Data processing: software development – installation – and managem – Software upgrading or updating – Network
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-28
2004-01-20
Chaki, Kakali (Department: 2124)
Data processing: software development, installation, and managem
Software upgrading or updating
Network
Reexamination Certificate
active
06681389
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the programing of computers arranged in a cluster and is particularly directed to a method for providing scaleable restart and automatic backout of software upgrades for clustered computing applications when problems are encountered in the new, or updated, software package.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There is a need in a clustered computing environment for easily and quickly installing updated platform and application software with a minimum of computer downtime and user interaction. The current approach for updating commercial servers typically involves stopping the application on each machine, taking the machine(s) to an off-line state, installing the updated software one server at a time, then bringing the machines back on-line, and restarting the application software. If a problem is detected in the updated software, the machine must be brought back to an offline state, the updated software is then backed out, and the machine and the software application is restarted using the previous software package. This is a manual process, with the user entering, appropriate instructions at each stage of the process. In addition, commercial software platforms generally have their own software update requirements.
The present invention addresses these limitations of the prior art priorities by providing a method of updating platform controlling or cluster controlling software as well as application software on all operating machines/servers in a cluster without manually taking each machine/server offline and performing a software update installation. In the event a problem with the update software is encountered, the inventive method allows updated software to be automatically backed out and the previously installed software is re-activated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention contemplates a method for installing updated platform controlling or cluster controlling and application software in a manner which allows for the restarting or “activating” the new software concurrently on all machines in a cluster or for only one machine in the cluster through software control. This inventive software updating method provides for scaleable restart by allowing the activation of the software to occur by restarting all software on the machine, i.e., rebooting the machine, or by simply restarting components of the platform and/or the application software that has been updated. The inventive software updating method further provides for the automatic back out of the updated software during a test period if a problem in the updated software is detected. The inventive method is not dependent upon the implementation of any specific operating system or any particular software or hardware product and is thus universally applicable to clustered computing systems. This software update method is adapted for developing a software upgrade application that can be administered as part of a network management system, thus reducing the need to manually/physically perform the software upgrade one server at a time. The inventive software method thus accomplishes software updates more easily, quickly and economically than present approaches.
The inventive software updating method is characterized by five phases beginning with an APPLY phase for installing the new platform and/or application software into a directory, where the new software package consists of installation scripts, changed platform products, and other control/database files. Next, an ACTIVATE phase activates the new software as the running image for both the platform and application software. This activation is characterized as either activation with a trial/test phase or activation without a trial/test phase. If a failure, e.g., death of a process, occurs during the activation with trial/test phase, the new updated software is automatically rolled back. Next, if there is a problem with the new software when the new software has been activated with a trial/test phase, a ROLLBACK phase backs out the new platform and/or application software and re-activates the previous/old platform and/or application software. The ROLLBACK phase is either automatically invoked when a failure occurs or is manually invoked by the application. Next, an OFFICIAL phase transitions the new platform and/or application software to the official state or default executable image. Finally, a REACTIVATE (Back Out Last Official) phase activates the backup copy of the previous/old platform and/or application software after the new software has been made official. The present software method employs for each of the above described phases “assist functions” for performing software upgrades for use by the end user at the lowest level of implementation. Incorporating these “assist functions” at the lowest level of implementation provides the end user substantial flexibility in installing and activating the end user's application and platform software. These software assist functions also provide the present software method with universal applicability to clustered computing systems independent of the implementation of a specific operating system or particular hardware or software product.
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Engel Norbert
Muldoon Eunan
Wadlinger Ralph
Chaki Kakali
Vu Tuan Anh
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