Component upgrading with dependency conflict resolution, knowledge based and rules
View Patent ↗An improved method to set up automatically a computer system configuration in association with a system upgrade that involves the installation of a set of operative elements necessary for the reliable operation of the same. The correct, operative combination of hardware, system and application software components is accomplished by inter-component dependency checking and improved conflict resolving procedures in association with specific dependency rules tables and an ordered database that stores definitions of components and relationships thereof.
1. A method of updating upgrading a computer system comprising a central processing unit, a storage device and a communication device by automatically establishing an operatively correct combination of a set of components in a computing environment of said computer system, said method comprising:
obtaining control tables from a storage device of a computer system, said control tables comprising information necessary for execution of an upgrade of said computer system, said obtaining control tables comprising;
obtaining a system information table comprising a set of operative components installed in said computer system;
obtaining a system upgrade table comprising a required set of operative components to be installed in said computer system;
obtaining a component objects table comprising a set of installation-related components;
obtaining a component database that contains a structured index of said component objects table; and
obtaining a rules table comprising installation-related dependency rules referring to said components to be installed in said computer system:
setting up result tables on said storage device, to hold information resulting from said automatic establishing, said setting up result tables comprising:
building a resolved system upgrade actions table for storing dependency conflict-free system upgrade actions;
building a second system upgrade table for storing unexamined system upgrade actions, wherein said second system upgrade table comprises unexamined system upgrade actions;
building a third system upgrade table: and
copying said system upgrade table into said second system upgrade table;
examining said control tables for dependency conflicts arising among said components in said control tables;
identifying said dependency conflicts arising among said components in said control tables; and
resolving said dependency conflicts among said components in said control tables, thereby creating result-related actions.
2. A method of updating upgrading a computer system comprising a central processing unit, a storage device and a communication device by automatically establishing an operatively correct combination of a set of components in a computing environment of said computer system, said method comprising:
obtaining control tables from a storage device of a computer system, said control tables comprising information necessary for execution of an upgrade of said computer system;
setting up result tables on said storage device, to hold information resulting from said automatic establishing;
examining said control tables for dependency conflicts arising among said components in said control tables;
identifying said dependency conflicts arising among said components in said control tables;
resolving said dependency conflicts among said components in said control tables, thereby creating result-related actions; and
determining installation preferences according to pre-determined values assigned to recommended upgrade actions.
3. A method of updating upgrading a computer system comprising a central processing unit, a storage device and a communication device by automatically establishing an operatively correct combination of a set of components in a computing environment of said computer system, said method comprising:
obtaining control tables from a storage device of a computer system, said control tables comprising information necessary for execution of an upgrade of said computer system;
setting up result tables on said storage device, to hold information resulting from said automatic establishing;
examining said control tables for dependency conflicts arising among said components in said control tables;
identifying said dependency conflicts arising among said components in said control tables;
resolving said dependency conflicts among said components in said control tables, thereby creating result-related action; and
determining a necessity for the presence of specific software modules by utilizing installation-specific handler rules.
4. A method of updating upgrading a computer system comprising a central processing unit, a storage device and a communication device by automatically establishing an operatively correct combination of a set of components in a computing environment of said computer system, said method comprising:
obtaining control tables from a storage device of a computer system, said control tables comprising information necessary for execution of an upgrade of said computer system;
setting up result tables on said storage device, to hold information resulting from said automatic establishing;
examining said control tables for dependency conflicts arising among said components in said control tables;
identifying said dependency conflicts arising among said components in said control tables;
resolving said dependency conflicts among said components in said control tables, thereby creating result-related actions; and
ordering a result list in accordance with dependencies and type of said components.