Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are disclosed for patching software based on seeded product information. In one embodiment, patching software can comprise receiving a patch deliverable that can include a software patch and information identifying a target software package. The information identifying the target software package can be read and a determination can be made as to whether the information indicates a known software package. In response to determining the information indicates a known software package, the patch can be installed. In response to determining the information does not indicate a known software package options identifying software packages for which the patch may be used can be presented to a user and a selection of one of the packages can be received. The selected software package can be seeded with the information identifying the target software package and the patch can be installed for the selected software product.

Abstract: A patch tool receives multiple patches, with each patch designed to fix a corresponding subset of a set of errors in a system. Some of the patches may require that the files from older patches be removed from the system. In an embodiment of the present invention, a developer of a patch is provided the flexibility to specify that a desired file from an older patch fixing a specific error, not be removed during deployment of a new patch designed to fix the same specific error. Rolling back later to the older version of the patch may be simplified by not removing the desired file.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, a patch tool receives multiple patches, with each patch designed to fix a corresponding subset of a set of errors in a system. The patch tool determines a subset of patches, which together fix all of the set of errors, and deploys only the subset of patches in the system. The patches may be received over a period of time and the subset of patches are determined and deployed in a batch mode.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are disclosed for patching software based on seeded product information. In one embodiment, patching software can comprise receiving a patch deliverable that can include a software patch and information identifying a target software package. The information identifying the target software package can be read and a determination can be made as to whether the information indicates a known software package. In response to determining the information indicates a known software package, the patch can be installed. In response to determining the information does not indicate a known software package options identifying software packages for which the patch may be used can be presented to a user and a selection of one of the packages can be received. The selected software package can be seeded with the information identifying the target software package and the patch can be installed for the selected software product.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, a patch tool receives multiple patches, with each patch designed to fix a corresponding subset of a set of errors in a system. The patch tool determines a subset of patches, which together fix all of the set of errors, and deploys only the subset of patches in the system. The patches may be received over a period of time and the subset of patches are determined and deployed in a batch mode.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention enables a developer to include a set of instructions along with a file in a patch, with the instructions specifying the manner in which the file is to be processed during deployment of the patch. The instruction may be designed to cause a custom action to be performed.

Abstract: A patch tool receives multiple patches, with each patch designed to fix a corresponding subset of a set of errors in a system. Some of the patches may require that the files from older patches be removed from the system. In an embodiment of the present invention, a developer of a patch is provided the flexibility to specify that a desired file from an older patch fixing a specific error, not be removed during deployment of a new patch designed to fix the same specific error. Rolling back later to the older version of the patch may be simplified by not removing the desired file.

Abstract: Techniques for performing a multi-level patching operation are described. According to one such technique, before a particular patch is applied, the data containers that are targeted by the particular patch are identified. A determination is made as to whether any of these target data containers already has been targeted by any previously applied patch. A determination also is made as to whether any other data container that contains (immediately or otherwise) any of the target data containers already has been targeted by any previously applied patch. If any target data container or any other data container that contains a target data container already has been targeted by a previously applied patch, then the particular patch is not applied to the target data containers.

Abstract: Techniques that promote a fault-tolerant patching system are described. According to one such technique, a patching operation is performed in two phases. During the first phase, before the updates specified in the patching operation are actually applied, an attempt is made to backup files, or portions thereof, which are going to be updated by the patching operation. If a failure is detected during the first phase, then the patching operation aborts without proceeding to the second phase. During the second phase, an attempt is made to perform the updates that the patching operation specifies. If a failure is detected during the second phase, then all of the updated files, or portions thereof, are restored; those files or file portions are replaced with their corresponding backed-up copies, which were made during the first phase. The foregoing technique is extensible to a system in which prospectively affected files are distributed among nodes.