Automated Managed Environment Software Update Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing managed environment updating tools require manual selection of software updates, which is time-consuming and often results in either missing important updates or overburdening systems with unnecessary updates, leading to security issues and inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

Automated software update selection techniques aggregate update selection information from multiple machines to produce a subscription set that only includes updates corresponding to installed software, allowing for periodic, scheduled updates without manual intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual selection of software updates is performed, then users can review and control update selections, but the process becomes time-consuming and users may miss important updates or select unnecessary updates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate selection accuracyVSAvoidtime for update selection

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic update selection by itself without requiring user intervention. The managing machine automatically determines which updates are needed based on software inventory data from managed machines, eliminating the time-consuming manual review process while maintaining accurate update selections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from software inventory information and update selection information to automatically determine appropriate updates. By continuously gathering data about installed software and matching it with available updates, the system achieves reliable update selection without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If all available updates are obtained for the managed environment, then security is improved, but systems are overburdened with unnecessary updates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity levelVSAvoidsystem burden

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the necessary updates from the full set of available updates by matching update requirements against actual software inventory data. This eliminates unnecessary updates while ensuring all critical security updates for installed software are obtained, reducing system burden while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of obtaining all available updates (excessive action), the system obtains only the partial set of updates that are actually needed based on installed software. This prevents overburdening systems with unnecessary updates while still achieving adequate security coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Adaptability or versatility

If manual review of software usage patterns is performed, then update selections can be customized, but the process becomes complex and error-prone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate selection customizationVSAvoidselection process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the manual mechanical process of reviewing software usage patterns with an automated computational system. The managing machine automatically analyzes software inventory data and determines appropriate updates, eliminating the complexity and errors associated with manual review while maintaining customized update selections adapted to each environment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS8539477B2Managed environment update selection

Publication Date: 2013.09.17 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Software update selection information can be obtained for each of multiple machines in a managed environment. The update selection information for each machine can represent selections of software updates corresponding to software installed on the machine. The software update selection information for the machines can be aggregated to produce aggregated software update selection information. In addition, the aggregated software update selection information can be used to produce a subscription set of software update selections corresponding to software to update on the machines. The subscription set can exclude available software update selections that do not correspond to software installed on the machines.