Determining when to perform a maintenance operation on a computing device based on status of a currently running process or application on the computing device
View Patent ↗A method for determining when to perform an operation on a computing device is described. The computing device receives a direction to perform an operation. A deferral configuration including at least one criterion is also received. The computing device determines whether a criterion is met and defers performance of the operation if it is met. The computing device performs the operation if a criterion is not met.
1. A method for determining when to perform an operation on a computing device, comprising:
receiving, at a computing device, a direction to perform an operation on the computing device, wherein the direction is received from an administrative system through a computer network;
receiving, at the computing device, a deferral configuration that includes multiple criteria, wherein the multiple criteria comprise (a) a name of a running process or application, wherein the running process or the application has a foreground user interface window that occupies at least an entire allowable client area, (b) the process or application is using a specified hardware device, (c) the process or application is using a specified amount of CPU resources, and (d) the foreground user interface window includes a specified caption, and wherein the deferral configuration is received from the administrative system through the computer network;
determining, on the computing device, whether the multiple criteria are met;
deferring, on the computing device, performance of the operation if the multiple criteria are met; and
performing, on the computing device, the operation if the multiple criteria are not met, wherein the operation is a maintenance operation.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the deferral configuration is configurable to add or delete process or application names; and
wherein the deferral configuration is configurable to add or delete one or more criteria.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiple criteria further comprise:
the foreground user interface window occupies at least an entire allowable client area on at least one virtual desktop.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiple criteria further comprise:
a process or application is associated with a user interface window that has a property indicating that the user interface window is maximized.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiple criteria further comprise:
a process or application has loaded a specified software control.
6. A computing device that is configured for determining when to perform an operation on a computing device, comprising:
a processor;
memory in electronic communication with the processor;
instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executed to:
receive, at a computing device, a direction to perform an operation, wherein the direction is received from an administrative system through a computer network;
receive, at the computing device, a deferral configuration that includes multiple criteria wherein the multiple criteria comprise (a) a name of a running process or application, wherein the running process or the application has a foreground user interface window that occupies at least an entire allowable client area, (b) the process or application is using a specified hardware device, (c) the process or application is using a specified amount of CPU resources, and (d) the foreground user interface window includes a specified caption, and wherein the deferral configuration is received from the administrative system through the computer network;
determine, on the computing device, whether the multiple criteria are met;
defer, on the computing device, performance of the operation if the multiple criteria are met; and
perform, on the computing device, the operation if the multiple criteria are not met, wherein the operation is a maintenance operation.
7. The computing device of claim 6 , wherein:
the deferral configuration is configurable to add or delete process or application names; and
wherein the deferral configuration is configurable to add or delete one or more criteria.
8. The computing device of claim 6 , wherein the multiple criteria further comprise:
the foreground user interface window occupies at least an entire allowable client area on at least one virtual desktop.
9. The computing device of claim 6 , wherein the multiple criteria further comprise:
a process or application is associated with a user interface window that has a property indicating that the user interface window is maximized.
10. The computing device of claim 6 , wherein the multiple criteria further comprise:
a process or application has loaded a specified software control.
11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for determining when to perform an operation comprising executable instructions that when executed performs the operation of:
receiving, at a computing device, a direction to perform an operation, wherein the direction is received from an administrative system through a computer network;
receiving, at the computing device, a deferral configuration that includes multiple criteria, wherein the multiple criteria comprise (a) a name of a running process or application, wherein the running process or the application has a foreground user interface window that occupies at least an entire allowable client area, (b) the process or application is using a specified hardware device, (c) the process or application is using a specified amount of CPU resources, and (d) the foreground user interface window includes a specified caption, and wherein the deferral configuration is received from the administrative system through the computer network;
determining, on the computing device, whether the multiple criteria are met;
deferring, on the computing device, performance of the operation if the multiple criteria are met; and
performing, on the computing device, the operation if the multiple criteria are not met, wherein the operation is a maintenance operation.