Transferral Of Process State And/Or Components In Computing Environments

Abstract

This technology relates to transferring state information between processes or active software programs in a computing environment where a new instance of a process or software program may receive such state information even after an original or old instance of the process or software program that owned the state information has terminated either naturally or unnaturally.

1 . A computing system, comprising:
 one or more computing devices including an operating system (OS) function, wherein the OS function is configured to:
 receive a first notification indicating that an update associated with a first process is available; 
 in response to receiving the first notification:
 instantiate a second process to replace the first process; and 
 send a second notification to the first process indicating that the update is available, to cause the first process to capture state information; 
 
 receive the state information captured by the first process; 
 verify whether the second process has necessary rights to access the state information; and 
 when the second process is verified to have the necessary rights, provide the state information to the second process such that the state information is available for operation of the second process in accordance with the update. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein when the update is compatible with the state information provided to the second process, receive a notification from the second process that the update is ready. 
     
     
         3 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein when the update is not compatible with the state information provided to the second process, receive a notification from the second process that the update is not compatible with the state information and terminate the second process. 
     
     
         4 . The computing system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one memory device operatively coupled to the one or more computing devices, wherein the OS function stores state information associated with the first process in the at least one memory device upon receiving a system call. 
     
     
         5 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the OS function is further configured to receive a request from the second process to recover the state information from the OS function. 
     
     
         6 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the OS function is further configured to determine whether or not the second process is authorized to receive the state information. 
     
     
         7 . The computing system of  claim 6  wherein the OS function is further configured to transfer the state information to the second process when the OS function determines that the second process is authorized to receive the state information. 
     
     
         8 . The computing system of  claim 6  wherein the OS function is further configured to deny the second process access to the state information when the OS function determines that the second process is not authorized to receive the state information. 
     
     
         9 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first process is currently running or active. 
     
     
         10 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first process suspends operation in response to the first process receiving the first notification. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 receive, by an operating system (OS) function corresponding to one or more computing devices, a first notification indicating that an update associated with a first process is available;   in response to receiving the first notification:
 instantiating, by the OS function, a second process to replace the first process; and 
 sending, by the OS function, a second notification to the first process indicating that the update is available, to cause the first process to capture state information; 
   receiving, by the OS function, the state information captured by the first process;   verifying, by the OS function, whether the second process has necessary rights to access the state information; and   when the second process is verified to have the necessary rights, providing, by the OS function, the state information to the second process such that the state information is available for operation of the second process in accordance with the update.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein when the update is compatible with the state information provided to the second process, receive a notification from the second process that the update is ready. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein when the update is not compatible with the state information provided to the second process, receive a notification from the second process that the update is not compatible with the state information and terminate the second process. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 storing, by the OS function, state information associated with the first process in at least one memory device upon receiving a system call.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the OS function, a request from the second process to recover the state information from the OS function.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining, by the OS function, whether or not the second process is authorized to receive the state information.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 transferring, by the OS function, the state information to the second process when the OS function determines that the second process is authorized to receive the state information.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 denying, by the OS function, the second process access to the state information when the OS function determines that the second process is not authorized to receive the state information.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first process is currently running or active. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first process suspends operation in response to the first process receiving the first notification.