BACKGROUND

Aspects of the present invention relate generally to mesh networks and, more particularly, to applying software and/or firmware patches to devices on a mesh network.

Mesh networks can include a large number of devices that require software and/or firmware patches/updates. The devices include computers, smart appliances, automobiles and other vehicles, personal electronic devices, and other devices that are interconnected on a network.

SUMMARY

In a first aspect of the invention, there is a computer-implemented method including: creating, by a computer device, a virtualized copy of a mesh network, the virtualized copy of the mesh network comprising virtualized copies of a plurality of devices on the mesh network; measuring, by the computer device, an unpatched first performance metric value for the virtualized copy of each of the devices, the unpatched first performance metric value being a value of a first performance metric for the virtualized copy of each of the devices before a first software patch is applied to the virtualized copies of the devices; applying, by the computer device, the first software patch to the virtualized copy of each of the devices; measuring, by the computer device, a patched first performance metric value for the virtualized copy of each of the devices, the patched first performance metric value being a value of the first performance metric for the virtualized copy of each of the devices after the applying; comparing, by the computer device and for each of the devices, the patched first performance metric value to the unpatched first performance metric value; and preventing, by the computer device, the application of the first software patch to a first device of the devices as a result of the comparing.

In another aspect of the invention, there is a computer program product, the computer program product comprising one or more computer readable storage media having program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions executable to: create a virtualized copy of a mesh network, the virtualized copy of the mesh network comprising virtualized copies of a plurality of devices on the mesh network; measure an unpatched first performance metric value for the virtualized copy of each of the devices, the unpatched first performance metric value being a value of a first performance metric for the virtualized copy of each of the devices before a first software patch is applied to the virtualized copies of the devices; apply the first software patch to the virtualized copy of each of the devices; measure a patched first performance metric value for the virtualized copy of each of the devices, the patched first performance metric value being a value of the first performance metric for the virtualized copy of each of the devices after the applying; compare, for each of the devices, the patched first performance metric value to the unpatched first performance metric value; and apply the first software patch to a first device of the devices as a result of the comparing.

In another aspect of the invention, there is system including a processor, a computer readable memory, and a computer readable storage medium. The system includes program instructions to: create a virtualized copy of a mesh network, the virtualized copy of the mesh network comprising virtualized copies of a plurality of devices on the mesh network; measure an unpatched first performance metric value for the virtualized copy of each of the devices, the unpatched first performance metric value being a value of a first performance metric for the virtualized copy of each of the devices before a first software patch is applied to the virtualized copies of the devices; apply the first software patch to the virtualized copy of each of the devices; measure a patched first performance metric value for the virtualized copy of each of the devices, the patched first performance metric value being a value of the first performance metric for the virtualized copy of each of the devices after the applying; compare, for each of the devices, the patched first performance metric value to the unpatched first performance metric value; and prevent the application of the software patch to a first device of the devices as a result of the comparing. The program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage medium for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.

