Centralized Software Deployment Templates for Multi-Platform Installation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of sophisticated software applications across multiple platforms and locations is cumbersome and inefficient, requiring manual configuration and customization, and existing automation tools are limited in their ability to handle different computing platforms and reuse installation logic.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for automatically installing software applications from a central location using a centralized repository that stores platform-specific installation files and non-platform-specific deploy jobs, allowing for automatic installation across multiple computing platforms with the ability to reuse custom-developed installation logic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual installation is used to install software applications on multiple computers, then installation accuracy and customization can be achieved, but installation time and labor cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates installation templates that capture the installation logic and customization parameters from a single manual installation. These templates are then copied and applied automatically to multiple target computers, reproducing the accurate manual installation process across numerous systems without requiring repeated manual intervention for each computer.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring installation templates with all necessary customization logic, parameters, and platform-specific settings before deployment. This preliminary preparation enables the automated installation process to execute accurately on multiple computers without requiring real-time human intervention during the actual installation phase.
2Loss of time
If commercial configuration tools are used to automate software installation, then installation time is reduced, but storage space on target computers is severely impacted due to copying entire installation packages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential installation logic, configuration parameters, and deployment instructions from the complete installation package to create lightweight installation templates. These templates contain merely the metadata and control information needed to guide installation, rather than duplicating the entire software package, thereby minimizing storage space consumption on target computers while maintaining automated installation capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the installation process into two distinct components: (1) the installation template containing control logic and parameters stored centrally, and (2) the actual software package stored separately. This segmentation allows the template to be distributed and executed with minimal storage impact on target systems, while the full software package remains available in the central repository or is downloaded only when needed.
3Productivity
If existing configuration tools are used for automated installation, then installation speed improves, but the ability to reuse custom installation logic across different platforms is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal installation template structure that can accommodate multiple computing platforms and software applications through configurable parameters. The same template framework can be adapted to different platforms (Windows, Linux, macOS) and application types by modifying the parameter values and platform-specific instructions, enabling a single template system to handle diverse installation scenarios without requiring separate tools for each case.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes parameter changes to adapt installation logic across different platforms. The installation templates contain platform-specific parameters that can be dynamically adjusted based on the target computer's operating system and configuration. This allows the core installation logic to remain reusable while accommodating platform differences through parameter modification rather than requiring separate installation procedures for each platform.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are disclosed for automatically installing software applications on multiple target computers having different computing platforms from a central location. The methods and systems provide an infrastructure comprising a centralized repository and server and a plurality of remote target computers. The centralized repository stores platform-specific installation files for each software application and computing platform of interest, and one or more non-platform-specific deploy jobs for installing the software applications. The non-platform-specific deploy jobs allows a user to automatically install one or more software applications on any target computer regardless of computing platform, and to reuse any installation logic that may have been custom-developed for the software applications. A common command syntax is created that may be used to define and execute the deploy jobs across the multiple computing platforms.