Guided application rollback and migration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022012037-A1
Application number	US-202017001669-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 24, 2020
Priority date	Jul 8, 2020
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Examples described herein include systems and methods for improved application rollback or application migration on a user device. A portal application can store state information for multiple applications installed on a user device. The portal application can send the state information to a management server that exerts management control over aspects of the user device. The management server can send a rollback command to the portal application, instructing the portal application to rollback a target application that is already installed on the device. The portal application can cause the application to be uninstalled and can install a new instance of the target application as specified by the rollback command. The example method can further include the portal application providing at least some state information to the new instance of the application. The new instance of the application can use that state information to implement a configuration in the application.

First claim

1 . A method for improved application rollback on a user device, comprising:
storing, by a portal application executing on the user device, state information for each of a plurality of applications managed by a management server, wherein the portal application provides a graphical user interface (GUI) with icons associated with the plurality of applications, and provides access to the plurality of applications based on user input selecting an icon associated with one of the plurality of applications; sending the state information from the portal application to the management server; receiving a rollback command at the portal application from the management server, the rollback command instructing the portal application to rollback a target application of the plurality of applications; removing a first instance of the target application from the user device; installing a second instance of the target application on the user device as specified by the rollback command; and providing, by the portal application to the second instance of the target application, at least some of the state information from the first instance of the target application, wherein the target application uses the state information to implement at least one configuration.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the state information includes at least one of: an application version, an application data hash, a last backup time, a health status report, a health status report hash, and a read/write location.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the health status report comprises at least one of: an indication that the application is syncing properly, an indication of network connectivity of the application, a crash report for the application, error logging, and an indication of whether the application can receive notifications.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the portal application and the target application each utilize a software development kit that allows for secure communication.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rollback command instructs the portal application to migrate from outside a secure container of the user device to inside the secure container.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the portal application migrates by:
saving the state information to a storage location of the user device, wherein the state information includes state information for the portal application; creating a secure work profile on the user device; installing the portal application within the secure work profile; and retrieving and applying the state information from the storage location.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein installing the second instance of the target application comprises installing the second instance within the secure container of the user device and applying the state information saved at the storage location of the user device.

8 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a hardware-based processor, performs stages for improved application rollback on a user device, the stages comprising:
storing, by a portal application executing on the user device, state information for each of a plurality of applications managed by a management server, wherein the portal application provides a graphical user interface (GUI) with icons associated with the plurality of applications, and provides access to the plurality of applications based on user input selecting an icon associated with one of the plurality of applications; sending the state information from the portal application to the management server; receiving a rollback command at the portal application from the management server, the rollback command instructing the portal application to rollback a target application of the plurality of applications; removing a first instance of the target application from the user device; installing a second instance of the target application on the user device as specified by the rollback command; and providing, by the portal application to the second instance of the target application, at least some of the state information from the first instance of the target application, wherein the target application uses the state information to implement at least one configuration.

9 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the state information includes at least one of: an application version, an application data hash, a last backup time, a health status report, a health status report hash, and a read/write location.

10 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the health status report comprises at least one of: an indication that the application is syncing properly, an indication of network connectivity of the application, a crash report for the application, error logging, and an indication of whether the application can receive notifications.

11 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the portal application and the target application each utilize a software development kit that allows for secure communication.

12 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the rollback command instructs the portal application to migrate from outside a secure container of the user device to inside the secure container.

13 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the portal application migrates by:
saving the state information to a storage location of the user device, wherein the state information includes state information for the portal application; creating a secure work profile on the user device; installing the portal application within the secure work profile; and retrieving and applying the state information from the storage location.

14 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein installing the second instance of the target application comprises installing the second instance within the secure container of the user device and applying the state information saved at the storage location of the user device.

15 . A system for improved application rollback on a user device, comprising:
a memory storage including a non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions; and a hardware-based processor that executes the instructions to carry out stages comprising:
storing, by a portal application executing on the user device, state information for each of a plurality of applications managed by a management server, wherein the portal application provides a graphical user interface (GUI) with icons associated with the plurality of applications, and provides access to the plurality of applications based on user input selecting an icon associated with one of the plurality of applications;
sending the state information from the portal application to the management server;
receiving a rollback command at the portal application from the management server, the rollback command instructing the portal application to rollback a target application of the plurality of applications;
removing a first instance of the target application from the user device;
installing a second instance of the target application on the user device as specified by the rollback command; and
providing, by the portal application to the second instance of the target application, at least some of the state information from the first instance of the target application, wherein the target application uses the state information to implement at least one configuration.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the state information includes at least one

Assignees

• Vmware Inc

Inventors

• Palanisamy Karthikeyan
• Kunnath Ramanandan Nambannor

Classifications

• G06F21/57

  Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities · CPC title

• G06F21/53

  by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine · CPC title

• G06F8/62 Primary

  Uninstallation · CPC title

• G06F2009/45587

  Isolation or security of virtual machine instances · CPC title

• G06F8/65 Primary

  Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) · CPC title