JPH10187455A - Software distributing method and computer network system for applying the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently perform the centralized management of software distribution in a hierarchical system. SOLUTION: A status reflection control flag for instructing whether or not a data base 13 of high-order manager M1 is to be reflected with software distribution processing conditions is sent while being added to a software distributing processing instruction f00 so that it is controlled for each software as a distribution object whether or not the data base 13 of high-order manager M1 is to be reflected with the distribution processing conditions. Therefore, operation such as centralized management sending the distribution processing conditions from local servers 21-1 and 21-2 to a main server 11 only concerning software distributing processing at one part designated by a user, for example, is enabled and the load of public network 100 linking the main server 11 and the respective local servers 21-1 and 21-2 is reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a software distribution method and a computer network system to which the method is applied, and more particularly to a software distribution method for centrally managing the distribution processing status in a hierarchical software distribution form and a method thereof. The present invention relates to a computer network system to which is applied.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a distributed processing environment for computers has been promoted due to an increase in bandwidth of a network. In such an environment, when upgrading the software already installed in each computer distributed on the network or when introducing new software to those computers, software distribution to the computers via the network is performed. Is performed.

As shown in FIG. 8, a software distribution process to computers distributed on a network includes one or a plurality of managers or functions for distributing software and one for receiving distributed software. Or, it is constituted by a plurality of agent functions.
Each manager function operates on a server computer that manages software distribution, and an agent function functions on each computer terminal. The software distribution status is transmitted from each agent function to the manager function, and is stored in the database of the manager function. Each manager function can manage the software distribution processing status based on the contents of this database.

However, in this configuration, as the size of the computer network system increases, it is necessary to increase the number of manager functions accordingly.
It becomes difficult to centrally manage the software distribution processing status.

[0005]

Therefore, recently, a higher-level manager function transmits a software distribution processing task to a plurality of lower-level manager functions to execute the processing, as shown in FIG. The use of such a pyramid-type hierarchical distribution process is being studied.

In FIG. 9, software distribution processing is instructed to the lower manager functions (B) of the server computers distributed on the network by the upper manager function (A) placed on the main server. Software distribution is performed from the lower manager function (B) to the agent function of each of the computer terminals connected to the server computer. Thereby, even in a relatively large-scale system environment, software distribution processing can be efficiently performed, and centralized management of software distribution processing status can be easily performed.

However, in this hierarchical distribution process, since the actual distribution process is performed by the lower manager function (B), the upper manager function (A) uses the database (A) to execute the agent function for each agent function. In order to centrally manage the software distribution processing status, the software distribution processing status of each of the agent functions managed by the lower manager function (B) is extracted from the database (B) of the lower manager function (B). Must be reflected in the database of the upper manager function (A).

In this case, since the database (A) of the upper manager function (A) includes the contents of the databases of all lower managers, managing the distribution processing status of all the distributed software requires the database (A). ) Consumes a very large amount of storage area.

Normally, the status of software distribution processing changes sequentially, such as unprocessed, transferring, transfer completed, error, etc., according to the progress of the software. When the contents of (B) are reflected in the database of the upper manager function (A),
Upper manager function (A) and lower manager function (B)
A heavy load is imposed on the network connecting the and.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is possible to control whether or not to reflect the distribution processing status in a database of a higher-level manager for each software to be distributed. An object of the present invention is to provide a software distribution method capable of efficiently performing centralized management of software distribution and a computer system to which the method is applied.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to software used in a computer network system including a plurality of local servers distributed on a network and a main server instructing the local servers to distribute software. In a distribution method, database reflection control information for instructing whether to reflect a software distribution processing status of each computer terminal to which software is to be distributed to a distribution processing status management database provided in the main server is added. Transmitting the software distribution processing instruction from the main server to the local server, causing each of the local servers receiving the software distribution processing instruction to execute software distribution processing for each of the computer terminals connected thereto, It is characterized in that whether or not the software distribution processing status of each corresponding computer terminal collected by each local server is reflected in the database of the main server is controlled for each software distribution processing instruction according to the database reflection control information. And

In this software distribution method, database reflection control information for instructing whether or not to reflect the software distribution processing status on a distribution processing status management database provided in the main server is added to the software distribution processing instruction. Therefore, whether or not the distribution processing status is reflected in the database of the main server can be controlled for each distribution target software.

Therefore, for example, only a part of the software distribution process designated by the user can be transmitted to the main server to perform the centralized management of the distribution process status, and the load on the network connecting the main server and each local server can be reduced. Can be reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, when the database reflection control information indicates that reflection to the database of the main server is prohibited, the status indicating the software distribution processing status for each computer terminal is provided to each of the local servers. When the main server issues an instruction to change the database reflection control information from reflection prohibition to reflection permission, the status indicating the software distribution processing status held in the local server is stored in the local server. It is characterized in that it is reflected in the database.

In this method, an instruction to change the database reflection control information from reflection inhibition to reflection permission is sent from the main server to the local server, so that the distribution processing status held in the local server can be changed at that stage. Can be reflected in the database. Normally, the status of the software distribution processing status is, as described above, unprocessed, transferring,
Centralized management is performed by sequentially reflecting the status change in the database of the main server, such as transfer completion, error, etc., but according to the method of the present invention, after a while after issuing the software distribution processing instruction, By transmitting an instruction to change the database reflection control information from reflection inhibition to reflection permission from the main server to the local server, it is possible to reduce the status to be reflected on the main server as the status of the distribution processing status.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a computer network system to which a software distribution method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In this computer network system, the main server 11
And a plurality of local servers 21 geographically distributed.
-1, 21-2,... Are connected via the public network 100. A number of computer terminals 31-1, 31-2,... Functioning as client computers are connected to the local server 21-1 via the LAN 201, and the local server 21-2 also functions as a client computer. Are connected via the LAN 202. The computer terminals 41-1, 41-2,.

In this computer network system, software distribution is performed using a hierarchical distribution process, and the basic flow of the process is as follows. Here, the computer terminal 31-
It is assumed that the software is distributed to 1, 31-2. (1) Issuance of a software distribution processing instruction f00 from the operator on the console 14 to the upper manager M1 of the main server 11 (2) Extraction of software f01 to be distributed from the software storage disk 12 (3) Local from the upper manager M1 Server 21-1
(4) Execution of software distribution processing f03 by lower manager M11 (5) Software distribution processing status f04 from agents A1 and A2 of computer terminals 31-1 and 31-2
(6) Execution of temporary storage processing f05 of software distribution processing status to database 22 (7) Issuance of database reflection processing request f06 to upper manager M1 (8) Update storage in software distribution processing status management database 13 Execution of Process f07 Here, the database reflection process request f06 and the update saving process f07 for the database 13 are performed only when the database reflection process is permitted by the software distribution process instruction f00.

Next, the function of each element in the system shown in FIG. 1 will be described. The upper manager M1 of the main server 11 manages software to be distributed using the software file 12, and manages software distribution processing status for the computer terminals 41-1, 41-2,... Using the database 13. When a software distribution processing instruction f00 is input from the operator using the console 14, the software distribution processing task f02 is accordingly performed by the local server 21-1, 21.
-2, ... to instruct them to perform software distribution processing.

The software distribution processing instruction f00 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, date and time information specifying the date and time of distribution and application, path information indicating a software distribution destination and a path for the distribution, software name specifying software to be distributed, and It is composed of a status reflection control flag for specifying whether or not to reflect the software distribution processing status on the database 13. The status reflection control flag = 0N indicates permission to reflect the software distribution processing status to the database 13, and OFF indicates reflection inhibition.

The software distribution processing task f02 is composed of a software distribution processing instruction f00 and software specified by the software name of the software distribution processing instruction f00.

The lower-level managers M11 and M12 of the local servers 22-1 and 22-2 perform software distribution processing tasks f02 to computer terminals belonging to the computer site where they are located.
The distribution processing is executed at the date and time specified by the date and time information of the software distribution processing instruction f00. When executing the distribution process, the lower-level managers M11 and M12 receive the distribution process status from each of the computer terminals, and sequentially reflect the information on the databases 22 and 23. In these databases 22 and 23,
As shown in FIG. 3, a status table indicating a status reflection control flag and a current status of each agent is managed for each instruction ID of the software distribution processing instruction. As shown in FIG. 4, the status of the distribution processing status includes the following 6 items.
There are states.

-Unprocessed-Transferring-Transfer completed-Applying-Application completed-Error Here, application refers to installation processing for incorporating the distributed software into the computer terminal system. When not only distribution but also application is instructed by the date and time information, application processing is performed.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
A specific procedure of the software distribution processing will be described. First, a software distribution processing instruction f00 is given from the operator to the upper manager M1 (step S101). The software distribution processing instruction f00 includes
As described above, the status reflection control flag is added. The upper manager M1 extracts the software specified by the software distribution processing instruction f00 from the disk 12, and sends a software distribution processing task f02 to the lower manager (for example, M11) of the local server specified by the path information (step). S10
2, S103). The substance of the software distribution processing task f02 is software to be distributed and a software distribution processing instruction f00.

Upon receiving the software to be distributed and the software distribution processing instruction f00, the lower-level manager M11 temporarily stores it in the disk of the database 22, and then starts the software distribution processing to the agents A1 and A2 (step S104). , S105, S
106).

Each of the agents A1 and A2 receives the software from the lower manager M11 and transmits the processing status of the received software to the lower manager M11 (steps S107 and S108). Upon receiving the processing status from the agent, the lower-level manager M11 writes it in the database 22, and then determines whether or not to perform status reflection processing on the upper-level manager in accordance with the content of the flag held in the database 22 (step S11). S109, S11
0, S111). In this case, the reflection process is not performed when the flag is in the 0FF state, and the reflection process is performed only when the flag is 0N.

As described above, in the software distribution method of this embodiment, the status reflection control flag indicating whether the software distribution processing status is to be reflected in the database 13 of the upper manager M1 is added to the software distribution processing instruction f00. Therefore, whether or not to reflect the distribution processing status in the database 13 of the upper manager M1 can be controlled for each distribution target software. Therefore, for example, only a part of the software distribution process designated by the user can be transmitted to the main server 11 to centrally manage the distribution process status, and the main server 11 and the local servers 21-1,.
The load on the public network 100 connecting between 21-2 can be reduced.

Also, from the operator, the upper manager M1
The status reflection control flag is set to 0
There is also an instruction to change from the FF state to the 0N state. In this case, as shown in FIG.
Sends an instruction of flag 0N to lower-level managers M11 and M12. Then, the unreflected information held in the databases of the lower managers M11 and M12 is reflected on the upper manager M1. FIG. 7 shows the processing procedure of the lower managers M11 and M12 when receiving the instruction of the flag 0N.

That is, each lower manager sets the flag 0
When the instruction of N is received (step S201), a status table whose flag is set to 0FF is searched from the database (step S202), and the searched table is transferred to the upper manager and stored in the database 13. This is reflected (step S203).

By providing such a flag switching mechanism, for example, a software distribution processing instruction f
By issuing the flag 0N instruction some time after issuing 00, it is possible to reduce the status to be reflected in the database 13 of the upper manager M1 as the status of the distribution processing status.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to control whether or not to reflect the distribution processing status in the database of the upper manager for each software to be distributed. Centralized management of distribution can be performed efficiently.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a computer network system to which a software distribution processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary view showing the structure of a software distribution processing instruction used in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view showing the structure of a status management table managed by a subordinate manager in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary view showing an example of a status managed as a software distribution processing status in the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary flowchart illustrating the flow of a software distribution process in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary view for explaining an operation principle of updating a status reflection control flag to an ON state using a flag ON instruction in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining the operation of the lower manager executed in response to the flag ON instruction in the embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a view for explaining conventional software distribution processing using a network.

FIG. 9 is a view for explaining the principle of hierarchical distribution processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

11: Main server, 21-1, 1-2-2: Local server, 31-1, 31-2, 41-1, 41-2: Computer terminal, M1: Host manager, M11, M12
... Lower-level manager, A1, A2, A3, A4... Agent, 100... Public network, 201, 202.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A software distribution method used in a computer network system including a plurality of local servers distributed on a network, and a main server instructing the local servers to distribute software, the software distribution method comprising: A software distribution processing command to which database reflection control information for instructing whether to reflect a software distribution processing status of each target computer terminal in a distribution processing status management database provided in the main server is added. The main server is made to transmit to the local server, and the local server receiving the software distribution processing instruction is caused to execute software distribution processing for each of the computer terminals connected thereto, and collected at each of the local servers. Whether to reflect the software distribution processing status of each corresponding computer terminal in the database of the main server,
A software distribution method, wherein control is performed for each software distribution processing instruction according to the database reflection control information. 2. When the database reflection control information indicates prohibition of reflection on the database of the main server, a status indicating software distribution processing status for each computer terminal is held in the database of the local server. When an instruction to change the database reflection control information from reflection inhibition to reflection permission is issued from the main server, the status indicating the software distribution processing status held in the local server is reflected in the database of the main server. 2. The software distribution method according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. When the database reflection control information indicates permission for reflection in the database of the main server, the status change of the software distribution processing status for each of the computer terminals collected by each of the local servers is performed by the main server. 2. The software distribution method according to claim 1, wherein the software distribution method is sequentially reflected in the database. 4. A plurality of local servers distributed on a network, and each local server executes software distribution to a computer terminal coupled thereto in accordance with a software distribution processing instruction from an operator, and concentrates the distribution processing status. A software distribution method used in a computer network system including a main server that manages the software distribution processing status of each computer terminal to which software is to be distributed is stored in a distribution processing status management database provided in the main server. Adding the database reflection control information for instructing whether to reflect to the software distribution processing instruction to the main server, and transmitting each of the local servers according to the database reflection control information of the software distribution processing instruction The main server instructs each of the local servers whether or not to reflect the software distribution process status of each of the collected computer terminals in the database of the main server, and the reflection to the database is instructed by the database reflection control information. A software distribution method characterized by centrally managing the distribution processing status of only software that has been distributed. 5. In a computer network system including a plurality of local servers distributed on a network and a main server instructing the local servers to distribute software, software distribution for each computer terminal to which software is distributed is provided. A software distribution processing command added with database reflection control information for instructing whether to reflect a processing status in a distribution processing status management database provided in the main server is transmitted from the main server to the local server. Means for causing each local server that has received the software distribution processing instruction to execute software distribution processing for each of the computer terminals connected thereto. A computer network system for controlling, for each software distribution processing instruction, whether to reflect a software distribution processing status of each of the computer terminals to a database of the main server. 6. A means for, when the database reflection control information indicates prohibition of reflection in the database of the main server, holding a status indicating a software distribution processing status of each computer terminal in a database of a corresponding local server, Means for, when an instruction to change database reflection control information from reflection inhibition to reflection permission is issued from the main server, reflecting a status indicating a software distribution processing status held in the local server in a database of the main server; The computer network system according to claim 5, further comprising: 7. When the database reflection control information indicates permission to reflect on the database of the main server, the status change of the software distribution processing status for each of the computer terminals collected by each of the local servers is performed by the main server. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: means for sequentially reflecting the data in said database.
Computer system according to any of the preceding claims.