(12)
`
`United States Patent
`Cox et al.
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 6,510,466 B1
`Jan. 21, 2003
`
`US006510466B1
`
`(54) METHODS, SYSTEMS AND COMPUTER
`PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR CENTRALIZEI)
`
`5,848,243 A 12/1998 Kulkarni et al. .......... .. 709/224
`5,875,327 A
`2/1999 Brandt et al. ................ .. 713/1
`
`MANAGEMENT OF APPLICATION
`
`PROGRAMS ONA NETWORK
`
`5,881,236 A
`
`3/1999 Dickey . . . . . . . . . . .
`
`6/1999 Williams et a1.
`5,911,066 A
`5,933,601 A * 8/1999 Fanshift et a1. . . . . .
`
`. . . .. 709/221
`
`709/300
`. . . .. 709/223
`
`(75) Inventors: David E- COX, Raleigh, NC (Us); Kent
`F- Hayes, J11, Chapel Hill, NC (Us);
`David B. Lindquist, Raleigh, NC (US);
`John R_ McGarvey, Apex, NC (Us);
`Abdl Salahshour, Ralelgh’ NC (Us)
`
`(73) Assignee: International Business Machines
`Corporation, Armonk, NY (US)
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(0) by 0 days.
`
`5/2000 Reps et a1. ............... .. 709/224
`6,070,190 A
`(List continued on next page.)
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`9850853
`11/1998
`........... .. G06F/9/44
`
`WO
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`_
`“A Common Desktop Environment for Platforms Based on
`the UNIX Operating System,” BY 315- Cripe, J-A- Brewster,
`and DE. Laursen, Hewlett—Packard Journal, vol. 47, No. 2,
`Apr- 1, 1996, pp- 6—14
`
`(21) Appl NO . 09/211 528
`
`.
`
`..
`
`,
`
`(List continued on next page.)
`
`_
`.
`(22) Flled'
`(51) I
`C17
`
`nt.
`
`.
`
`.............................................. ..
`
`Dec‘ 14’ 1998
`
`G061) 13/00
`
`Primary Examiner—David Wiley
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Myers Bigel Sibley &
`Sajovec; Jeanine S. Ray-Yarletts
`
`709/229; 709/223
`(52) US. Cl. ............... ..
`(58) Field of Search .............................
`709/223, 203,
`709/219’ 229’ 710/3’ 129’ 31
`,
`References Clted
`US PATENT DOCUMENTS
`_
`Elm;
`
`2 1;;
`
`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~
`
`(56)
`
`’
`
`’
`
`CC e a .
`
`. . . . . . . ..
`
`"
`
`gfslclirneétaii
`2 *
`709/202
`5:655:081 A * 8/1997 Bonnell ct
`707/103
`5,680,615 A 10/1997 Marlin et al.
`-
`709 /3()2
`5,689,709 A 11/1997 Regnier et a1,
`380/4
`5,708,709 A * 1/1998 Rose .......... ..
`5,745,879 A
`4/1998 Wyman ....................... .. 705/1
`5,748,896 A
`5/1998 Daly et a1- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -- 709/223
`
`2
`
`’
`
`’
`
`gensfet (‘111
`
`raw OI . . . . ..
`
`2 *
`
`?ziagtitlal' "
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`Methods, Systems and Computer program products for man_
`agement of application programs on a network including a
`server supporting client stations are provided. The server
`provides applications on-demand to a user logging in to a
`client supported by the server. Mobility is provided to the
`user and hardware portability is provided by establishing a
`user desktop interface responsive to a login request which
`presents to the user a desktop screen through a web browser
`interface which accesses and downloads selected application
`programs from the server responsive to a request from ‘the
`3}
`01 kt P
`“h 1
`I Th 11111
`I
`user on 0 user es 0 screen a
`e c 1en .
`e a
`1ca 1on
`program is then provided from the server and executed at the
`client. The application program may further be customized
`to conform to the user’s preferences and may also provide
`for license use management by determining license avail
`ability before initiating execution of the application pro
`gram. Finally, software distribution and installation may be
`provided from a single network management server.
`
`'
`
`'
`
`'
`
`'
`
`'
`
`'
`
`9/1998 Johnson et a1. ........... .. 707/100
`5,813,009 A
`5,845,077 A 12/1998 Fawcett .................... .. 709/221
`
`42 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets
`
`200
`/
`
`m
`Admin Console
`
`l
`
`22
`
`204
`
`206
`
`202
`
`Client Management Sewer
`
`Web Server
`
`m
`User Console
`
`208
`
`DataBase
`
`IPR2016-01271
`UNIFIED 1025
`
`

`
`US 6,510,466 B1
`Page 2
`
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`6,098,067 A * 8/2000 Erickson .................... .. 707/10
`6,105,063 A * 8/2000 Hayes, Jr. .... ..
`709/223
`6,105,066 A
`8/2000 Hayes, Jr. ....... ..
`709/226
`6,105,069 A
`8/2000 Franklin et al. ..
`709/229
`6,108,712 A
`8/2000 Hayes, Jr. ....... ..
`709/246
`6,115,040 A * 9/2000 Bladow et al. ........... .. 345/335
`6,158,010 A * 12/2000 Moriconi et al. ......... .. 713/201
`6,175,363 B1
`1/2001 Williams et al. ..
`345/334
`
`. . . .. 707/10
`1/2001 LuZZi et al. . . . . . .
`6,175,832 B1
`709/229
`1/2001 Win et al. ..
`6,182,142 B1
`6,189,051 B1 * 2/2001 Oh et al. .................... .. 710/33
`6,192,414 B1
`2/2001 Horn ........................ .. 709/239
`6,195,432 B1 * 2/2001 Takanashi et al.
`.... .. 380/9
`6,202,206 B1 * 3/2001 Dean et al. ................. .. 717/11
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`“Administration of Graphic User Interface and Multimedia
`Objects Using Cooperating Processing,” IBM Technical
`Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 37, No. 9, Sep. 1, 1994, pp.
`675—678.
`
`http://nf/pdc97/pro?les and policies.htm “Guide to
`Microsoft WindoWs NT 4.0 Pro?les and Policies” pp 1—76.
`http://WWW/ietf.org/htlm.charters/acap—charter.html “Appli
`cation Con?guration Access Protocol (acap),” 68 pages.
`IBM Network Station Manager for WindoWs NT Server 4.0,
`Chapter 5. Using the IBM NetWork Station Manager, pp.
`5—1 to 5—15.
`http://WWW.softWare.ibm.com/os/Warp/library/
`sq202822.htm, “WorkSpace on—Demand Handbook,” Chap
`ters 2.3.1; 6.2; 6.3; 6.3.1; 6.3.3; 6.5.
`http://WWW.triteal.com/SoftNC, Java Desktop Environment
`from Triteal, pp 1—2.
`http : //j ava.sun.com/products/hot—j avavieWs/admin.html,
`“HotJava Views,” pp 1—24.
`http://esuite.lotus.com/eSuite/eSuite, “The Right Work
`Environment for NetWork Centric Computing,” 24 pages.
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 21, 2003
`
`Sheet 1 0f 9
`
`US 6,510,466 B1
`
`20
`
`00: E /'°
`
`Network Management
`Server
`
`Network
`
`—/\
`
`10'
`
`v
`
`J
`
`F '.
`Illltlllllll!
`IIIIIIIIII
`
`,/
`
`,_,.==(_,
`
`10II
`
`\N‘/
`
`10III
`
`24'
`
`26
`
`26'
`
`V
`
`7
`
`Client
`
`Client
`
`.
`Cllent
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 21, 2003
`
`Sheet 2 0f 9
`
`US 6,510,466 B1
`
`20°
`
`FIG. 2
`
`?g
`Admin Console
`
`204
`
`206
`
`202
`
`'
`
`Web Server
`
`Client Management Server
`
`g
`m
`User Console
`
`208 -
`DataBase
`
`204
`\
`
`214
`/
`
`206
`
`222
`
`20°
`/
`
`—
`
`Web Server
`
`=
`
`=
`
`Web Browser
`
`User
`Conf.
`Mgmnt Auth
`
`Servlets
`
`/
`
`Hdw.
`lnven
`
`\ Network Registry \
`\
`\
`\
`\
`\
`210 212
`220
`216
`
`Config. Framework
`
`208
`
`224
`
`License System
`Mgmnt Mgmnt
`
`\
`\
`218
`
`226
`
`l Desktop/Webtop/Apps
`
`Client Access
`
`228
`
`202
`/
`
`'
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 21, 2003
`
`Sheet 3 0f 9
`
`US 6,510,466 B1
`
`FIG. 4
`
`( On--Demand Server >
`
`Yes
`
`232
`,/
`
`‘Configuration
`
`V
`\ 234
`
`/
`
`<New Session? No
`\
`yes /
`
`236
`
`Login
`
`V
`
`238
`
`New Access
`\ Request?
`‘\
`
`Yes
`
`,240
`
`Access Application
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 21, 2003
`
`Sheet 4 0f 9
`
`US 6,510,466 B1
`
`FIG. 5
`
`( Configuration )
`l
`Import Application
`Definition
`
`1
`
`Input User Info for
`Application
`l
`Input License Policy
`
`l
`
`Input Access
`1Specifications
`1
`Update DataBase
`
`End D
`
`250
`
`252
`
`254
`
`256
`
`258
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 21, 2003
`
`Sheet 5 6f 9
`
`US 6,510,466 B1
`
`FIG. 6
`
`Login
`
`I
`
`260
`/
`
`262
`
`Receive HTTP
`Request
`
`V
`
`Obtain ID and
`Password
`
`264
`
`268
`
`No
`
`_
`
`License Avallable?
`
`_
`
`266
`
`270
`
`Display Error Message
`
`Display Desktop with
`Authorized Applications
`and Enable Logging
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 21, 2003
`
`Sheet 6 0f 9
`
`US 6,510,466 B1
`
`FIG. 7
`(
`
`Access
`
`)
`
`l
`
`280
`Receive Application /
`Request
`
`283
`
`/
`
`282
`
`Obtain ID and
`Password
`
`I
`
`N°< Credentials
`Available?
`\.
`
`—-_-
`
`_
`No /
`Authorized?
`
`N0
`mm License Available?
`
`286\
`
`290
`
`‘ Display Error Message
`
`l
`
`Initiate Instance of
`Application and Enable
`Logging
`_
`
`GB
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 21, 2003
`
`Sheet 7 0f 9
`
`US 6,510,466 B1
`
`FIG. 8
`
`(
`
`Tivoli Distribution v
`
`-
`
`.
`
`"
`
`11o
`
`Provide Software /
`Access to» Tivoli
`Server
`
`1
`
`1 12
`Specify Direcotories
`for Software and /
`Program
`information
`
`Execute Pre-
`Distribution
`Program
`
`Distribute Software
`to Specified OD
`Sewers
`
`1 14
`
`1 16
`
`V
`Execute After
`Distribution
`Program
`
`1 18
`/
`
`0
`120
`Update Profile
`Management List /
`of OD Server
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 21, 2003
`
`Sheet 8 of 9
`
`US 6,510,466 B1
`
`our
`
`
`
`.6_&<.9m_mwm
`
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 21, 2003
`
`Sheet 9 0f 9
`
`US 6,510,466 B1
`
`1U
`
`

`
`US 6,510,466 B1
`
`1
`METHODS, SYSTEMS AND COMPUTER
`PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR CENTRALIZED
`MANAGEMENT OF APPLICATION
`PROGRAMS ON A NETWORK
`
`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is related to the following application
`?led concurrently hereWith: METHODS, SYSTEMS AND
`COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR MANAGE
`MENT OF CONFIGURABLE APPLICATION PRO
`GRAMS ONANETWORK. This application is also related
`to US. patent application Ser. No. 09/072,597 ?led May 5,
`1998 and entitled: Client-Server System for Maintaining a
`user Desktop Consistent With Server Application User
`Access Permissions Which is incorporated herein by refer
`ence in its entirety.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates to netWork management in
`general and in particular to application program manage
`ment on a computer netWork.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`25
`
`2
`customiZed install generally must be created by a system
`administrator for each different version to be installed.
`Furthermore, once installed at a client, a user must typically
`use that speci?c client station. The application generally
`cannot be automatically deleted from the client station’s
`desktop or automatically upgraded the next time the user
`starts the application. Similarly, the Tivoli Management
`Environment (TME) 10TM system from Tivoli Systems, Inc.
`provides a softWare distribution feature Which may be used
`to transmit a ?le package to client and server stations on a
`netWork from a central TivoliTM server.
`A further complication in netWork systems is that,
`typically, these systems include combinations of netWork
`applications and native applications as Well as combinations
`of different connection types and hardWare devices. As used
`herein “native applications” refers to applications Which are
`installed locally on a Workstation such that characteristics
`associated With the native application are stored on the
`Workstation. The combinations of netWork connections,
`differing hardWare, native applications and netWork appli
`cations makes portability of preferences or operating envi
`ronment characteristics Which provide consistency from
`Workstation to Workstation dif?cult. Furthermore, differ
`ences in hardWare or connections may create inef?ciencies
`as users move from Workstation to Workstation. For
`example, a user may, in a ?rst session, access the netWork
`utiliZing a high speed connection and a Workstation With a
`high resolution color monitor to execute an application and
`then, in a later session, access the netWork to execute the
`same application from a mobile computer With a mono
`chrome display and a loW speed modem connection to the
`netWork. Thus, session content, such as color display data or
`preferences associated With the application, Which may have
`been appropriate for the ?rst session may be inappropriate or
`inef?cient in a later session.
`Efforts to address mobility of users in a netWork have
`included efforts to provide preference mobility such as, for
`example, Novell’s Z.E.N.WorksTM, Microsoft’s “Zero
`Administration” initiative for Windows@ and International
`Business Machines Corporation’s (IBM’s) Workspace On
`DemandTM. HoWever, these solutions each typically require
`pre-installation of softWare at the Workstation to support
`their services. For example, Novell’s Z.E.N. and IBM’s
`Workspace On Demand utiliZe a designer-supplied support
`layer in the operating system to enable their services. In
`addition to modifying the Workstations operating system at
`startup to setup tasks to customiZe the user’s environment,
`the Microsoft Zero Administration solution is typically
`limited to a homogeneous (Windows@ only) environment
`Where the Workstation and the server are utiliZing the same
`operating system.
`Another approach to centraliZed management is the tra
`ditional mainframe model, such as With the IBM 3270
`system, or an X WindoWs environment. HoWever, in each of
`these approaches, the client device is treated as a dumb
`terminal With execution of the applications occurring at the
`server rather than the client. Accordingly, the communica
`tion betWeen the server and the client is typically presenting
`characters for a display screen of the client and/or receiving
`key strokes from the client. WindoWs Zero Administration,
`as described above, is client rather than user oriented and
`installs applications on client stations Which does not fully
`support roaming by users. The JAVATM environment utiliZed
`on the Internet for Web applications provides an ability for
`hardWare independent application development but fails to
`provide an integrated frameWork for presenting multiple
`independent applications to a user. While various Web
`
`Traditional mainframe computer con?gurations provided
`for user interface to the computer through computer termi
`nals Which Were directly connected by Wires to ports of the
`mainframe computer. As computing technology has
`evolved, processing poWer has typically evolved from a
`central processing center With a number of relatively loW
`processing poWer terminals to a distributed environment of
`netWorked processors. Examples of this shift in processing
`include local or Wide area computer netWorks Which inter
`connect individual Work stations Where each Workstation has
`substantial independent processing capabilities. This shift
`may be further seen in the popularity of the Internet Which
`interconnects many processors and netWorks of processors
`through devices such as, for example, routers. This type of
`netWork environment is often referred to as a client-server
`environment With client stations coupled to and supported
`by a server station.
`In the modern distributed processing computer
`environment, control over softWare, such as application
`programs, is more dif?cult than Where a mainframe operated
`by an administrator is used, particularly for large organiZa
`tions With numerous client stations and servers distributed
`Widely geographically and utiliZed by a large number of
`users. Furthermore, individual users may move from loca
`tion to location and need to access the netWork from
`different client stations at different times. The netWorked
`environment increases the challenges for a netWork admin
`istrator in maintaining proper licenses for existing softWare
`and deploying neW or updated applications programs across
`the netWork.
`One approach to reducing softWare distribution and con
`trol problems is to use an application server in Which the
`application programs arc installed and maintained on a
`centraliZed server Which supports a plurality of client sta
`tions (sometimes referred to as a client/server application as
`contrasted to a desktop application). In addition, the Systems
`Management Server (SMS) program from Microsoft Cor
`poration provides an ability to transmit an application pro
`gram from a server to a number of clients. The SMS system
`typically alloWs installation of programs and associated
`icons at client stations for SMS-enabled applications. A
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`

`
`US 6,510,466 B1
`
`3
`applications, such as the Netscape Mission Control desktop,
`do allow personaliZing of a speci?c application display by a
`user, this capability is generally not managed across appli
`cations for a user. Furthermore, it typically associates per
`sonaliZed screen information With an Internet address (and
`sometimes a “cookie” installed at the client) Which is
`associated With a client device rather than a user, therefore
`limiting its ability to support roaming by users.
`Each of these “mobility” systems typically do not address
`the full range of complications Which may arise in a het
`erogeneous netWork utilizing differing devices and connec
`tions. The system typically Will not present application
`choices associated With the user and for Which the user is
`authoriZed but instead present information associated With
`the particular client Workstation. Users Would typically have
`to manually de?ne session characteristics at each differing
`Workstation they used in the netWork or maintain local
`characteristic de?nitions Which may be inappropriate for
`particular applications a user is executing and may substan
`tially reduced the administrative convenience of a centrally
`controlled netWork. Thus, these various approaches fail to
`provide a seamless integration of application access and
`session characteristics across heterogeneous netWorks. Such
`solutions may, at most, reduce netWork administration only
`after initial installation on each Workstation. In addition,
`control over access by users is difficult to accomplish in a
`mobile environment.
`Furthermore, these various approaches have, at most, only
`limited capabilities to provide a uniform framework for
`deployment of neW or updated application programs from
`different softWare designers. To the extent softWare distri
`bution capabilities from a central location are provided, such
`as With the TME IOTM system, they typically require various
`steps in the installation process to occur at different locations
`rather than alloWing the entire process to be controlled from
`a single point for an entire managed netWork environment.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
`provide methods, systems and computer program products
`for centraliZed management of application programs on a
`computer netWork.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide
`such methods, systems and computer program products that
`are user based across various hardWare interface devices.
`It is another object of the present invention to provide
`such methods, systems and computer program products that
`provide for softWare deployment from a central administra
`tive server location across a plurality of client stations.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide
`such methods, systems and computer program products that
`can accommodate various types of hardWare operating under
`different operating systems across client stations.
`These and other objects are provided, according to the
`present invention, by providing methods, systems and com
`puter program products for management of application
`programs on a netWork including a server supporting client
`stations. The server provides applications on-demand to a
`user logging in to a client supported by the server. Mobility
`is provided to the user and hardWare portability is provided
`by establishing a user desktop interface responsive to a login
`request Which presents to the user a desktop screen through
`a Web broWser interface. The desktop accesses and doWn
`loads selected application programs from the server respon
`sive to a request from the user, such as the selection of an
`icon associated With the application program Which is dis
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`played on the user desktop screen at the client. The appli
`cation program is then provided from the server and
`executed at the client. The application program may further
`be customiZed to conform to the user’s preferences and may
`also provide for license use management by determining
`license availability before initiating execution of the appli
`cation program. Accordingly, applications are provided
`on-demand to users independent of the device used to access
`the server.
`Centralized control of softWare distribution is also pro
`vided for a netWork management server managed computer
`netWork such as a TivoliTM environment. Application pro
`grams are distributed as ?le packages (packets) to
`on-demand servers. A pro?le manager import call is
`included in the distributed ?le packet along With an import
`text ?le containing the data required to properly install and
`register the application program on the on-demand server
`and make it available to authoriZed users. Settable
`on-demand server identi?er ?elds are included to alloW a
`plurality of on-demand servers to receive a common ?le
`packet and properly install and register the program for use
`locally.
`In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for
`management of application programs on a netWork includ
`ing a server and a client is provided. A plurality of appli
`cation programs are installed at the server. The plurality of
`application programs may be installed on a netWork drive
`accessible to the server. A login request initiating a session
`is received from a user through an application executing at
`the client. Auser desktop interface is then established at the
`client associated With the user responsive to the login
`request from the user. The desktop interface includes a
`plurality of display regions associated With a set of the
`plurality of application programs installed at the server for
`Which the user is authoriZed. The server receives a selection
`of one of the plurality of application programs from the user
`desktop interface and provides an instance of the selected
`one of the plurality of application programs to the client for
`execution responsive to the selection.
`In a further embodiment, application management infor
`mation for the plurality of applications is maintained at the
`server and a plurality of display regions associated With a set
`of the plurality of application programs for Which the user is
`authoriZed is included responsive to the application man
`agement information. In a further embodiment of the present
`invention, application launcher programs associated With
`each of the set of the plurality of application programs for
`Which the user is authoriZed are distributed to the client and
`selections of programs are received from one of the appli
`cation launcher programs Which is associated With the
`selected one of the plurality of application programs. The
`application launcher programs may be provided as JAVATM
`applets and the user desktop interface may be provided as a
`Web broWser The application management information may
`include con?gurable user preference information for the
`plurality of application programs and a set of the con?g
`urable user preference information associated With the user
`and the selected one of the plurality of application programs
`may be provided to the client for use in executing the
`instance of the application program. The set of the con?g
`urable user preference information may include both user
`preferences con?gurable by the user and user preferences
`not con?gurable by the user Which are con?gurable by an
`administrator. The user preference information may be
`updated responsive to updates from the user and the admin
`istrator respectively.
`In another embodiment of the present invention, the user
`desktop interface is con?gured at the server responsive to an
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`5
`identi?er of the user associated With the login request so as
`to provide a con?gured user desktop interface. The con?g
`ured user desktop interface is then provided to the client for
`display. The user desktop may be con?gured not to include
`display regions associated With any of the plurality of
`application programs installed at the server for Which the
`user is not authoriZed.
`In another aspect of the present invention, a license
`availability is determined for the selected one of the plurality
`of application programs for the user. License availability for
`the user desktop application itself may also be determined.
`An unavailability indication is provided to the client respon
`sive to the selection if the license availability indicates that
`a license is not available for the user. The license availability
`may be determined by the one of the application launcher
`programs associated With the selected one of the plurality of
`application programs Which may obtain the license avail
`ability from a license management server. The license man
`agement server may run on the same machine as the on
`demand application server.
`In a further aspect of the present invention, event logging
`information is received at the server from the instance of the
`selected one of the plurality of application programs. The
`server provides the received event logging information to a
`netWork management server associated With the server. In
`addition, event logging information may be provided to the
`user desktop application.
`In yet another aspect of the present invention, methods are
`provided for distribution of application programs to a target
`station on a netWork from a centraliZed netWork manage
`ment server coupled to the netWork. The application pro
`gram to be distributed is provided to the systems (netWork)
`management server and a source directory and a target
`directory for distribution of the application program are
`speci?ed. A ?le packet associated With the application
`program is prepared including a segment con?gured to
`initiate registration operations for the application program at
`the target station. The ?le packet is then distributed to the
`target station or stations. In one embodiment, the netWork
`management server is a TivoliTM server. The segment con
`?gured to initiate registration operations may include an
`import data ?le and a call to an import program eXecuting on
`the target station.
`In one embodiment of the softWare distribution aspect of
`the present invention, the application program is provided as
`a JAVATM applet and is registered based on a Universal
`Resource Locator (URL) address accessible to a broWser
`application. The segment con?gured to initiate registration
`operations includes a variable ?eld into Which the target
`station inserts its identi?cation during registration opera
`tions. The ?le packet may be distributed to a plurality of
`target stations each having an identi?cation Which may be
`inserted into the variable ?eld at the target station.
`While the invention has been described above primarily
`With respect to the method aspects of the invention, both
`systems and computer program products are also provided.
`Accordingly, the present invention provides for manage
`ment of application programs in a netWork environment
`from a central location While alloWing for user preferences
`to be maintained independent of hardWare location of the
`user along With centraliZed distribution of neW and/or
`updated application programs. This provides for reduced
`costs and increased uniformity in deploying softWare in a
`netWork environment. It further provides an essentially
`hardWare transparent ability for an individual user to inter
`face to an on-demand server supported client station While
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`maintaining the user’s personal preferences for each appli
`cation program.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a computer netWork With
`application program management according to an embodi
`ment of the present invention;
`FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an on-demand server
`system according to an embodiment of the present inven
`tion;
`FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the on-demand server
`system of FIG. 2 according to an embodiment of the present
`invention;
`FIG. 4 is a ?oWchart illustrating operations for application
`program distribution and eXecution according to an embodi
`ment of the present invention;
`FIG. 5 is a ?oWchart illustrating con?guration operations
`for application program distribution and execution accord
`ing to an embodiment of the present invention;
`FIG. 6 is a ?oWchart illustrating user login operations for
`application program distribution and eXecution according to
`an embodiment of the present invention;
`FIG. 7 is a ?oWchart illustrating application access opera
`tions for application program distribution and execution
`according to an embodiment of the present invention;
`FIG. 8 is a ?oWchart illustrating operations for application
`program distribution and eXecution in a netWork manage
`ment server environment such as a TivoliTM environment
`according to an embodiment of the present invention;
`FIGS. 9A, 9B and 9C are ?oWcharts further illustrating
`operations for application program distribution and execu
`tion according to an embodiment of the present invention;
`and
`FIG. 10 is an illustration of an interface screen used in
`centraliZed softWare deployment according to an embodi
`ment of the present invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`The present invention noW Will be described more fully
`hereinafter With reference to the accompanying draWings, in
`Which preferred embodiments of the invention are shoWn.
`This invention may, hoWever, be embodied in many different
`forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodi
`ments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are pro
`vided so that this disclosure Will be thorough and complete,
`and Will fully convey the scope of the invention to those
`skilled in the art. As Will be appreciated by one of skill in the
`art, the present invention may be embodied as methods,
`systems or computer program products. Accordingly, the
`present invention may take the form of a hardWare
`embodiment, a softWare embodiment or an embodiment
`combining softWare and hardWare aspects.
`FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a computer netWork
`including con?gurable application program management
`capabilities according to an embodiment of the present
`invention. Computer netWork system 10 includes a netWork
`management server such as a TivoliTM server 20 and
`on-demand servers 22, 22‘. As used herein, “on-demand”
`refers to a server delivering applications as needed respon
`sive to user requests as requests are received. System 10
`further includes client stations 24, 24‘, 26, 26‘. As illustrated,
`on-demand servers 22, 22‘ are connected to TivoliTM server
`20 over a ?rst netWork segment 10‘. Client stations 24, 24‘
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`are served by on-demand server 22 and communicate over
`network 10“. Similarly, clients 26, 26‘ are served by server
`22‘ and communicate over network 10“‘. As schematically
`illustrated in FIG. 1, client stations 24, 24‘, 26, 26‘ may be
`a variety of different hardWare operating a variety of differ
`ent operating systems.
`System 10, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is a centrally managed
`computer netWork With TivoliTM server 20 acting as the
`central administration station executing netWork manage
`ment softWare such as TME 10TM from Tivoli Systems, Inc.
`Servers 22, 22‘ act as on-demand servers for their respective
`associated client stations 24, 24‘, 26, 26‘ and provide for
`client/server application support. It is further to be under
`stood that netWorks 10‘, 10“, 10“‘ may be separate physical
`netWorks, separate partitions of a single physical netWork or
`may be a single netWork. Furthermore, TivoliTM server 20
`may be con?gured to alloW for direct communication
`betWeen server 20 and clients 24, 24‘, 26, 26‘. In addition, a
`single machine may be con?gured to include a client, an
`on-demand server and/or a netWork (system) management
`server.
`As Will be described further herein With reference to the
`?oWcharts, TivoliTM server 20 provides a means for softWare
`distribution and management in computer netWork system
`10. Furthermore, on-demand servers 22, 22‘ each provide an
`application management system for managing con?gurable
`application programs using both user and administrative
`preferences for various application programs. More
`particularly, as described in the embodiments herein,
`on-demand servers 22, 22‘ are con?gured to operate Within
`the eNetWorkTM environment available from International
`Business Machines Corporation (IBM). As Will be further
`discussed herein, the present invention provides