Julian Lloyd Taylor

US Patent:

6401241, Jun 4, 2002

Filed:

Oct 6, 1995

Appl. No.:

08/539995

Inventors:

Julian Steven Taylor - Colorado Springs CO

Assignee:

Sun Microsystems, Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G06F 9445

US Classification:

717174

Abstract:

SYSTEM V utilities enable software developers to provide delivery of complex packages onto a UNIX operating system. An enhancement to the UNIX System V ABI format called class archive format enables sets of files to be combined into archives, these files being compressed or encrypted. The compressed/encrypted ABI package install with behavior defined in System V ABI. The class archive format allows a manufacturer to combine files from the ABI format reloc directory and root directory, into an archive directory. Class action format adds a directory called archive to the ABI format. Any class of files that are intended for archive is combined into a single file, and each file is then placed into the archive directory as class1, class2, etc. All files that are archived in this manner are removed from the standard ABI reloc directory and root directory, and an install class action script is placed into the scripts portion of the standard ABI install directory. Three interfaces are provided in the form of three keywords.

US Patent:

61612189, Dec 12, 2000

Filed:

Jan 16, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/587284

Inventors:

Julian S. Taylor - Colorado Springs CO

Assignee:

Sun Microsystems Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G06F 9445

US Classification:

717 11

Abstract:

A software package installed on a UNIX system V computer system is repaired by installing a System V software patch package. During installation of the patch package using the pkgadd utility and scripts in the patch package, a backout software package is constructed. This backout package will, when later installed on the computer system using pkgadd, operate to restore the software in the computer system to its original state before installation of the patch package.

US Patent:

59305134, Jul 27, 1999

Filed:

Jun 6, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/659394

Inventors:

Julian S. Taylor - Colorado Springs CO

Assignee:

Sun Microsystems, Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G06F 1730

US Classification:

395712

Abstract:

A file system for use in a network computer system has a server file system in the server, which contains at least some file elements to be selectively accessed by the client. An overlay file system is assigned to the client within the server, and contains at least some file elements that have corresponding file elements in the server file system. The overlay file system is configured to provide an overlay file system element to the client when the file element exists in the overlay file system, and to allow access to a server file element when a corresponding file elements does not exist in the overlay file system. Through the use of such file system, a network file system can be configured to allow the client to write to it, with the appearance to the client that it is writing directly to the server file system. The overlay file system permits the installation or updating of software applications to client computers in very little time compared to previous techniques, and enabling the client computers to change or customize their operating environments, particularly those using shared file elements, without the involvement of system operators and without affecting the operations of other client computers.

US Patent:

59319097, Aug 3, 1999

Filed:

Apr 19, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/635385

Inventors:

Julian S. Taylor - Colorado Springs CO

Assignee:

Sun Microsystems, Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G06F 1338
G06F 1517

US Classification:

709221

Abstract:

A software package is installed to multiple target systems in a client/server distributed processing system. The software package is installed on program files of the server. A target list of clients served by the server is established, and the software package is installed on program files of each client in the target list. In one embodiment, the software package contains installation options for each client in the target list, and the target list establishing operation analyzes each client to determine what, if any, installation options are to be installed on the client and constructs a target list of clients and installation options for each client as determined by the analysis. In another embodiment, the software package contains additional software packages for each client on the target list and the target list establishing operation analyzes each client to determine if one or more client-specific packages are to be installed on the client and what are the to-be-installed, client-specific packages. The installing operation in this embodiment reads from the target list a client entry, identifying a client and client-specific packages for the client, and installs onto the file system of the client the client-specific packages identified in the client entry.

US Patent:

57218242, Feb 24, 1998

Filed:

Apr 19, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/635329

Inventors:

Julian S. Taylor - Colorado Springs CO

Assignee:

Sun Microsystems, Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

G06F 944

US Classification:

39520033

Abstract:

Installation of a multi-package distribution software pack is split into installation of each dominant, or primary, package and installation of the dependent, or secondary, packages dependent on that dominant package. The dependent packages are installed before or after installation of the dominant package depending upon the constraints of the target system for the installation. As the dominant package is installed or delayed for later installation, an action list of dependent packages to be installed is built, and a trailer script executable by the installation utility is created to install the dependent packages on the action list. Since a dependent package may also be a dominant package, the flow of operations in the invention are layered to add additional entries on the action list for additional dependent packages dependent from a dominant package that is dependent from another dominant package.