Symantec Corporation

Richard Scott Sadowsky

Henri J Isenberg

Rowan Trollope

The present invention is for an apparatus, method and computer readable software medium executable by a processor for automatically installing software applications resident on a plurality of computer terminals in a network. The invention preferably includes a detection module, a generation module, and a transmission module operating on a computer attached to a network. The detection module identifies the executable steps which are required to uninstall a software application from the model computer. The generation module creates a self-executing uninstall package using the executable steps identified by the detection module. The transmission module transmits the self-executing uninstall package to each of the terminals in the network containing the software application which is to be uninstalled. Upon arriving at a terminal, the self-executing uninstall package automatically executes and removes the software application from the terminal.

Method and apparatus for automatically uninstalling software on a network

A boot failure recovery system operates to diagnose a failed system boot in a computer operating system which boots by bootstrapping from a boot sector (,) of a storage medium (,) using configuration information (,). The boot failure recovery system includes an agent (,) which monitors operating system files used during system boot and which stores information regarding changes to the system files to a change file. A repair module (,) analyzes the change file to determine the cause of the failed system boot. A boot check module (,) responds to initiation of a system boot by determining if a prior system boot was successful. Boot check module (,) causes execution of a first boot sector code module (,) upon occurrence of a successful prior system boot and causes execution of the repair module (,) upon occurrence of a failed prior system boot.

Boot failure recovery

A system and method for deploying one or more software packages (18) over a communications interface (1). A push trigger (10) is sent to a server computer (2). In response to the trigger (10), the server computer (2) generates a notification package (12, 13, 14). The notification package (12, 13, 14) is sent over the communications interface (1) to at least one client computer (2). Each client computer (2) contains at least one notification transport (15, 16, 17) which recognizes a corresponding notification package (12, 13, 14). The notification transport (15, 16, 17) then instructs the server computer (2) to automatically push the software package (18) to the client computer (4) over the communications interface (1). E-mail transport (15), UNC transport (16), and opportunistic transport (17) are described.

Push deployment of software packages using notification transports

A server computer (102) in a communication system (100) provides updated software programs to client computers (102) independent of the type of client (104) and the type of server (102). A polymorphic master object (300) has a predetermined structure known to all servers (102) and clients (104). Upon connection of the client (104) to the server (102), the server (102) provides the master object (300) to the client (104). The polymorphic master object (300) includes fields that indicate polymorphic package files that are available for transfer to the client (104). One such field is a distributed install file that includes, in a text format, instructions for instantiating the selected package file. Upon receipt, either the user or the client selects package file. The client (104) provides a request to the server (102) for the selected file, which the server (102) provides to the client (104). Using the distributed install file, the client (104) instantiates the selected package file.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Richard Scott Sadowsky