IP Library Granted Patent US 10,649,766
Granted Patent B2
US 10,649,766 · App. 14/732,063 · Granted May 12, 2020

Dynamic replacement of software components

Inventors: Michael F Stanton (Lino Lakes, MN); Brian L McElmurry (Roseville, PA); Murray D Wilke (Roseville, MN)
Assignee: Unisys Corporation
G06F8/70G06F8/61G06F8/656G06F9/546
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,649,766
App. No.
14/732,063
Granted
May 12, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A non-stop multi-host transaction processing environment may be created by receiving incoming user calls to components through a vestibule bank, and by utilizing an installation manager during the replacement of software. The installation manager may be used in connection with a vestibule bank to handle user calls during the installation of a replacement software component such that user calls for a component can be processed while that component is being replaced, without an error being passed back to the end user. During the replacement of a software component, user calls from the old component may be drained and diverted to a replacement component. User calls received during the installation may be queued and then routed to the replacement component once the component has been replaced.

Claims (46)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a vestibule bank, an installation manager call for replacement of a component;

routing, by the processor, the installation manager call from the vestibule bank to the component;

draining, by the processor, one or more first user calls from a first queue of the component, and diverting the one or more first user calls to a replacement component via a private gate separate from the vestibule bank;

queueing, by the processor, in a second queue different from the first queue, one or more second user calls for the component while the one or more first user calls are being drained from the component; and

routing, by the processor, the one or more second user calls in the second queue to the replacement component via the private gate upon completion of draining the one or more first user calls from the component;

wherein the vestibule bank provides a transition point into a protected subsystem, and comprises a collection of software units that collectively serve as a transition point into a protected system by routing incoming user calls including the one or more first user calls and the one or more second user calls to the component and routing subsequent user calls to the replacement component.

2. The method of claim 1 , in which the installation manager activates an installation management routines subsystem that provides a plurality of installation manager system services.

3. The method of claim 2 , in which one of the plurality of installation manager system services is a service for queueing of the one more second user calls.

4. The method of claim 2 , in which one of the plurality of installation manager system services is a service for activation of the replacement component.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

interfacing between the installation manager routines subsystem and an installation manager component agent in the component or the replacement component.

6. The method of claim 1 , in which the steps of draining and queuing occur after the replacement component flags readiness to accept new user calls.

7. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code to perform the steps of:

receiving, by a processor of a vestibule bank, an installation manager call for replacement of a component;

routing, by the processor, the installation manager call from the vestibule bank to the component;

draining, by the processor, one or more first user calls from a first queue of the component, and diverting the one or more first user calls to a replacement component via a private gate separate from the vestibule bank;

queueing, by the processor, in a second queue different from the first queue, one or more second user calls for the component while the one or more first user calls are being drained from the component; and

routing, by the processor, the one or more second user calls in the second queue via the private gate to the replacement component upon completion of draining the one or more first user calls from the component;

wherein the vestibule bank provides a transition point into a protected subsystem, and comprises a collection of software units that collectively serve as a transition point into a protected system by routing incoming user calls, including routing the one or more first user calls and the one or more second user calls to the component and routing subsequent user calls to the replacement component.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 , in which the installation manager activates an installation management routines subsystem that provides a plurality of installation manager system services.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , in which one of the plurality of installation manager system services is a service for queueing of the one more second user calls.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 , in which the medium further comprises code to perform the step of:

interfacing between the installation manager routines subsystem and an installation manager component agent in the component or the replacement component.

11. The computer program product of claim 7 , in which the steps of draining and queuing occur after the replacement component flags readiness to accept new user calls.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to execute the steps of:

receiving, by the processor of a vestibule bank, an installation manager call for replacement of a component;

routing, by the processor, the installation manager call from the vestibule bank to the component;

draining, by the processor, one or more first user calls from a first queue of the component, and diverting the one or more first user calls to a replacement component via a private gate separate from the vestibule bank;

queueing, by the processor, in a second queue different from the first queue, one or more second user calls for the component while the one or more first user calls are being drained from the component; and

routing, by the processor, the one or more second user calls in the second queue via the private gate to the replacement component upon completion of draining the one or more first user calls from the component;

wherein the vestibule bank provides a transition point into a protected subsystem, and comprises a collection of software units that collectively serve as a transition point into a protected system by routing incoming user calls including the one or more first user calls and the one or more second user calls to the component and routing subsequent user calls to the replacement component.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , in which the installation manager activates an installation management routines subsystem that provides a plurality of installation manager system services.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , in which one of the plurality of installation manager system services is a service for queueing of the one more second user calls.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , in which the processor is farther configured to perform the step of:

interfacing between the installation manager routines subsystem and an installation manager component agent in the component or the replacement component.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , in which the steps of draining and queuing occur after the replacement component flags readiness to accept new user calls.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of draining includes:

the private gate receiving the one or more first user calls drained from the first queue of the component, the one or more first user calls being diverted from the private gate to the replacement component, wherein the private gate controls the access of the replacement component.

18. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the step of draining includes:

the private gate receiving the one or more first user calls drained from the first queue of the component, the one or more first user calls being diverted from the private gate to the replacement component, wherein the private gate controls the access of the replacement component.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the step of draining includes:

the private gate receiving the one or more first user calls drained from the first queue of the component, the one or more first user calls being diverted from the private gate to the replacement component, wherein the private gate controls the access of the replacement component.

Assignments (5)
AMENDED AND RESTATED PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 27, 2025
From: UNISYS CORPORATION; UNISYS HOLDING CORPORATION; UNISYS NPL, INC.; UNISYS AP INVESTMENT COMPANY I
To: COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 071759/0527 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2020
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: UNISYS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054231/0496 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 6, 2017
From: UNISYS CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 044144/0081 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 27, 2017
From: UNISYS CORPORATION
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 042354/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2015
From: STANTON, MICHAEL F; MCELMURRY, BRIAN L; WILKE, MURRAY D
To: UNISYS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 035849/0013 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160357543A1 · Dec 8, 2016