, the highest version of the software stored in the vault is determined (step  474 ). The metadata associated with the highest version of the software is copied to the target machine (step  476 ). Further, data is remapped (step  478 ). The process of  FIG. 12  then applies a preprocessing operation to the remapped data (step  480 ) to convert data into the proper format and set up variables appropriately, among others. Further, items associated with the software are installed (step  482 ). A post-processing process is applied (step  484 ). This step is similar to step  480  in that variables are checked and data is formatted. Finally, an inventory of the software being installed is updated (step  486 ) before the process exits (step  488 ). 
     Turning now to  FIG. 13 , the maintenance step  490  of  FIG. 8B  is shown in detail. The maintenance step  490  is an event driven process and thus receives a software trigger event (step  492 ). Based on the trigger event, the process of  FIG. 13  determines various possible events, including a check for update event  494 , a protect software event (step  496 ), a software recovery (step  498 ) event, a check removal event (step  500 ), and an examine system event (step  502 ). From steps  494 – 502 , the triggering event is reported (step  504 ) before the process of  FIG. 13  exits (step  506 ). 
     In the manner discussed above, the vault can inventory, install, deploy, maintain, repair and optimize software across LANs and WANs. The vault installs only known working software combinations and insures against deletion of shared components, thus protecting user investments in existing solutions for enterprise-wide systems management, network management, and application management. 
     The techniques described here may be implemented in hardware or software, or a combination of the two. Preferably, the techniques are implemented in computer programs executing on programmable computers that each includes a processor, a storage medium readable by the processor (including volatile and nonvolatile memory and/or storage elements), and suitable input and output devices. Program code is applied to data entered using an input device to perform the functions described and to generate output information. The output information is applied to one or more output devices. 
     Each program is preferably implemented in a high level procedural or object-oriented programming language to communicate with a computer system. However, the programs can be implemented in assembly or machine language, if desired. In any case, the language may be a compiled or interpreted language. 
     Each such computer program is preferably stored on a storage medium or device (e.g., CD-ROM, hard disk or magnetic diskette) that is readable by a general or special purpose programmable computer for configuring and operating the computer when the storage medium or device is read by the computer to perform the procedures described. The system also may be implemented as a computer-readable storage medium, configured with a computer program, where the storage medium so configured causes a computer to operate in a specific and predefined manner. 
     While the invention has been shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, those skilled in the art will understand that the above and other changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims.