Apparatus and method for verifying compatibility of system components

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Each component of a plurality of interacting system components is associated with a version identifier, which in the preferred embodiment is an integer value.
The version identifier is stored in a location accessible by the other system components.
Each component independently reads the version identifier of every other component with which it must interact, and compares this value to an internally stored compatibility record to determine whether the other component satisfies requirements for compatibility with the verifying component.
Any component which detects an incompatibility signals an error to the system.
It is possible under this arrangement for component A to satisfy compatibility criteria required by component B, but not vice versa.
In the preferred embodiment, the components are software modules.
It is assumed that a software module at any arbitrary level will satisfy all compatibility requirements that are satisfied by each lower level of that same module.
The compatibility record contains an integer representing the minimum level required of the module being verified for compatibility with the verifying module.
Compatibility verification is accomplished by comparing the actual level of the module being verified with the minimum level in the compatibility record.
If the actual level is equal to or greater than the minimum level, the module being verified satisfies compatibility requirements.