Automating application of software patches to a server having a virtualization layer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9720674-B1
Application number	US-11517808-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 5, 2008
Priority date	May 5, 2008
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

A method and system for automating application of software patches to a server system having a virtualization layer. A plurality of software patches are downloaded to a computer system having a first operating system. The software patches to apply to a server console operating system are then determined. The software patches are automatically copied to the server system by executing a first script file. The copied software patches are automatically decompressed by executing a second script file. The decompressed software patches are installed in a specified order by executing the second script file. The console operating system is rebooted only after all software patches are installed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for automating application of software patches during a build of a server system having a virtualization layer, comprising the steps of:
a computer system having a first operating system downloading a plurality of software patches;
the computer system determining the software patches to apply in conjunction with a build of a new server console operating system;
the computer system indicating, during the build, a destination directory of the server system for software patch placement in response to executing a first script file wherein execution by the computer system of the first script file includes the computer system prompting a user of the computer system for a username and password and locally authenticating the user name and password;
the computer system, during the build, copying the software patches in compressed format to the destination directory; and
the computer system, during the build, decompressing and installing the software patches to the destination directory and rebooting the console operating system in response to executing a second script file wherein execution of the second script file causes installation using a remote terminal session;
wherein the virtualization layer partitions the server into a plurality of virtual machines, each including a guest operating system and virtual hardware, with the virtual hardware mapping to an underlying physical hardware of the server.

2. The method for automating application of software patches, during the build, to the server system of claim 1 wherein the guest operating systems corresponding to the virtual machines are heterogeneous.

3. The method for automating application of software patches, during the build, to the server system of claim 1 wherein the downloaded software patches are stored in sequentially numbered directories on the computer system.

4. The method for automating application of software patches, during the build, to the server system of claim 1 wherein the first script file provides command execution and file copying of the software patches stored in sequentially numbered directories from the computer system to the server console.

5. The method for automating application, during the build, of software patches to the server system of claim 1 wherein the decompressed patches are installed to the server console operating system with a no reboot option.

6. The method for automating application of software patches, during the build, to the server system of claim 1 further comprising linking the decompressed software patches for serial installation.

7. The method for automating application of software patches, during the build, to the server system of claim 1 wherein the first operating system is a Windows-based platform.

8. The method for automating application of software patches, during the build, to the server system of claim 1 wherein the console operating system is a Linux-based platform.

9. The method for automating application of software patches, during the build, to the server system of claim 1 wherein the computer system is located remotely from the server system.

10. A system for automating application of software patches during a build of a server having a virtualization layer, comprising:
a plurality of data stores for storing software patches;
a processor for executing a plurality of components including:
a component for downloading a plurality of software patches to a computer system having a first operating system;
a component for indicating a destination directory of a new server system build for software patch placement in response to executing a first script file wherein execution by the computer system of the first script file includes the computer system prompting a user of the computer system for a username and password and locally authenticating the user name and password;
a component for copying the software patches in compressed format to the destination directory; and
a component for decompressing and installing the software patches into the destination directory and rebooting a console operating system in response to executing a second script file wherein execution of the second script file causes installation using a remote terminal session;
wherein the virtualization layer partitions the server into a plurality of virtual machines, each including a guest operating system and virtual hardware, with the virtual hardware mapping to an underlying physical hardware of the server.

11. The system for automating application of software patches of claim 10 wherein the guest operating systems corresponding to the virtual machines are heterogeneous.

12. The system for automating application of software patches of claim 10 wherein the component for downloading stores software patches in sequentially numbered directories.

13. The system for automating application of software patches of claim 10 wherein the component for automatically copying provides command execution and file copying of the software patches stored in sequentially numbered directories from the computer system to a server console.

14. The system for automating application of software patches of claim 10 wherein the component for installing installs the decompressed patches to a server console operating system with a no reboot option.

15. The system for automating application of software patches of claim 10 further comprising a component for linking the decompressed software patches for serial installation to a server console operating system.

16. The system for automating application of software patches of claim 10 wherein the first operating system is a Windows-based platform.

17. The system for automating application of software patches of claim 10 wherein the console operating system is a Linux-based platform.

18. A computer program product for automating application of software patches during build of a server system having a virtualization layer when operated on a processor, the program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable code embedded therein, the computer readable medium comprising:
program instructions that download a plurality of software patches to a computer system having a first operating system;
program instructions that indicate, during the build, a destination directory of the server system for software patch placement in response to executing a first script file wherein execution by the computer system of the first script file includes the computer system prompting a user of the computer system for a username and password and locally authenticating the user name and password;
program instructions that copy the software patches in compressed format to the destination; and
program instructions that decompress and install the software patches into the destination directory and reboot a console operating system in response to executing a second script file wherein execution of the second script file causes installation using a remote terminal session;
wherein the virtualization layer partitions the server into a plurality of virtual machines, each including a guest operating system and virtual hardware, with the virtual hardware mapping to an underlying physical hardware of the server.

19. The computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium for automating application of software patches, during the build, to the server system of claim 18 wherein the guest operating systems corresponding to the virtual machines are heterogeneous.

Assignees

• Spreha Craig A
• Open Invention Network Llc

Inventors

• Spreha Craig A

Classifications

• G06F8/65 Primary

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

• H04L63/20

  for managing network security; network security policies in general (filtering policies H04L63/0227) · CPC title

• G06F9/4401

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

• G06F9/45545

  Guest-host, i.e. hypervisor is an application program itself, e.g. VirtualBox · CPC title

• H04L63/1433

  Vulnerability analysis · CPC title