Cumulative Fix Delivery System for Software Patch Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current software fix delivery systems require multiple iterations of problem determination and customer calls due to the complexity of relationships among patches, leading to customer dissatisfaction and increased resource requirements for software vendors, especially for mission-critical applications.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented process that analyzes situation data to identify problems, builds a cumulative fix by combining atomic fixes, and determines whether the fix meets predetermined requirements, saving and sending it to the requester if it is a new installable cumulative fix.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a patch strategy is used to deliver immediate fixes by replacing specific parts of components, then the speed of fix delivery is improved, but the complexity of relationships among patches increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the fix delivery process into distinct phases: problem identification, atomic fix selection, cumulative fix assembly, and validation. Each phase is handled by dedicated modules that work independently, reducing the complexity of managing patch relationships while maintaining fast delivery speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary cumulative fix package that mediates between multiple atomic fixes and the customer system. This intermediary consolidates multiple atomic fixes into a single coordinated package, managing the complex relationships among patches without exposing this complexity to the customer or requiring multiple separate delivery operations.
2Reliability
If multiple atomic fixes are required to address a customer problem, then the completeness of the solution is improved, but the number of iterations of problem determination and customer calls increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-identifying all necessary atomic fixes through automated problem determination and analysis before delivering the solution. The cumulative fix package is assembled in advance with all required atomic fixes coordinated and validated, eliminating the need for multiple iterative customer calls and reducing the time loss associated with repeated problem determination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple atomic fixes into a single cumulative fix package that addresses all aspects of the customer problem simultaneously. By combining multiple fixes into one coordinated delivery unit, the system ensures solution completeness while reducing the number of iterations required, as all necessary fixes are applied in a single operation rather than through multiple separate customer interactions.
3Measurement precision
If multiple patches are applicable to the same artifact, then the precision of addressing specific defects is improved, but the complexity of managing prerequisite, co-requisite, and exclusive relationships increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cumulative fix package serves as an intermediary that manages the complex prerequisite, co-requisite, and exclusive relationships among multiple patches applicable to the same artifact. The system internally handles these complex dependencies while presenting a simplified single-package solution to the customer, maintaining precise defect addressing without exposing patch management complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of fix delivery from individual patch level to cumulative package level. By transforming the delivery unit from multiple separate patches to a single cumulative package, the system maintains the precision of addressing specific defects through multiple targeted patches while reducing the management complexity through parameter transformation.
Data Source
AI summary
A fix delivery system receives situation data representative of a problem, analyzes the received situation data to determine whether the problem associated with the situation data matches a known problem, and responsive to a determination that the problem associated with the situation data does not match a known problem, conducts problem determination to identify the problem. The fix delivery system further receives a developed cumulative fix for the identified problem, builds an installable cumulative fix for the identified problem using the situation data, and responsive to a determination that the installable cumulative fix meets predetermined requirements and the installable cumulative fix is a new installable cumulative fix, saves the new installable cumulative fix in a storage system and sends the new installable cumulative fix to a requester.