Method and apparatus for application management in computer networks

Abstract

A method and apparatus for application management in a multiuser networked data processing environment are implemented. An application definition is generated for each application available to users on the network. Each application definition includes a plurality of application parameters, the values of which may be set by a system administrator. Application definitions are stored in a database on a domain controller. A subset of application parameters are user overridable. Each application definition may be associated with at least one user by a system administrator, whereby the corresponding application is made available to each such user. User overridable parameters may be assigned user specific values, which may be different for each user associated with the application definition. These are also stored in the domain controller database with the user associations. At a user logon on a client processor, the portion of the domain controller database corresponding to the user is retrieved by a desktop builder, and a local copy generated on the client processor. Using the local copy of the application definitions associated with the user, the desktop builder presents to the user a representation of each application associated with the user. The user may access each application thereby, wherein a desktop and each application are customized for the user.