Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for improving installation of software suites by including topological information pertaining to the run-time environment of products in the suite. A model and framework are described, where the objects of the data model include one or more preferred topologies. A template may be provided for each topology, with which an installer enters data values for customizing this topology. The approach disclosed herein enables more efficient and flexible software installation than is available in the prior art, by adapting the installation process for a particular topology of a destination run-time environment. Using the disclosed techniques, a solution builder is able for the first time to enforce or recommend the topology which is most efficient for this end solution. (For example, the solution builder may specify the types of machines which comprise a preferred run-time environment for the software products in the suite.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for improving installation of software suites by automatically and dynamically obtaining information pertaining to the heterogeneous run-time environment in which the suite will be installed, and using this information as input to a rules engine which evaluates rules to dynamically select a predetermined topology-specific configuration of the suite. The software installation process is thereby adapted and configured dynamically based on the unique topology of the environment in which the suite is being installed, yet the burden on the software installer to understand the intricacies of his run-time environment (and to reflect those details in the suite customization process) is greatly reduced. Software installation is therefore quicker, easier, and less error-prone than in prior art approaches.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for improving installation of software packages using an incremental conditional installation process (and optionally, caching of installation components). An object model is disclosed which enables specification of the conditional installation information as one or more elements of the model (and therefore of an object, document, etc., which is created according to the model). Conditional installation information may be defined at a suite level and/or at a component level. The identified checking process then executes to determine whether the corresponding suite or component should be installed. One or more components may be cached, if desired. Resource utilization is improved using the conditional installation and optional caching techniques, enabling reductions in disk space usage, CPU consumption, and/or networking bandwidth consumption.