US 7,536,449 B2
Server-functionality role extensibility model
Eduardo D. Melo, Bellevue, Wash. (US); Edward T. French, Redmond, Wash. (US); Saif R. Hasan, Redmond, Wash. (US); Bryan K Walton, Sammamish, Wash. (US); Cheryl A. Evans, Snoqualmie, Wash. (US); and Frank M. Sager, Kingston, Wash. (US)
Assigned to Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash. (US)
Filed on Feb. 11, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/56,416.
Prior Publication US 2006/0184654 A1, Aug. 17, 2006
Int. Cl. G06F 15/177 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 709—220  [709/217; 709/219; 709/221; 709/222; 709/223; 709/224; 709/226] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. In a network server having a set of built-in server-functionality roles available for configuration or management, a method comprising the following acts performed locally by the network server:
discovering what, if any, extension server-functionality roles of a set of extension roles are available on the network server by examining one or more registries stored in a computer storage, wherein the extension server-functionality roles are to be performed by the network server;
loading dynamic link library files associated with the discovered extension server-functionality roles;
producing a user-interface (UI) which is local to the network server and lists members of both the set of built-in server-functionality roles and the discovered extension server-functionality roles;
in response to a user selection of one of the discovered extension server-functionality roles, signaling one or more program modules associated with the selected extension role to perform a procedure for configuration or management of the selected extension role.