Heterogeneous cloud-store provider access systems, and/or associated methods

• US 10,044,808 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Software AG USA Incorporated (Software AG)
• Original Assignee: Software AG USA Incorporated (Software AG)
• Inventors: Yendluri, Prasadarao
• Primary Examiner(s): Serrao, Ranodhi N
• Application Number:
  US13/721,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20140181301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,056 Days
• Field of Search: 709203, 709217, 709223, 709225
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

In certain example embodiments, heterogeneous cloud-store provider access systems (HCPAS), and/or associated methods, are provided. Certain example embodiments provide users with managed access to cloud stores distributed across multiple, disparate providers, in a device-independent manner. A common API and user-friendly user interface allow for a single sign-on access to the various providers. Advantageously, users need not download and install differing cloud store provider access software for each provider, device, and/or provider-device combination, used to access the cloud drives. Instead, by using the HCPAS, a user can manage the distributed storage and provide improved common access, e.g., in terms of administrative and operational functions.

Claims

1. A heterogeneous cloud provider access system configured to communicate with a plurality of disparate cloud computing systems operated by different respective cloud providers, each said cloud computing system providing operations that are common across the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems, but each of the common operations implemented through differently implemented application programming interface (API) calls that are specific to the respective cloud computing system for those common operations, the API calls allowing external computing devices to interact with the respective cloud computing system for performance and/or execution of functionality provided by the respective cloud computing system, the heterogeneous cloud provider access system comprising:

a server computer system comprising at least one processor, and a network interface coupled to an electronic communications network;

a plurality of end-user devices, which are remotely located from the server computer system, each said end user device including at least one hardware processor, wherein communication, via the electronic communications network, with the server is carried out by using an application installed on the respective end-user device, the application including plural user selectable operations that are independent of, but correspond to, operations that are common across the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems, each user selectable operation selectable by a user for execution and/or performance in connection with at least one of the cloud computing systems after authentication with the server, wherein the plural user selectable operations include operations that involve at least two different cloud computer systems, the operations including moving data between a first cloud computer system and a second cloud computer system of the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems and copying data from the first cloud computer system to the second cloud computer system; and

a configuration database stored in electronic memory of the server computer system, the configuration database configured to store;

a plurality of user records, each said user record being associated with login information for at least one of the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems; and

an API definition table that includes a plurality of records that are each mapped within the configuration database to at least one of the plural user selectable operations, where each record includes an API definition specific to at least one corresponding cloud computing system,

wherein the at least one processor of the server computer system is configured to cause the server computer system to;

after one of the plurality of end-user devices has been authenticated with the server, receive, from the one of the plurality of end-user devices and via the electronic communications network, a first request that includes a selected one of the plural user selectable operations and user-specified parameters for the selected operation, wherein the selected one of the plural user selectable operations involves two different cloud computer systems;

responsive to reception of the selected operation, retrieve, from the configuration database, a first API call for a first cloud computer system and a second API call for a second cloud computer system;

responsive to reception of the selected operation and based on the retrieved first API call, dynamically generate, using at least some of the user-specified parameters for the selected operation, a first invocation for the first API call;

responsive to reception of the selected operation and based on the retrieved second API call, dynamically generate, using at least some of the user-specified parameters for the selected operation, a second invocation for the second API call;

communicating the first invocation to the first cloud provider computer system to cause execution of functionality provided by the first API call;

communicating the second invocation to the second cloud provider computer system to cause execution of functionality provided by the second API call,

wherein the server computer system is configured to broker electronic network communications between the plurality of end-user devices and the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems such that communications therebetween are provided via the server computer system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server computer system is further configured to, in cooperation with the at least one processor:

enable users to log into the heterogeneous cloud provider access system, and

log into the respective cloud computing systems with which logged in users have accounts based on the login information stored in the configuration database.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the application installed on the respective end-user device is configured to provide a user interface for displaying content of cloud storage locations provided to the respective cloud computing systems with which logged in users have accounts.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the content is displayed hierarchically.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the user interfaces provide consistent user interface experiences regardless of device type.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the application enables users logged into the server to perform file management functions with respect to one or more cloud storage locations provided to the respective cloud computing systems with which logged in users have accounts.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the file management functions that are performable include copying and/or moving data from a device to cloud storage locations provided to the respective cloud computing systems, and vice versa.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the mappings are stored in a table.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the mappings are stored as logic statements.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the application enables users logged into the server to perform management and/or administrative functions with respect to one or more cloud resources provided to the respective cloud computing systems with which logged in users have accounts.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the cloud resources are processing resources.

12. The heterogeneous cloud provider access system of claim 1, wherein the functionality that is common across the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems includes at least one of:

1) reading folder properties,

     2) deleting folders,

     3) creating folders,

     4) updating folder properties,

     5) reading file properties,

     6) updating file properties,

     7) downloading files,

     8) uploading files,

     9) updating uploaded files,

     10) deleting uploaded files,

     11) getting links to folders and files,

     12) moving folders and files, and

     13) copying files.

13. A method of managing a heterogeneous cloud provider access system that includes a server computer system comprising at least one processor and a network interface coupled to an electronic communications network that is configured to allow communication with a plurality of disparate cloud computing systems operated by different respective cloud providers, each said cloud computing system providing operations that are common across the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems, but each of the common operations implemented through differently implemented application programming interface (API) calls that are specific to the respective cloud computing system for those common operations, the API calls allowing external computing devices to interact with the respective cloud computing system for performance and/or execution of functionality provided by the respective cloud computing system, the method comprising:

storing, to a configuration database stored in electronic memory of the server computer system, a plurality of user records in a database, each said user record being associated with login information for at least one of the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems;

enabling a plurality of end-user devices, which are remotely located from the server with each said end user device including at least one hardware processor, to connect to the server computer system of the heterogeneous cloud provider access system via an application installed on the respective end-user device, the application including plural user selectable operations that are independent of, but correspond to, operations that are common across the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems, each user selectable operation selectable by a user for execution and/or performance in connection with at least one of the cloud computing systems after authentication with the server computer system, wherein the plural user selectable operations include operations that involve at least two different cloud computer systems, the operations including moving data between a first cloud computer system and a second cloud computer system of the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems and copying data from the first cloud computer system to the second cloud computer system;

maintaining an API definition table that includes a plurality of records that are each mapped within the configuration database to at least one of the plural user selectable operations, where each record includes an API definition specific to at least one corresponding cloud computing system;

after one of the plurality of end-user devices has been authenticated with the server computer system, receiving, at the server computer system and from the one of the plurality of end-user devices, a first request that includes a selected one of the plural user selectable operations and user-specified parameters for the selected operation, wherein the selected one of the plural user selectable operations involves two different cloud computer systems;

responsive to reception of the selected operation, retrieve, from the configuration database, a first API call for a first cloud computer system and a second API call for a second cloud computer system;

responsive to reception of the selected operation and based on the retrieved first API call, dynamically generate, using at least some of the user-specified parameters for the selected operation, a first invocation for the first API call;

responsive to reception of the selected operation and based on the retrieved second API call, dynamically generate, using at least some of the user-specified parameters for the selected operation, a second invocation for the second API call;

communicating the first invocation to the first cloud provider computer system to cause execution of functionality provided by the first API call;

communicating the second invocation to the second cloud provider computer system to cause execution of functionality provided by the second API call,

wherein the server computer system is configured to broker electronic network communications between the plurality of end-user devices and the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems such that communications therebetween are provided via the server computer system.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

enabling users to log into the heterogeneous cloud provider access system; and

responsive to determining that a user has logged into the heterogeneous cloud provider access system, causing the server computer to send a login request to the respective cloud computing systems with which the user has accounts based on the login information stored in the configuration database.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the application is configured to provide a user interface for displaying content of cloud storage locations provided to the respective cloud computing systems with which logged in users have accounts.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the application enables users logged into the server to perform file management functions with respect to one or more cloud storage locations provided to the respective cloud computing systems with which logged in users have accounts.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the file management functions that are performable include (a) copying and/or moving data among and/or between cloud storage locations provided to the respective cloud computing systems, and/or (b) copying and/or moving data from a device to cloud storage locations provided to the respective cloud computing systems, and vice versa.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the mappings are stored in a table and/or as logic statements.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the application enables users logged into the server to perform management and/or administrative functions with respect to one or more cloud resources provided to the respective cloud computing systems with which logged in users have accounts.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly storing instructions for performing the method of claim 13.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the functionality that is common across the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems includes at least one of:

1) reading folder properties,

     2) deleting folders,

     3) creating folders,

     4) updating folder properties,

     5) reading file properties,

     6) updating file properties,

     7) downloading files,

     8) uploading files,

     9) updating uploaded files,

     10) deleting uploaded files,

     11) getting links to folders and files,

     12) moving folders and files, and

     13) copying files.

22. A server computer system configured to communicate with a heterogeneous cloud system that includes a plurality of disparate cloud computing systems operated by different respective cloud providers, each said cloud computing system providing operations that are common across the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems, but each of the common operations implemented through differently implemented application programming interface (API) calls that are specific to the respective cloud computing system for those common operations, the API calls allowing external computing devices to interact with the respective cloud computing system for performance and/or execution of functionality provided by the respective cloud computing system, the server computer system comprising:

processing resources including at least one processor;

a connection pool configured to enable a plurality of end-user devices, which are remotely located from the server computer system with each said end user device including at least one hardware processor, to connect to the server computer system via an application installed on the respective end-user device, the application including plural user selectable operations that are independent of, but correspond to, operations that are common across the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems, each user selectable operation selectable by a user for execution and/or performance in connection with at least one of the cloud computing systems after authentication with the server, wherein the plural user selectable operations include operations that involve at least two different cloud computer systems, the operations including moving data between a first cloud computer system and a second cloud computer system of the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems and copying data from the first cloud computer system to the second cloud computer system;

electronic memory that stores a configuration database with;

a plurality of user records, each said user record being associated with login information for at least one of the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems, and

an API definition table that includes a plurality of records that are each mapped within the configuration database to at least one of the plural user selectable operations, where each record includes an API definition specific to at least one corresponding cloud computing system; and

processing resources including at least one processor, the processing resources configured to;

after one of the plurality of end-user devices has been authenticated with the server computer system, receive, from the one of the plurality of end-user devices, a first request that includes a selected one of the plural user selectable operations and user-specified parameters for the selected operation, wherein the selected one of the plural user selectable operations involves two different cloud computer systems,

responsive to reception of the selected operation, retrieve, from the configuration database, a first API call for a first cloud computer system and a second API call for a second cloud computer system,

responsive to reception of the selected operation and based on the retrieved first API call, dynamically generate, using at least some of the user-specified parameters for the selected operation, a first invocation for the first API call,

responsive to reception of the selected operation and based on the retrieved second API call, dynamically generate, using at least some of the user-specified parameters for the selected operation, a second invocation for the second API call,

communicating the first invocation to the first cloud provider computer system to cause execution of functionality provided by the first API call, and

communicating the second invocation to the second cloud provider computer system to cause execution of functionality provided by the second API call,

wherein the server computer system is configured to broker electronic network communications between the plurality of end-user devices and the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems such that communications therebetween are provided via the server computer system, wherein the execution of the separately first and second invocations causes the completion of the selected operation.

23. The server computer system of claim 22, wherein the functionality that is common across the plurality of disparate cloud computing systems includes at least one of:

1) reading folder properties,

     2) deleting folders,

     3) creating folders,

     4) updating folder properties,

     5) reading file properties,

     6) updating file properties,

     7) downloading files,

     8) uploading files,

     9) updating uploaded files,

     10) deleting uploaded files,

     11) getting links to folders and files,

     12) moving folders and files, and

     13) copying files.