Christine W Tran

US Patent:

8418140, Apr 9, 2013

Filed:

May 20, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/468925

Inventors:

Jayaram R. Iyer - Kirkland WA, US
Gopal Parupudi - Sammamish WA, US
Mahmood G. Qadir - Redmond WA, US
Naveen R. Karri - Redmond WA, US
Anubhuti Manohar - Redmond WA, US
Chi-Kit Chan - Bellevue WA, US
Adil A. Sherwani - Boston MA, US
Christine H. Tran - Centreville VA, US
Jason Minick - Warrenton VA, US
Kevin Joseph Fischer - Redmond WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 9/44

US Classification:

717121, 717168, 717169, 717170, 717171, 717172

Abstract:

Many current computer software platforms support user customization and version upgradability. Unfortunately, upgrading a computer software platform may result in significant loss of user customization data. Additionally, it may be advantageous for users to export and import their customization data to share as customized business solutions with other instances of the computer software platforms. Accordingly, a technique for creating and importing a configuration package and a technique for creating and utilizing an update package is disclosed herein. The configuration package allows configuration data of elements within a computer software platform to be exported and imported. The update package allows elements to be exported within the update package. The update package may be utilized in upgrading, overwriting, and/or creating a new instance of elements. When an existing element is upgraded with an update element within the update package, the existing element's original configuration may be retained.