Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Donald J Clore

Attila Narin

Keith A Kegley

Brian R Daugherty

Marc T Beck

Methods for managing the distribution of client bits to client computers are disclosed. The methods of the present invention are particularly suited for use in a network environment in which one or more clients are networked with at least one server via a communications network. The communications network can be a LAN, WAN, intranet, or the Internet. The client version of one or more selected applications software components (the &ldquo;managed components&rdquo;) is determined on the client computer. The client queries the server to determine the most current version of each of the managed components. If the client version is not the most current version, or if the client version is missing on the client computer, a determination is made whether to download the most current version onto the client. If the determination is made to install or upgrade one or more managed components, the most current version of each of the selected managed components is downloaded onto the client computer. The installation or upgrade package is authenticated as it is being downloaded by validating a signature that is appended to the package. After the installation or upgrade package has been authenticated and downloaded onto the client computer, the package is installed onto the client.

Methods for managing the distribution of client bits to client computers

A service manager for managing services and objects called by browser scripts is employed. The Web browser script is not in direct communication with the service manager; instead, a connector object is mapped by the script into the scripting space. For function calls that the script would previously make to the service or object directly, the script makes a call to a connector object. Depending on the browser brand, the connector object is of a different format e.g., an ActiveX control or a Plug-In. The first time such a connector object is created and mapped into a scripting space, the service manager is initiated and all of the services and objects that are managed by the service manager are loaded. The connector object packages the function call to a service for interpretation by the service manager. A script wrapper is a small object between the scripting space and the connector object, and allows script to be written without regard to different browser brands. The service manager then forwards the service call to the corresponding service or object within its control. The service then performs according to the call and information can flow back to the script via the service manager and connector object e.g., an ActiveX control interface or Plug-In interface. Services managed by the service manager can also send information regarding events to the scripting space by way of the service manager, the connector object, and the script wrapper. An event handler can be implemented by the script author if the event is of interest to the script. As a result of the service manager managing the objects, the destruction and re-creation of objects that typically occurs when objects are mapped directly into the scripting space are avoided. All that is destroyed and re-created are the communication channels (namely the connector object and the script wrapper) between the scripting space and the services that are managed by the service manager. This allows any state within the service to persist across different Web pages, thereby improving users' browsing experience and/or increasing the efficient use of computing resources.

Method for managing client services across browser pages

An architecture for rendering web pages. In one embodiment, a system including a first server, a first-level cache, a second server, a second-level cache and one or more provider objects. The first server receives a request from a requestor for a web page. The web page has a number of clips in an arrangement. The server determines the clips and the arrangement based on a key. The first-level cache stores the clips from which the first server is to assemble the web page. The second server populates the first-level cache with any of the clips not yet stored there. The second-level cache stores the clips from which the second server is to populate the first-level cache. The provider object or objects populate the second-level cache with any of the clips not yet stored there.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Donald J Clore