IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,003,400
Granted Patent B2
US 9,003,400 · App. 12/955,671 · Granted Apr 7, 2015

Tracking computing systems utilizing software repositories

Inventors: James Antill (Bristol, CT); Seth Kelby Vidal (Raleigh, NC)
Assignee: Red Hat, Inc.
G06F8/60
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,003,400
App. No.
12/955,671
Granted
Apr 7, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A software repository can capture and record an identifier associated with a software package manager accessing the software repository.

Claims (42)

1. A method, comprising:

providing, to a software package manager, access to a software repository using a uniform resource locator (URL);

receiving, at the software repository, a request to download a software package from the software package manager;

capturing, upon access to the URL by the software package manager, an identifier that is assigned by the software package manager, the identifier to be used to track a computing system, wherein the identifier is specific to the software package manager, wherein the identifier comprises a universal unique identifier (UUID), wherein the URL comprises a replaceable field for the identifier and wherein capturing the identifier comprises replacing the replaceable field with the UUID; and

recording, by a processor, the identifier at the software repository.

2. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

receiving, at the software repository, a request to download another software package from a second software package manager;

capturing, from the second software package manager, a second identifier that is associated with the second software package manager; and

recording the second identifier at the software repository.

3. The method of claim 2 , the method further comprising:

storing the identifier and the second identifier in a record, wherein the record identifies a number of computing systems that have requested software packages from the software repository.

4. The method of claim 3 , the method further comprising:

publishing the number of computing systems that have requested the software packages.

5. The method of claim 3 , the method further comprising:

providing, to a tracking system, the number of computing systems that have requested the software package, wherein tracking system is to track the number of computing systems that have requested the software packages from the software repository and a number of computing systems that have requested software packages from other software repositories.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifier is a random value.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions to cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

providing, to a software package manager, access to a software repository using a uniform resource locator (URL);

receiving, at the software repository, a request to download a software package from the software package manager;

capturing, upon access to the URL by the software package manager, an identifier that is assigned by the software package manager, the identifier to be used to track a computing system, wherein the identifier is specific to the software package manager, wherein the identifier comprises a universal unique identifier (UUID), wherein the URL comprises a replaceable field for the identifier and wherein capturing the identifier comprises replacing the replaceable field with the UUID; and

recording, by the processor, the identifier at the software repository.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 , the operations further comprising:

receiving, at the software repository, a request to download another software package from a second software package manager;

capturing, from the second software package manager, a second identifier that is associated with the second software package manager; and

recording the second identifier at the software repository.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the identifier is a random value.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a memory to contain instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor to:

provide, to a software package manager, access to a software repository using a uniform resource locator (URL);

receive, at the software repository, a request to download a software package from the software package manager;

capture, upon access to the URL by the software package manager, an identifier that is assigned by the software package manager, the identifier to be used to track a computing system, wherein the identifier is specific to the software package manager, wherein the identifier comprises a universal unique identifier (UUID), wherein the URL comprises a replaceable field for the identifier and wherein capturing the identifier comprises replacing the replaceable field with the UUID; and

record the identifier at the software repository.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , the processor further to:

receive, at the software repository, a request to download another software package from a second software package manager;

capture, from the second software package manager, a second identifier that is associated with the second software package manager; and

record the second identifier at the software repository.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , the processor further to:

store the identifier and the second identifier in a record, wherein the record identifies a number of computing systems that have requested software packages from the software repository.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , the processor further to:

publish the number of computing systems that have requested the software packages.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the identifier is a random value.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2010
From: ANTILL, JAMES; VIDAL, SETH KELBY
To: RED HAT INC.
Reel/Frame 025428/0960 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120137283A1 · May 31, 2012