Updating software based on similarities between endpoints

Abstract

An apparatus for updating software or changing configuration of software installed in a plurality of terminals, including: a recognition unit for recognizing that the software installed in a first terminal has been successfully updated or the configuration of the software installed in the first terminal has been successfully changed; a selection unit for selecting, in response to the recognition that the software installed in the first terminal has been successfully updated or the configuration of the software installed in the first terminal has been successfully changed, a second terminal in a case where a degree of similarity between a configuration of the first terminal and a configuration of the second terminal is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference value; and an instruction unit for giving an instruction to update the software or to change the configuration of the software installed in the second terminal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for updating software or for changing configuration of software installed in a plurality of terminals, comprising:
 giving an instruction to update the software or to change the configuration of the software installed in a first terminal of the plurality of terminals;   recognizing that the software installed in the first terminal has been successfully updated or the configuration of the software installed in the first terminal has been successfully changed;   selecting, in response to the recognition that the software installed in the first terminal has been successfully updated or the configuration of the software installed in the first terminal has been successfully changed, a second terminal of the plurality of terminals in a case where a degree of similarity between a configuration of the first terminal and a configuration of the second terminal is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference value; and   giving an instruction to update the software or to change the configuration of the software installed in the second terminal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second terminal is selected in a case where a degree of priority of a user of the second terminal is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference value. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting, in response to the recognition that the software installed in the first terminal has been successfully updated or the configuration of the software installed in the first terminal has been successfully changed, a third terminal of the plurality of terminals in a case where a degree of similarity between the configuration of the first terminal and a configuration of the third terminal is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference value; and   giving an instruction to update the software or to change the configuration of the software installed in the third terminal.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the second terminal and the third terminal are selected in a case where a degree of association between an installation place of the second terminal and an installation place of the third terminal satisfies a predetermined condition. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the second terminal and the third terminal are selected in a case where a degree of association between an installation place of the second terminal and an installation place of the third terminal satisfies a predetermined condition. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 recognizing that the software installed in a third terminal of the plurality of terminals has been successfully updated or the configuration of the software installed in a third terminal of the plurality of terminals has been successfully changed;   selecting, in response to the recognition that the software installed in the third terminal has been successfully updated or the configuration of the software installed in the third terminal has been successfully changed, a fourth terminal of the plurality of terminals in a case where at least any one of: a degree of similarity between the configuration of the first terminal and a configuration of the fourth terminal, and a degree of similarity between a configuration of the third terminal and the configuration of the fourth terminal is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference value; and   giving an instruction to update the software or to change the configuration of the software installed in the fourth terminal.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating information indicating a difference between a configuration of a third terminal of the plurality of terminals and a configuration of a fourth terminal of the plurality of terminals, in a case where it is not recognized that the software installed in the fourth terminal has been successfully updated or the configuration of the software installed in the fourth terminal has been successfully changed after it is recognized that the software installed in the third terminal has been successfully updated or the configuration of the software installed in the third terminal has been successfully changed.