Method and apparatus for managing data exchange among systems in a network

• US 20020073236A1
• Filed: 01/12/2001
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saba Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Saba Software Incorporated
• Inventors: Helgeson, Christopher S., Panuganti, Srinivas, Lipkin, Daniel S., Larson, Robert S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,643,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

The present invention provides a solution to the needs described above through a system and method for managing data exchange among systems in a network. The systems and methods of the present invention translate data from a system specific local format to a generic interchange format object, and vice versa, with predefined stylesheets using generic components and a system specific service components which utilize a native application programming interface of the specific local system.

Claims

1. A method for managing data exchange between systems connected via a network, comprising:

creating a plurality of predefined stylesheets, each said stylesheet of said plurality of stylesheets describing a mapping between a system specific local format and a generic interchange format;

receiving a data object from a first system in a first system specific local format;

translating said data object from a first system specific local format to a generic interchange format object with said predefined stylesheets using a system specific service component which utilizes a native application programming interface of said first system;

translating said data object from said generic interchange format to a second system specific local format object with said predefined stylesheets using a system specific service component which utilizes a native application programming interface of said second system; and

transferring said translated data object to said second system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving a data object from a first system in a first system specific local format comprises:

receiving a request to export a data object from a first system;

identifying a local data object identifier utilizing a mapper component;

identifying a document type utilizing a mapper component;

identifying a stylesheet and transformer using said document type; and

extracting said data object from said first system.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising converting said local data object identifier to a platform object identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of translating said data object from said generic interchange format to a second system specific local format object with said predefined stylesheets using a system specific service component which utilizes a native application programming interface of said second system comprises:

receiving a request to import a data object to a second system;

receiving a data object in a generic interchange format, a document type, and a platform object identifier;

identifying a stylesheet and transformer using said document type; and

translating said data object from said generic interchange format to a second system specific local format object with said stylesheet using a system specific service component which utilizes a native application programming interface of said second system.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

scanning for foreign platform object identifiers; and

resolving said foreign platoforn object identifiers to a local identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising returning a local identifier for said data object transferred to said second system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step:

monitoring a first system for changes to a data object at said first system

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving a data object from a first system in a first system specific local format comprises extracting said data object from said first system with a system specific service component which utilizes a native programming interface of said first system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of transferring said translated data object may be performed using a plurality of communication protocols.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said stylesheet is an xsl stylesheet.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said data objects are in xml format.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of translating said data object from a first system specific local format to a generic interchange format object with said predefined stylesheets using a system specific service component which utilizes a native application programming interface of said first system comprises:

translating said data object into a serialized local XML representation; and

translating said serialized local XML representation to a generic interchange format utilizing a predefined stylesheet.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of translating said data object from said generic interchange format to a second system specific local format object with said predefined stylesheets using a system specific service component which utilizes a native application programming interface of said second system comprises:

mapping said data object in generic interchange format to one or more objects required to be transferred to said second system; and

translating said generic interchange format data into said second system specific local format using a predefined stylesheet.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said programs of instructions further comprise:

a monitor component for monitoring changes of a data object at a first system, said monitor component comprising;

a system independent service subcomponent; and

a system specific service component utilizing a native API of said first system to monitor changes of said data object at said first system;

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said programs of instructions further comprise a mapper component for identifying a local object identifier and a document type.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said delivery component for transferring said data object between said first and second system utilizes a pluggable communication protocol.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said pluggable communication protocol comprises TCP/IP Sockets.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said pluggable communication protocol comprises HTTP.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said pluggable communication protocol comprises SMTP.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said pluggable communication protocol comprises database logging tables.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said predefined stylesheet is an xsl stylesheet.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said data objects are in xml format.

14. An apparatus for managing data exchange between systems connected via

a network, comprising:

a network interface;

memory storing data and programs of instructions;

a processor coupled to the memory which executes the programs of instructions and accesses the stored data, wherein the programs of instructions comprise;

a first translator component for translating a data object from a first system specific local format to a generic interchange format object, said first component comprising;

a system independent service subcomponent; and

a system specific service component utilizing a native API of said first system to translate said data object to a generic interchange format object using a predefined stylesheet;

a second translator component for translating said data object from said generic interchange format to a second system specific local format object, said second component comprising;

a system independent service subcomponent; and

a system specific service component utilizing a native API of said first system to translate said data object from a generic interchange format object to a second system specific local format object using a predefined stylesheet; and

a delivery component for transferring said data object between said first and second system.