JP2000148641A - Method for distributing program and information file in network environment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the need for registration every time for a generation source and a monitoring process by a center server administrator by automatically gathering an update program or information file from a center server side and automatically distributing the gathered program and information file to respective client users, when the program and information file on an information providing terminal are updated. SOLUTION: A center server 11 gathers the program and information file which have been updated. A user interface process part 12 sets a specific file on the information providing information, a program and an information file stored in a directory, and timing for periodically monitoring the update of the set program and information file. A gathered file monitor information transmission part 13 sends monitor information at monitoring of the updating of the program and information file to be gathered to an information providing terminal. A gathered file reception part 14 receives the program and information program which have been updated from the information providing terminal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an information file on an information providing terminal in an environment where a plurality of information providing terminals, a plurality of information receiving terminals (client terminals), and a center server are connected via a network. The present invention relates to a system for automatically transmitting a program or file to an information receiving terminal via a center server when an addition or change occurs.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an information system department (hereinafter referred to as an information department) of a general company stores programs and information files created by various departments (sales department, general affairs department, accounting department, etc.) in an enterprise. In a distribution management system such as distributing information to a client user), a person in charge in each department, which creates information, sends the information to the center server managed by the information department when creating or updating information, and performs information registration. The center server administrator monitors whether a new information file has been registered by each information provider or whether an already registered information file has been changed, and distributes the program or information file to each client user if applicable. I was

For this reason, in the above-described system, the creator of each program or information file must execute registration processing with the center server every time information is created or changed. It has been necessary to periodically execute an operation of monitoring whether a new program or information file has been registered on the server or whether an already registered one has been changed and, if applicable, distributing it to each client user. Furthermore, if the center server administrator overlooks the registration of a new program or information file or overlooks the change of the registered file, there is a problem that the program or information file to be distributed to the client user may not be distributed. .

As a method for solving the above-mentioned problem, a program or information file registered by a creator of each program or information file is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-198286, entitled "Information Transmission Method and Apparatus for Personal Computer Communication System". If a new program or information file is registered or changed, the information is newly recorded and compared with existing records, and if there is a change, the changed part is extracted. There is a method of automatically executing distribution processing to client users.

[0005]

However, according to the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 9-198286, "the manager of the center server monitors programs and information files registered by each information provider, and when there is a change, Can be omitted by automatically detecting the changed file on the center server and automatically distributing it to each client user. The problem that “the creator of each program or information file needs to register with the center server every time information is created” is not solved.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems by automatically changing a program or information file from the center server side when the content of the program or information file is changed at the source. An object of the present invention is to provide a function of collecting and automatically distributing the collected programs and information files to each client user.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, a file set to be monitored by a center server on an information providing terminal, or a program or information file under a directory is added / changed. There are provided monitoring means for periodically monitoring whether or not the change has been made, and transmission means for transmitting to the center server only when a change has occurred in the program or the information file. Also, a transmission means for transmitting a program or an information file to the center server even if no change has occurred depending on the setting is provided.

On the other hand, in the center server, a file name and directory name setting means and an information providing terminal on the information providing terminal storing a program and an information file for regularly monitoring the addition / change status are periodically provided. Means for setting a monitoring timing when monitoring the presence or absence of a change, and a receiving means for receiving, from the information providing terminal, the content of the change in the program or the information file.

[0009] Further, a distribution means for distributing the "changed program or information file" received from the information terminal to a group of clients distributed on the network, and a distribution destination and distribution timing when distributing to each client ( Setting means for immediate distribution at reception or timed distribution is provided.

Further, each client is provided with a receiving means when the "changed program or information file" is distributed from the center server.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this description, all the events of "addition or change" of a program or an information file are described as "update". FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram when a program and an information file are distributed in a network environment according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an information providing terminal which is a provider of the latest program or information file, and 2 denotes a program or information file which has been updated on the information providing terminal. The center server 3, which distributes the information file to the client, is a client that receives the latest program and information file that have been updated from the center server. Reference numeral 4 denotes a network that physically and logically connects the center server and the information providing terminal and the center server and the client and serves as a medium for distributing various programs and information files.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention in which when a specific file on the information providing terminal or a program or information file stored in the directory is updated, the center server is connected to the information providing terminal by the information providing terminal. It is a figure which shows the example of a structure of the center server at the time of collect | requiring a corresponding program and information file, and the terminal for information provision.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 10 denotes a network for connecting a center server to an information providing terminal, 11 denotes a center server for collecting updated programs and information files, and 12 denotes identification on the information providing terminal to be monitored. Programs stored in files and directories of
A user interface processing unit 13 for the user (system administrator) of the center server to set the timing of periodically monitoring the setting of the information file and the update of the set program and the information file. A collection file monitoring information transmission unit for transmitting monitoring information for monitoring updates to an information providing terminal;
Reference numeral 4 denotes a collected file receiving unit for receiving an updated program or information file from the information providing terminal; reference numeral 15 denotes a specific file name or directory name on the information providing terminal to be monitored; Database for storing control information for file collection of the
The database management unit 17 accesses the control information for file collection stored in the database. The operation unit 17 is used by a center server or an information providing terminal user to input information.

Reference numeral 21 denotes an information providing terminal that provides the center server with the latest programs and information files. Reference numeral 22 denotes programs and information files stored in specific files and directories on the information providing terminal to be monitored. User interface processing unit for the user of the information providing terminal to set the setting of the program and the set program and the timing of periodically monitoring the update of the information file.
3 is a collection file monitoring information receiving unit that receives monitoring information from the center server when monitoring the update of the collection target program or information file, and 24 indicates that an update has occurred (depending on settings, even if no update has occurred, A) a collected file transmitting unit for transmitting a program or an information file to the center server; 25, a collected file update status checking unit for checking whether or not an update has occurred from the content transmitted last to the center server; A collection file monitoring control unit that monitors and starts the collection file update status check unit.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the structure of a control information file relating to collection of programs and information files transmitted from the center server to the information providing terminal in the program and information file distribution method of the present invention.

A collection file (directory) path name (31) in which a file name or a directory name in which a program or an information file to be collected is stored is set. The collection timing (32) that sets the timing for transmitting the collection target file that has been updated to the center server, the collection frequency (33) that sets the collection frequency such as daily, weekly, monthly, etc., and the “designated time” for the collection timing Specify the collection date and time (34) to set the date and time to be collected at the time of selection. When "When the update of the specified collection file or directory occurs" is specified in the collection timing, set the interval for periodically monitoring the update of the collection target file. The set update monitoring interval time (35), even if no program or information file has been updated, Including the un-updated file collection options set whether or not to perform the collection from the server (36).

FIG. 4 shows a configuration example of a destination information file when the center server distributes programs and information files received (collected) from the information providing terminal to the client in the program and information file distribution method of the present invention. is there. A file name (41) collected from the information providing terminal and distributed to the client, a host name or an IP address name of the distribution destination client defined for each file (42), a storage location of the file in the client terminal (43), Includes a distribution schedule (44) for distribution to clients.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing example of the center server in the program and information file distribution method of the present invention. The processing of the center server will be described with reference to FIG. First, in step 50, it is confirmed whether there is a termination request to the center server, and if there is, the process is terminated. If not, the process proceeds to step 51, where the center server administrator checks whether the collection control information has been updated (including a new input), and if so, transmits the collection control information to the information providing terminal (step 52).

Thereafter, until some event occurs, WA
Enter the IT state (step 53). After the occurrence of the event, it is checked whether an update file has been received from the information providing terminal (step 54). If not received, the process returns to step 50, and if received, the update file is transmitted to the client terminal corresponding to the received update file with reference to the client destination information file of FIG. 4 (step 55). Then, after receiving the update file delivery confirmation from the client terminal (step 56), the process returns to step 50.

Next, the processing of the information providing terminal in the program and information file distribution method of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. First, in step 60, it is confirmed whether or not there is a termination request to the information providing terminal. If not, step 61
Then, it is confirmed whether collection control information has been received from the center server, and if received, the collection control information is updated (step 62). Then, it is confirmed whether there is a request to change the control information from the user of the information providing terminal (step 6).
3) If there is a change request, the collection control information is updated again (step 64).

Next, the contents of the collection timing in the collection control information are checked. First, it is checked whether or not the collection timing is designated as "designated time" (step 6).
5) If it is "specified time", it is W until the specified time is reached.
AIT is performed, and it is checked whether or not the specified file has been updated after the specified time has elapsed (step 66). If it is not "specified time", it is next checked whether or not "when the information providing terminal is activated" (step 67). If "when the information providing terminal is activated", the information providing terminal is activated. It is checked whether or not the specified file has been updated (step 68).

If it is not "at the time of starting the information providing terminal", it is next checked whether or not "at the time of specific user logon" is specified (step 69), and "at the time of specific user logon".
If so, it is checked whether or not the file specified at the time of logon of the specific user has been updated (step 6A).
If none of the above three is specified, the collection timing is "when the update of the specified collection file or directory has occurred" (step 6B), and the update has occurred in the specified file after the elapse of the update monitoring interval time. Is checked (step 6C).

The result of the check (step 6)
D) If the specified file has been updated, the contents of the updated file are sent to the center server (step 6E). If no update has occurred, the unupdated file collection option is set to "YES". If "" (send to the center server even without updating) is specified, the contents of the file are sent to the center server. If "NO" is specified, the process returns to step S60.

Next, the processing of the client in the program and information file distribution method of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, step 70
It is checked whether there is a termination request to the client terminal, and if it is, the process is terminated. If not, go to step 71,
The WAIT state is entered until some event occurs (step 71). After the event occurs, it is checked whether an updated file has been received from the center server (step 7).
2) If not received, the process returns to step 70, and if received, the update file is stored in the designated storage location (step 73). Thereafter, a delivery confirmation is transmitted to the center server (step 74), and the process returns to step 70.

[0026]

According to the present invention, in an environment where a plurality of information providing terminals, a plurality of information receiving terminals (client terminals), and a center server are connected via a network,
When a program or information file on the information providing terminal is updated, the update program or information file is automatically collected from the center server and the collected program or information file is automatically distributed to each client user. By providing a function that allows the creation of update files to the center server by each program and information file creator, and the monitoring of updates of programs and information files on the center server by the center server administrator by the center server administrator. At the same time, it is possible to avoid a situation in which a program or information file is not distributed to a client terminal due to an overlooked update of the center server administrator.

Even if the program or the information file has not been updated depending on the setting, the client user erroneously updates the program or the information file by automatically distributing it to each client via the center server. / Even if deleted, it can be automatically recovered.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram when a program and an information file are distributed in a network environment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a center server and an information providing terminal when the center server collects a corresponding program and an information file from the information providing terminal as one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a control information file relating to collection of programs and information files transmitted from a center server to an information providing terminal.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a destination information file when distributing collected programs and information files received by a center server to clients.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing example of a center server in the program and information file distribution method of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing example of the information providing terminal in the program and the information file distribution method of the present invention. (Part 1)

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing example of the information providing terminal in the program and the information file distribution method of the present invention. (Part 2)

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a processing example of a client terminal in the program and information file distribution method of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 21 ... information providing terminal, 2, 11 ... center server,
3 ... Client, 4 ... Network, 12,
22: user interface unit, 13: collected file monitoring information transmitting unit, 14: collected file receiving unit, 15
... Database, 16 ... Database management unit, 1
7: Information input operation terminal, 23: Collected file monitoring information receiving unit, 24: Collected file transmitting unit, 25: Collected file update status check unit, 26: Collected file monitoring control unit

Claims (4)

[Claims] A center server for distributing and managing the latest programs and information files to a plurality of client terminals on a network; and an information providing terminal for providing the center servers with the latest programs and information files.
In a system in which the plurality of client terminals receiving the latest program and information file distribution service are distributed and arranged on a network, a program stored in a specific file or directory on the information providing terminal or , A monitoring means for monitoring that an information file is newly added or an existing program or a change in the information file, and automatically transmitting the added or changed program or information file to the center server A program in a network environment, wherein a distribution means for automatically distributing a collection of (received) programs and information files to a group of client terminals defined in advance is provided on the center server. And information file distribution method. 2. The transmission means for transmitting the program or information file according to claim 1, wherein the program or information file stored in a file or a directory on the information providing terminal designated by the center server is stored. On the other hand, it is checked whether addition or change has occurred from the content last transmitted from the information providing terminal to the center server, and even if no change has occurred in the corresponding program or information file, depending on the setting, A program and information file distribution method in a network environment, wherein the program and the information file are transmitted to the center server. 3. The center server according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring means for periodically monitoring the addition / change status of the program or information file on the information providing terminal is performed by the center server. Side user
A method for distributing programs and information files in a network environment, wherein both a (system administrator) and an information provider of an information providing terminal can set the information. 4. The program and information file distributing means according to claim 1, wherein an added / changed program or information file collected (received) by the center server is defined on the center server in advance. A method for distributing programs and information files in a network environment, characterized in that the program and the information file are distributed immediately to a specified client or automatically distributed according to a defined schedule.