Service clean-up

1. A computer-implemented method for removing versions of a service not reachable by a set of service requestors that use the service, the method comprising the following operations performed by at least one processor:

storing a metadata file for each of a plurality of different versions of a service, each metadata file including one or more tags that indicate a default condition in which all versions of service requestors among a set of service requestors are compatible with the associated version of the service;

examining the metadata file associated with a new version of the service to determine whether the metadata file includes one or more tags that override the default condition by indicating a range of versions of specific ones of service requestors among the set of service requestors that are blocked from using the new version of the service;

examining, when a version of a service requestor is included in the range of versions blocked from using the new version of the service, a second metadata file associated with a version of the service previous to the new version to determine whether the second metadata file includes one or more tags that override the default condition by indicating a range of versions of specific ones of service requestors among the set of service requestors that are blocked from using the previous version of the service; and

deleting, when no version of a service requestor is blocked from using the previous version of the service, one or more versions of the service previous to the previous version.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

deleting, when no version of a service requestor is blocked from using the new version of the service, one or more versions of the service previous to the new version.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein each metadata file further includes metadata that indicates which versions of service requestors among the set of service requestors are compatible with the associated version of the service.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the metadata that indicates which ones of the set of service requestors are compatible with the associated version of the service includes:

one or more tags that indicate an alternate default condition in which none of the service requestors in the set of service requestors are compatible with the associated version of the service; and

one or more tags that override the alternate default condition by indicating specific ones of the services requestors in the set of service requestors that are compatible with the associated version of the service.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the metadata associated with the new version of the service indicates the range of versions of specific ones of service requestors among the set of service requestors that are compatible with the new version of the service by specifying a version of a service requestor as an upper limit of the range and a different version of the service requestor a lower limit of the range.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the upper limit and lower limit are included in the range of versions compatible with the new version of the service.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the upper limit and lower limit are not included in the range of versions compatible with the new version of the service.

8. A system for removing versions of a service not reachable by a set of service requestors that use the service, the system comprising:

a memory device storing:

multiple, different versions of a service; and

metadata files, for each of the multiple different versions of the service, each metadata file including metadata that indicates which versions of service requestors

among a set of service requestors are compatible with the associated version of the service, the metadata files including one or more tags that indicate a default condition in which all versions of service requestors among the set of service requestors are compatible with the associated version of the service; and

a server storing a service manager subsystem that:

examines the metadata file associated with a new version of the service to determine whether the metadata file includes one or more tags that override the default condition by indicating a range of versions of specific ones of service requestors among the set of service requestors that are blocked from using the new version of the service;

examines, when a version of a service requestor is included in the range of versions blocked from using the new version of the service, a second metadata file associated with a version of the service previous to the new version to determine whether the second metadata file includes one or more tags that override the default condition by indicating a range of versions of specific ones of service requestors among the set of service requestors that are blocked from using the previous version of the service; and

deletes, when no version of a service requestor is blocked from using the previous version of the service, one or more versions of the service previous to the previous version.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the service manager subsystem:

deletes, when no version of a service requestor is blocked from using the new version of the service, one or more versions of the service previous to the new version.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein each metadata file further includes metadata that indicates which versions of service requestors among the set of service requestors are compatible with the associated version of the service.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the metadata that indicates which ones of the set of service requestors are compatible with the associated version of the service includes:

one or more tags that indicate an alternate default condition in which none of the service requestors in the set of service requestors are compatible with the associated version of the service; and

one or more tags that override the alternate default condition by indicating specific ones of the services requestors in the set of service requestors that are compatible with the associated version of the service.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the metadata associated with the new version of the service indicates the range of versions of specific ones of service requestors among the set of service requestors that are compatible with the new version of the service by specifying a version of a service requestor as an upper limit of the range and a different version of the service requestor a lower limit of the range.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the upper limit and lower limit are included in the range of versions compatible with the new version of the service.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the upper limit and lower limit are not included in the range of versions compatible with the new version of the service.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program which, when executed by at least one computer processor, causes the at least one computer processor to perform a method for removing versions of a service not reachable by a set of service requestors that use the service, the method comprising:

storing a metadata file for each of a plurality of different versions of a service, each metadata file including one or more tags that indicate a default condition in which all versions of service requestors among a set of service requestors are compatible with the associated version of the service;

examining the metadata file associated with a new version of the service to determine whether the metadata file includes one or more tags that override the default condition by indicating a range of versions of specific ones of service requestors among the set of service requestors that are blocked from using the new version of the service;

examining, when a version of a service requestor is included in the range of versions blocked from using the new version of the service, a second metadata file associated with a version of the service previous to the new version to determine whether the second metadata file includes one or more tags that override the default condition by indicating a range of versions of specific ones of service requestors among the set of service requestors that are blocked from using the previous version of the service; and

deleting, when no version of a service requestor is blocked from using the previous version of the service, one or more versions of the service previous to the previous version.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , the method further comprising:

deleting, when no version of a service requestor is blocked from using the new version of the service, one or more versions of the service previous to the new version.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein each metadata file further includes metadata that indicates which versions of service requestors among the set of service requestors are compatible with the associated version of the service.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the metadata that indicates which ones of the set of service requestors are compatible with the associated version of the service includes:

one or more tags that indicate an alternate default condition in which none of the service requestors in the set of service requestors are compatible with the associated version of the service; and

one or more tags that override the alternate default condition by indicating specific ones of the services requestors in the set of service requestors that are compatible with the associated version of the service.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the metadata associated with the new version of the service indicates the range of versions of specific ones of service requestors among the set of service requestors that are compatible with the new version of the service by specifying a version of a service requestor as an upper limit of the range and a different version of the service requestor a lower limit of the range.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the upper limit and lower limit are included in the range of versions compatible with the new version of the service.