Downloadable pluggable services
Downloadable pluggable services and methods of distributing the same are described. The downloadable pluggable services may correspond to communication services that can be downloaded to upgrade a communication system. The downloadable pluggable services may include a number of component parts that can be distributed among various servers in the communication system being upgraded along with instructions that enable the component parts to instruct each server in the communication system to operate in a coordinated fashion so as to provide the downloaded service.
1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a microprocessor, a request from a customer to obtain a downloadable pluggable service for a communication system of the customer, wherein the request identifies one or more versions of first and second sub-components and a plurality of individual users on first and second servers of the customer's communication system, and wherein the request identifies which of the plurality of the individual users on the first and second servers are included or excluded from using the one or more versions of the first and second sub-components;
in response to receiving the request, preparing, by the microprocessor, the downloadable pluggable service, wherein preparing the downloadable pluggable service comprises obtaining the one or more versions of the first and second sub-components that are packaged into a single object, wherein the first sub-component comprises instructions for operating the first server of the customer's communication system, wherein the second sub-component comprises instructions for operating the second server of the customer's communication system, and wherein the downloadable pluggable service further comprises deployment instructions that provide instructions for installing the one or more versions of the first and second sub-components on the first and second servers of the customer's communication system, respectively; and
transmitting, by the microprocessor, the single object to the customer.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein preparing the downloadable pluggable service further comprises preparing a license that identifies an appropriate use of the downloadable pluggable service at the customer's communication system.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the license indicates that a first user of the customer's communication system is allowed to use the downloadable pluggable service and wherein the license does not indicate that a second user of the customer's communication system is allowed to use the downloadable pluggable service.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the license is included in a license file which is packaged into the downloadable pluggable service as a file in the single object.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more versions of the first and second sub-components are retrieved from a service warehouse.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the service warehouse enables the customer to browse a plurality of downloadable pluggable services and potential sub-components thereof.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first server corresponds to an application server and wherein the second server corresponds to at least one of a user portal server and a system manager server.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first and second server each comprise at least one of an application container, an applet container, a web container, and an Application Programming Interface (API).
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the downloadable pluggable service further comprises deployment instructions in the form of at least one of an executable, the EAR file, and the WAR file, wherein the deployment instructions, when executed by an object distributor, cause the first sub-component to be deployed to the first server where it is installed, and wherein the deployment instructions, when executed by the object distributor, cause the second sub-component to be deployed to the second server where it is installed.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first sub-component and the second sub-component are packaged into the single object as at least one of an Enterprise Archive (EAR) file and a Web Application Archive (WAR) file.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request further identifies a first and second version of the first sub-component and which users of the plurality of individual users on the first server of the customer's communication system uses the first or second version of the first sub-component on the first server of the customer's communication system.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request further comprises a request from an individual user of the plurality of individual users on the first and second servers of the customer's communication system to customize the one of the first or second sub-components for the individual user of the plurality of individual users on the first and second servers.
13. A system comprising:
a microprocessor; and
a computer readable medium, coupled with the microprocessor and comprising microprocessor readable and executable instructions that cause the microprocessor to execute:
an object generator that receives a request from a customer to obtain a downloadable pluggable service for a communication system of the customer, wherein the request identifies one or more versions of first and second sub-components and a plurality of individual users on first and second servers of the customer's communication system, and wherein the request identifies which of the plurality of the individual users on the first and second servers are included or excluded from using the one or more versions of the first and second sub-components and, in response to receiving the request, prepares the downloadable pluggable service, wherein preparing the downloadable pluggable service comprises obtaining the one or more versions of the first and second sub-components that are packaged into a single object, wherein the first sub-component comprises instructions for operating the first server of the customer's communication system so that the downloadable pluggable service is performed, wherein the second sub-component comprises instructions for operating the second server of the customer's communication system such that the downloadable pluggable service is performed, and wherein the downloadable pluggable service further comprises deployment instructions that provide instructions for installing the one or more versions of the first and second sub-components on the first and second servers of the customer's communication system, respectively; and
an object delivery interface that transmits the single object to the customer via a communication network.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein preparing the downloadable pluggable service further comprises preparing a license that identifies an appropriate use of the downloadable pluggable service at the customer's communication system, wherein the license indicates that a first user of the customer's communication system is allowed to use the downloadable pluggable service and wherein the license does not indicate that a second user of the customer's communication system is allowed to use the downloadable pluggable service.
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more versions of the first and second sub-components are retrieved from a service warehouse, wherein the service warehouse enables the customer to browse a plurality of downloadable pluggable services and potential sub-components thereof via a web interface.
16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first server corresponds to an application server and wherein the second server corresponds to at least one of a user portal server and a system manager server.
17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first sub-component and the second sub-component are packaged into the single object as at least one of an Enterprise Archive (EAR file) and a Web Application Archive (WAR) file.
18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the request further identifies a first and second version of the first sub-component and which users of the plurality of individual users on the first server of the customer's communication system uses the first or second version of the first sub-component on the first server of the customer's communication system.
19. The system of claim 13 , wherein when the downloadable pluggable service is performed, the installation allows a first user of the plurality of individual users on the first server to continue using an older version of the first sub-component until the user is finished using the older version of the first sub-component and while at the same time a second user of the plurality of individual users on the first server uses the first sub-component.
20. The system of claim 13 , wherein the request further comprises a request from an individual user of the plurality of individual users on the first and second servers of the customer's communication system to customize the one of the first or second sub-components for the individual user of the plurality of individual users on the first and second servers.