Automatic and dynamic software code management

摘要

A data processing apparatus in communication with a network for allowing the apparatus to communicate with a second data processing apparatus via the network, the data processing apparatus has: a receiving unit for receiving a request on a target object; an activating unit for activating the target object if the target object is inactive; and a dispatching unit for dispatching the request to the target object for execution thereby; wherein the activating unit determines whether software components which it needs to activate the target object are stored locally and if it determines that the software components are not stored locally the activating unit downloads such software components over the network from the second data processing apparatus; and wherein the activating unit selects candidate software components from the locally stored software components based on predetermined criteria and deletes the candidate software components from local storage.