JP2001092641A - Software install system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a software install system for making it unnecessary for an operator to designate any specific computer being the origin of install to be installed, and for making it unnecessary to provide any computer being the origin of install equipped with any program supplying medium prepared for each software and any install program prepared for each software on a network. SOLUTION: In this software install system, target application/data can be installed from a computer 6 existing on the network 7 in which the application/data are installed to the arbitrary computer 6 without setting any computer 6 for software install on the network 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a software installation system, and more particularly to a software installation system in a distributed environment in which a plurality of computers are connected to a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of a conventional software installation system on a network is disclosed in JP-A-6-12348.
No., published in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Such a conventional software installation system on a network includes a storage device storing a software installation property, a software installation program, and an installation list including information such as an installation property name and an installation destination computer name. It consists of an installation source computer and an installation destination computer on which the software is to be installed. The conventional software installation system on a network having such a configuration operates as follows.

That is, an installation source computer having a software installation program searches for software installation properties in the order specified in the installation list, activates the software installation program, and performs software installation processing on the installation destination computer. .

[0004]

The first problem is that the conventional network software installation means needs to prepare in advance a specific installation source computer to be installed.

[0005] The second problem is that the conventional network software installation means requires a program supply medium prepared for each software and an installation source computer provided with an installation program prepared for each software on a network. is there.

An object of the present invention is to install an installation object on a network from a computer on which a target installation object is installed to an arbitrary computer without installing a specific network software installation computer. It is to provide a software installation system.

[0007]

A software installation system according to a first invention of the present application installs an application program (hereinafter, referred to as an AP) in a network to which a plurality of computers are connected, on the first computer. When transferring the installation property from the second computer holding the installation property necessary for the installation to the first computer and performing the installation on the first computer, the user or the like transfers the installation property to the first computer. The third computer that has received the instruction to install the AP inquires of all computers in the network whether or not to have the AP installed property, and the second computer that has the AP installed property is , In response to the inquiry The third computer sends a response to the effect that the installation property is held to the third computer, and the third computer that has received the response notifies the first computer that the second computer holds the installation property. Accordingly, the first computer includes receiving the installation object of the AP from the second computer and installing the installation object of the AP on its own computer.

[0008] A software installation system according to a second aspect of the present invention is the software installation system according to the first aspect, wherein the first computer, the second computer, and the third computer may all be the same computer; It is provided that any two computers may be the same or all may be different computers.

In the software installation system according to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the contents specified by the user or the like upon installation include a name of a computer to be installed and an A to be installed.
And a version number of the AP required to specify a P name and a version number of the AP.

[0010] In a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, when a plurality of computers on the network hold the installation property, if the version number of the AP is not specified,
Installing the AP having the latest version number among the AP version numbers.

[0011] A software installation system according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, includes, when a version number of the AP is designated, installing the AP having the designated version number.

A software installation system according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the software installation system according to the fourth or fifth aspect, wherein when the plurality of second computers hold an installation property that meets an installation condition, the third computer is installed. Installing the installed article of the second computer that first responded to the first computer to the first computer.

[0013] The software installation system according to a seventh aspect of the present invention provides the software installation system according to the first aspect, wherein when any one of the first computers on the network issues an installation instruction from any of the third computers. The third computer includes searching for the second computer holding the installation article on a network, and installing the searched installation article of the second computer in the first computer.

The software installation system according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the software installation system according to the first aspect, wherein the contents of the installation object of the AP include: execution program information of the AP; data information used by the execution program;
It is provided that the registry information such as environment variables of P and the above-mentioned information include a setup information description which is position information arranged on a storage device of the second computer.

[0015] In a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the software installation system according to the first aspect, the first computer having the AP installed therein is hereinafter referred to as the A computer.
The second computer is capable of installing the AP on another computer that does not have P.

[0016] In the software installation system according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, when the name of the computer to be installed by the user or the like is omitted at the time of the execution of the installation, the software installation system is automatically connected to the network. Installing the AP on all computers that do not own the AP.

[0017] The software installation system according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention is the software installation system according to the first aspect, wherein all the computers on the network do not have the AP, or have a version different from that held on the network. In the case where the AP is registered, when the second computer is installed from a CDROM medium or the like storing the AP, a setup information description about the AP is created and installed.

A software installation system according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention is the software installation system according to the first aspect, wherein a designated computer or all computers on a network have AP names and version numbers of all installed APs owned by the computer. From any computer or stored on any computer.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, in a first embodiment of the present invention, an input device 1 such as a keyboard, an agent 2 operating under program control, an execution program of an AP to be installed, data, registry information, and the like. , A storage device 3 for storing information relating to an installed property, a CDROM device 4, and an output device 5.

The input device 1 such as a keyboard is for receiving an installation instruction from a user or the like, and the content of the instruction is a computer 6 to be installed.
, A computer name corresponding to the IP address of the TCP / IP communication function for specifying the AP, the name of the AP to be installed, and the version number of the AP required to specify the version number of the AP. The input device 1 does not need to be provided in all the computers 6 in the network 7 and only needs to be provided in the computer 6 that issues an installation instruction.

The agent 2 is mounted on all computers 6 in the network 7 and has a file receiving unit 21
, An inter-agent communication unit 22, and a file transmission unit 23
And

The file transmitting section 21 has the following functions.

The file receiving section 21 of the computer 6 to which the AP is to be installed is sent from the computer 6 having the installed property in the network 7 in accordance with the notification from the computer 6 receiving the installation instruction via the input device 1. First, the setup information of the AP to be installed is received. Setup information is
This describes the setting positions of registry information and the like of object programs, data, environment variables, and the like constituting the AP to be installed when they are set on the storage device 3. Then, receiving this, the own computer 6
Then, after writing to the setup information storage unit 32, the installation object such as an execution program and data is received from the computer 6 having the installation object, and the storage device 3 is stored based on the information stored in the setup information storage unit 32. This is written in an appropriate position in the application / data storage unit 31 above. In the setup information storage unit 32, information on all the APs installed by applying the present invention to the computer 6 is registered in a form using the AP names as keys. FIG. 5 shows an example of this description.

The inter-agent communication unit 22 has the following functions.

In accordance with the installation instruction given from the input device 1, the inter-agent communication unit 22 of the computer 6 determines whether or not to hold the installed property relating to the AP designated to be installed in the own computer 6 and the inter-agent communication unit 22 of the other computer 6. Request for confirmation by broadcast transmission. The inter-agent communication units 22 of all the computers 6 on the network 7 that have received the confirmation request search the setup information storage unit 32 by the AP name. The inter-agent communication unit 22 of the computer 6 that holds the requested AP is the inter-agent communication unit 2 that has requested the confirmation of the possession of the installed property of the AP.
Respond to 2 that the user has the AP installed property.

Upon receiving the response, the inter-agent communication unit 22 that has requested the confirmation of the possession of the installed property is received by the inter-agent communication unit 22 of the computer 6 to be installed. Advertise first name. The inter-agent communication unit 22 of the computer 6 to be installed requests the file receiving unit 21 of the computer 6 holding the installed object to transmit the installed object.

The file transmitting section 23 has the following functions.

The file transmission unit 23 of the computer 6 holding the installed property is composed of the inter-agent communication unit 22
According to the instructions given by the user, the setup information storage unit 3
2 is transmitted to the file receiving unit 21 on the computer 6 to be installed in the network 7 in the network 7, and the setup information storage unit according to the instruction given from the inter-agent communication unit 22. And a function of transmitting the application / data stored in the application / data storage unit 31 to the file receiving unit 21 of the computer 6 to be installed based on the information stored in the storage unit 32.

The storage device 3 includes an application / data storage unit 31 and a setup information storage unit 32.

The application / data storage unit 31
It stores the execution program of the application that constitutes the software to be installed, and registry information such as data and environment variables. This is not unique to the present invention, and this information is used when the application is executed. Startup is performed.

The setup information storage unit 32 stores, for the applications installed on the computer 6, execution program files, data files, registry information, and the like that constitute each application stored in the application / data storage unit 31. Application / data storage unit 32.

The CDROM device 4 is an AP that is not installed on any computer 6 on the network 7.
Is installed on a certain computer 6 on the network 7 for the first time, it is used to read a CDROM medium storing installation information of the AP. In the system to which the present invention is applied, only one computer 6 on the network 7 needs to hold the CDROM device 4 as long as the installation is performed.

The output device 5 includes a display device or the like, and displays the result of the installation specified by the input device 1.

Next, the overall operation of the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 1, 3 and 4.

The user can issue an installation instruction from the input device 1 of any computer 6 in the network 7 (step S1). The content of the installation instruction by the user includes the name of the computer to be installed, the identification name for identifying the AP to be installed, and the version number required to specify the version number of the AP. In the following description, the user instructs the installation from the input device 1, but
A method is also conceivable in which the content of the installation instruction is created in a predetermined file in the storage device 3 in advance, and when a certain time comes, the content is automatically read and installed.

The indication of the version number is effective when, for example, an AP having the latest version number is replaced and evaluated, and any problem such as a defect (bug) is detected. The AP having the version number is to be installed. If there is no indication of the version, it is possible to set a default value of the version number and follow it, etc., but generally, the one having the latest version is targeted. This installation instruction is notified to the inter-agent communication unit 22 of the computer 6 connected to the input device 1 (Step S2).

Upon receiving the notification, the inter-agent communication unit 22 performs broadcast transmission to each of the computers 6 on the network 7, and transmits an A having the designated AP name to the inter-agent communication unit 22 of each of the computers 6.
It is confirmed whether P has been installed on the computer 6 (step S3). The computer 6 on which the AP has been installed has an installation property necessary for installation on another computer 6 on which the AP has not been installed. When the version number is specified in the instruction from the user, it is transmitted together with the AP name.

Upon receiving the request to confirm the possession of the AP (step S4), the agent-to-agent communication unit 22 of each computer 6 searches the setup information storage unit 32 of the computer 6 by the AP name. It is checked whether there is an AP to be installed on the computer 6 (step S5).

As a result of the check (step S6), if the AP has not been registered, the process ends without responding to the confirmation request.

If the AP has been registered, it is checked whether the user's instruction specifies a version number (step S7). When the version number is not specified, the own computer 6 sends a response to the effect that the own computer 6 has the AP (step S8). If the version number is specified, it is checked whether the version number of the AP registered in the own computer 6 matches the specified version number (step S9). If the result of the check is that they do not match, no response is made to the request for confirmation, and the process ends. If the result of the check is a match, the computer 6 responds to the effect that it owns the AP (step S10). The version number may be extracted from the content of the execution program of the AP,
The extracted information may be recorded in advance in the setup information of the AP and used.

The requesting agent-to-agent communication unit 22, which has performed the broadcast confirmation of the possession of the AP to be installed, waits for a response for a certain period of time, but checks whether a response has been received during that time (step). S1
1). If there is no response while waiting for reception for a certain period of time, the AP instructed to perform the specified installation displays contents that do not exist on the network 7 on the output device 5 and ends the process (step S12).

If there is a response in the reception waiting for a predetermined time, it is checked whether a version number has been designated or not at the time of transmitting a broadcast (step S13). Computer 6 having the latest version number of the AP installed therein;
(Step S14). Next, it is checked whether or not the computer 6 to be installed exists in the computers 6 that have responded to the specified condition regardless of whether or not the version number is specified (step S15). As a result of the check, if the computer 6 to be installed is included, the computer designated as the output device 5 displays the installed contents and ends the processing (step S16). As a result of the check, if the computer 6 to be installed is not included, and a response matching the specified condition is received from the plurality of computers 6, the computer 6 that responded first is selected (step S17). With the above processing, the computer 6 having the AP to be installed is determined.

The agent-to-agent communication unit 22 that has selected the computer 6 that has the installed property is sent to the file receiving unit 21 of the computer 6 to be installed specified by the user by inputting the name of the computer where the installed property is present. Notify (step S18).

The file receiving unit 21 of the computer 6 on which the notified installation is to be performed is provided by the file transmitting unit 23 of the computer 6 having the installed property.
Request to send the installed property (step S1).
9). As a result, the file transmission unit 23 of the computer 6 holding the installed property reads out the setup information of the AP from the setup information storage unit 32 and transmits it (step S20).

The file receiving section 21 of the computer 6 to be installed receives the setup information and writes it into the setup information storage section 32 of the own computer 6 (step 21). At this time, if the setup information of the same AP has already been registered, it is replaced.

Next, the file transmission unit 23 of the computer 6 holding the installed property transmits the A
Based on the setup information of P, the execution program, the data file, and the registry information of the installation object of the AP are read from the application / data storage unit 31 of the own computer 6, and are sequentially transmitted (step S).
22). The file receiving unit 21 of the installation target is
The location to be installed is determined based on the set-up information received earlier from the transmitted installation article, and is written to the application / data storage unit 31 of the computer 6 (step S23). When the reception and the writing of all the installed properties are completed, the installation processing ends.
In the case where recovery is not possible due to some kind of failure while receiving or writing the installed property, the installation is terminated. In that case, the previously received setup information is deleted from the setup information storage unit 32. deep.

Regardless of the normal end / abnormal end, when the installation is completed, the inter-agent communication unit 22 of the computer 6 to be installed is sent to the inter-agent communication unit 22 of the computer 6 receiving the installation instruction from the previous user. Notify that the installation has been completed. Upon receiving the installation instruction, the inter-agent communication unit 22 receives the information indicating the normal end or the abnormal end, and outputs this to the output device 5.

Note that any computer 6 on the network 7
If you want to install an AP that does not exist, or if you want to upgrade an existing AP,
The installation CDROM of the AP is mounted on the computer 6 having the device 4, and the installation information of the AP is read from the CDROM medium using the CDROM input function of the file receiving unit 21.
Will be installed. Thereby, the file receiving unit 21 reads out the execution program of the AP from the CDROM medium in the application / data storage unit 31 and sets the same, and at the same time, creates the setup information of the AP and writes it in the setup information storage unit 31. Thereafter, it is possible to install the AP on any computer 6 on the network 7 by applying the present invention.

When the network 7 is connected to another network 7 via a router, an AP not owned by the network 7 is supplied from the computer 6 of the other network 7 via the router and is installed. It is also possible to install the AP held by the network 7 on a computer 6 of another network 7.

Until now, when the user instructs the installation, the case where the name of the computer to be installed is specified and the installation is performed on the specified computer 6 has been described. Next, a supplementary description will be given of the case where the installation is performed on the computers on the entire network 7 at one time. In this case, as a method of specifying the user, there is a method of specifying all the computer names or not specifying the computer names. In either case, the contents of the processing are almost the same, but the case where the latter computer name exhibiting the features of the present invention is not specified will be described.

The user specifies the name of the AP to be installed from the input device 1 and, if necessary, its version number.
If no computer name is specified, the agent communication unit 22 of the computer 6 having the input device 1 broadcasts a ping command or a command similar to the ping command used under the operating system such as UNIX on the entire network 7. Send. TCP of each computer 6 receiving the command
ICMP, which is a part of the IP function of / IP, transmits the IP address of its own computer 6 as a broadcast response. The agent-to-agent communication unit 22 can collect this response and obtain an IP address for identifying all the computers 6 connected to the network 7, and store this in the own computer 6. The inter-agent communication unit 22 searches the network 7 for the computer 6 holding the specified installed property as described above.

Thereafter, the stored IP addresses are sequentially taken out, and the computer 6 having the IP address is instructed to install the specified AP. Upon receiving the installation completion notification from the computer 6, the next IP address is extracted from the stored IP address, and the same is performed for the computer 6 having the IP address.

However, the computer 6 holding the installed property is excluded from the installation target. Also, as described above, the case where the designated AP has already been installed is also excluded. Upon receiving the installation completion notice from the last computer 6, the display device 5 displays the fact on the output device 5 and, if there is a user's instruction, stores it in the storage device 3.

Next, a description will be given of a function for extracting a list of all AP names installed in a computer designated on the network 7.

The user or the like specifies a computer name from the input device 1 of an arbitrary computer 6 and requests acquisition of a list of all AP names installed in the computer 6. The inter-agent communication unit 22 of the computer 6 connected to the input device 1 requests the inter-agent communication unit 22 of the computer 6 specified by the user to acquire a list of installed AP names. Upon receiving the request, the inter-agent communication unit 22 of the computer 6 accesses the execution program information of each AP from the contents of the setup information storage unit 32 on the computer 6 and extracts the version number, and holds the AP name and the version number Is collected as a pair, and information on all APs held is collected and transmitted to the inter-agent communication unit 22 of the computer 6 designated by the user. The inter-agent communication unit 22 that has received the information displays the information on the output device 5. At this time, the information can be stored on the storage device 3 for later use.

When the computer name is not specified in the request for extracting the installed AP name list information from the user or the like, the information held by all the computers 6 on the network 7 is transmitted in the same manner as described above. It is displayed on the output device 6 for each computer name. In this case, the inter-agent communication unit 22 of the computer 6 to which the user instructed broadcasts a request for acquiring AP name list information to all the computers 6, edits a response from each computer 6, and displays it on the output device 5. Or stored in the storage device 3.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described using a specific example.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which three computers 6 on which the system of FIG. 1 is operating are connected to a network 7. (The three computers 6 are referred to as a computer 6A, a computer 6B, and a computer 6C, respectively.) For example, when the computer 6A holds an installation object (application / data 1) of a certain AP, the input device on the computer 6C It is assumed that the IC has instructed “install application / data 1 (held by computer 6A) on computer 6B”.

The instruction "install application / data 1 in computer 6B" given from input device 1C is sent to inter-agent communication unit 22C.

The inter-agent communication unit 2 receiving this notification
The 2C uses the broadcast transmission to all the computers 6 on the network 7 and inquires of the inter-agent communication unit 22 on each computer 6 on the network 7 whether the application / data 1 exists.

Agent-to-agent communication unit 22 on each computer 6 requested to search for application / data 1
Checks whether the application / data 1 is stored in the setup information storage unit 32 of the computer 6. At this time, the inter-agent communication unit 22A of the computer 6A finds the application / data 1 from the setup information storage unit 32A, and responds to the inter-agent communication unit 22C that the computer 6A has the application / data 1. On the other hand, since the application / data 1 does not exist on the computer 6B and the computer 6C, the inter-agent communication unit 22B and the inter-agent communication unit 22C do not respond to the inter-agent communication unit 22C.

The agent-to-agent communication unit 22C receiving the response
Notifies the file receiving unit 21B of the computer 6B to be installed that the application / data 1 is received from the computer 6A where the application / data 1 exists and that the installation is performed.

The file receiving section 21B of the computer 6B that has received the notification has the setup information storage section 32A receive the setup information of the application / data 1 from the file transmission section 23A on the computer 6A having the application / data 1 and receive it. . The file receiving unit 21B that has received the setup information stores it in the setup information storage unit 32B.

Subsequently, the file receiving section 21B of the computer 6B is connected to the file transmitting section 23A of the computer 6A.
The application / data 1 to be installed is transmitted from the application / data storage unit 31A and received. Upon receiving the application / data 1, the file receiving unit 21 </ b> B converts it into the setup information 32.
According to B, it is stored in the application / data storage unit 31B.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the case where three computers 6 are used has been described, but the number of computers 6 is not limited.

[0067]

The first effect is that the application / data can be installed on any computer 6 on the same network 7 only by operating the agent on the computer 6 on the network 7. The reason is that the agent autonomously searches for and installs the target application / data.

The second effect is that it is not necessary to prepare a server for installing software on the network 7. The reason is the same as that of the first effect.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific example of an operation according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of setup information.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Input device 2 Agent 21 File receiving part 22 Agent communication part 23 File transmission part 3 Storage device 31 Application / data storage part 32 Setup information storage part 4 CDROM device 5 Output device 6 Computer 7 Network 22A Agent communication part 23A File transmission Unit 31A application / data storage unit 32A setup information storage unit 6A computer 21B file reception unit 22B inter-agent communication unit 31B application / data storage unit 32B setup information storage unit 6B computer 1C input device 22C inter-agent communication unit 6C computer

Claims (12)

[Claims] An application program (hereinafter referred to as A) in a network to which a plurality of computers are connected.
Called P. ) Is installed on the first computer, the installation object is stored in the first computer from the second computer having the installation object necessary for the installation.
When transferring to the first computer and installing the AP on the first computer, the third computer receiving the instruction to install the AP from the user or the like to the first computer transmits the instruction to all the computers in the network. Inquiring whether or not to hold the AP installation property, the second computer holding the AP installation property responds to the inquiry to the third computer to hold the installation property, The third computer having received the response notifies the first computer that the second computer has the installed property, and accordingly, the first computer transmits the second computer from the second computer. Receive the AP installed property and send the AP to your computer Software installation system, characterized in that where you want to install property. 2. The first computer, the second computer, and the third computer may all be the same computer, any two computers may be the same, and all The software installation system according to claim 1, wherein the software installation system may be a different computer. 3. The contents specified by the user or the like for installation include the name of the computer to be installed, the name of the AP to be installed, and the version number of the AP required to specify the version number of the AP. The software installation system according to claim 1, comprising: 4. When a plurality of computers on a network hold the installation property, if the version number of the AP is not specified, the one having the latest version number among the version numbers of the AP is installed. The software installation system according to claim 3, wherein: 5. The software installation system according to claim 3, wherein when the version number of the AP is designated, the AP having the designated version number is installed. 6. When a plurality of second computers have an installed property that meets an installation condition, the installed property of the second computer that first responds to the third computer is retrieved. The software installation system according to claim 4, wherein the software installation system is installed on the first computer. 7. An instruction for installation from any of the third computers to any of the first computers on the network, wherein the third computer holds the installation article on the network. 2. The computer according to claim 1, further comprising: searching for a second computer, and installing the searched installation property of the second computer on the first computer.
Software installation system as described. 8. The contents of the AP installation object include: execution program information of the AP, data information used by the execution program, registry information such as environment variables of the AP, and the information are stored in the second computer. 2. The software installation system according to claim 1, further comprising a setup information description, which is position information arranged on the storage device. 9. The first device having the AP installed therein.
2. The software installation system according to claim 1, wherein the computer is the second computer that can install the AP on another computer that does not have the AP. 10. When the name of a computer to be installed by the user or the like is omitted during the execution of the installation, the AP is automatically installed on all the computers in the network that do not have the AP. The software installation system according to claim 1, wherein: 11. A case in which all the computers on the network do not have the AP, or a version of the AP different from that held on the network.
2. The software installation system according to claim 1, wherein, when registering the AP, when installing the second computer from a CDROM medium storing the AP, a setup information description about the AP is created and installed. . 12. For a designated computer or all computers on a network, the names and version numbers of all installed APs owned by the computer are taken out from any computer or stored in any computer. Claim 1 characterized by the following:
Software installation system as described.