Software Upgrade Planning System for Network Data Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing software upgrades in network data processing systems is complex and time-consuming, especially when multiple products reach their end of life, requiring administrators to manually identify end-of-life dates and compatibility issues across numerous vendors, leading to increased costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that uses a processor unit to identify configuration information, end-of-life dates, and prerequisites for software programs, generating upgrade plans that overlap life cycles to reduce the number of deployments and extend supportability by planning upgrades based on vendor information and organizational rules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual methods are used to track and plan software upgrades across multiple products, then administrators can identify end-of-life dates and compatibility issues, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming with increased costs
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically collects end-of-life dates, release dates, and prerequisite information from vendor websites and product documentation, eliminating the need for administrators to manually track this information. The upgrade planning system performs self-updates and self-management of software lifecycle data across the network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual administrative processes with an automated computer-based system that uses algorithms to analyze software compatibility, calculate upgrade timelines, and generate deployment plans. This substitution of mechanical human effort with automated computational processes dramatically reduces planning time while maintaining or improving accuracy.
2Reliability
If comprehensive analysis is performed to ensure compatibility across all software and hardware components, then system stability and security are improved, but more personnel are needed and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The upgrade planning system serves multiple functions: it tracks end-of-life dates, analyzes compatibility across hardware and software, calculates prerequisites, generates deployment plans, and monitors vendor information. This multi-functional system consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate tools and personnel into a single comprehensive solution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system acts as an intermediary between vendor information sources and the organization's software infrastructure. It automatically collects and processes data from multiple vendor websites and product documentation, translating this information into actionable upgrade plans that ensure compatibility without requiring administrators to manually analyze each vendor's requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate deployments are scheduled for different software products, then each product can be upgraded independently, but the number of deployments increases and administrative burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system analyzes the lifecycle dates and compatibility requirements of multiple software products and identifies opportunities to combine separate upgrade deployments into single coordinated deployments. By merging compatible upgrades that share common prerequisites and timing windows, the system reduces the total number of deployment events while maintaining the flexibility to schedule upgrades according to organizational needs.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, data processing system, and computer program product are presented for planning upgrades to a network data processing system. A processor unit identifies configuration information for hardware and software programs for a plurality of computers in the network data processing system. The processor unit obtains end of life dates for the software programs, release dates for the replacement software programs, and prerequisites for replacement software programs for the software programs identified in the configuration information. The processor unit identifies at least one change to the plurality of computers based on the configuration information and a set of prerequisites in the prerequisites for each of a plurality of replacement software programs for a plurality of software programs in the software programs. The processor unit generates at least one upgrade plan to implement at least one change to the plurality of computers in which a number of overlaps between life cycles for the plurality of replacement software programs and life cycles for the plurality of software programs in the software programs is increased.