Method and system for utilizing a database as a service

• US 20030061218A1
• Filed: 09/27/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hacigumus, Vahit Hakan, Iyer, Balakrishna Raghavendra, Aubert, Dante Aligheri, Lickel, Charles William
• Granted Patent: US 7,171,420 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method and system for providing a database as a is disclosed. In a first aspect, the method comprises the steps of accessing the database over a public network by a browser without downloading software. The method further includes controlling access to the database on an agreed-upon schedule. In a second aspect, a database service for use on a public network is disclosed. The database service comprises a presentation layer, the presentation layer including a browser, a web server coupled to the public network and a web application platform coupled to the web server. The database includes an application layer comprising a user interface (UI) application. The UI application is executed on the web application platform and is capable of communicating with the browser through a standard program code. Finally, the database service includes a database management layer. The database management layer includes at least one database which communicates with the UI application. Accordingly, a database can be managed centrally while resources of the database can be consumed individually and globally.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing a database as a service, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing the database over a public network by a browser without downloading software; and

(b) controlling access to the database based on an agreed-upon schedule and price.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the browser provides commands utilizing hypertext mark up language (HML) code.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the database is accessed utilizing an interface application that is executed on a web application platform.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the UI application extracts database commands from a web server and presents the database commands to the database and combines database commands with control commands from the database and provides the HTML code to the web server.

5. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for utilizing a database as a service, the program instructions for:

(a) accessing the database over a public network by a browser without downloading software; and

(b) controlling access to the database based on an agreed-upon schedule and price.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 5 wherein the browser provides commands utilizing hypertext mark up language (HML) code.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 5 wherein the database is accessed utilizing an interface application that is executed on a web application platform.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7 wherein the UI application extracts database commands from a web server and presents the database commands to the database and combines database commands with control commands from the database and provides the HTML code to the web server.

9. A method for providing a database as a service over a public network utilizing a computer which includes a browser, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) authenticating a user via the browser by a user interface (UI) application;

(b) providing commands from a web server to the browser for displaying a screen;

(c) providing commands from the browser to the web server based upon user interaction with the screen, the commands from the browser including database commands;

(d) extracting and sending the database commands by the UI application to the database, the database providing a response thereto;

(e) combining the response with control commands by the UI application; and

(f) sending the combined response and control commands through the web server to the browser for display.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the commands are provided in hypertext markup language (HTML) code.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the database commands are SQL statements.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the screen is a window to enter database commands.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the UI application is executed as a web application platform.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the authentication step (a) comprises the steps of:

(a1) opening a URL in the browser;

(a2) sending the URL to the web server;

(a3) sending a request to the UI application based upon the URL;

(a4) producing the HTML code for login and providing the HTML code to the browser;

(a5) providing ID/password in the HTML code based upon user interaction by the browser;

(a6) extracting ID/password from the HTML code by UI application; and

(a7) determining if ID/password is authentic.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the authentication step (a) further comprises if the steps of:

(a8) opening a session if the ID/password is authentic.

16. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for providing a database as a service over a public network utilizing a computer which includes a browser, the program instructions for:

(a) authenticating a user via the browser by a user interface (UI) application;

(b) providing commands from a web server to the browser for displaying a screen;

(c) providing commands from the browser to the web server based upon user interaction with the screen, the commands from the browser including database commands;

(d) extracting and sending the database commands by the UI application to the database, the database providing a response thereto.

(e) combining the response with control commands by the UI application; and

(f) sending the combined response and control commands through the web server to the browser for display.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the first, second and third sets of commands are provided in hypertext markup language (HTML) code.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the database commands are SQL statements.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the screen is a window to enter database commands.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the UI application is executed as a web application platform.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the authentication instruction (a) comprises the instructions for:

(a1) opening a URL in the browser;

(a2) sending the URL to the web server;

(a3) sending a request to the UI application based upon the URL;

(a4) producing the HTML code for login and providing the HTML code to the browser;

(a5) providing ID/password in the HTML code based upon user interaction by the browser;

(a6) extracting ID/password from the HTML code by UI application; and

(a7) determining if ID/password is authentic.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21 wherein the authentication instruction (a) further comprises the instruction for:

(a8) opening a session if the ID/password is authentic.

23. A database service for use on a public network comprising:

a presentation layer, the presentation layer including a browser, a web server coupled to the public network and a web application platform coupled to the, web server;

an application layer comprising a user interface (UI) application, the UI application is executed on the web application platform and is capable of communicating with the browser through a standard program code; and

a database management layer, the database management layer comprising at least one database which communicates with the UI application.

24. The database service of claim 23 wherein the standard program code comprises hypertext markup language (HTML) code.

25. The database service of claim 23 which includes at least one back up database coupled to the at least one database.

26. The database service of claim 25 wherein the UI application extracts database commands from the web server and presents the database commands to the database and combines database commands with control commands from the database and provides the HTML code to the web server.

27. A database service for use on a public network comprising:

a presentation layer, the presentation layer including a browser, a web server coupled to the public network and a web application platform coupled to the web server;

an application layer comprising a user interface UI application, the UI application is executed on the web application platform and is capable of communicating with the browser through hypertext markup language (HTML) code; and

a database management layer, the database management layer comprising at least one database which communicates with the UI application; and

at least one back up database coupled to the at least one database, wherein the UI application extracts database commands from the web server and presents the database commands to the database and combines database commands with control commands from the database and provides the HTML code to the server.

28. A system for utilizing a database as a service, the system comprising:

means for accessing the database over a public network by a browser without downloading software; and

means for controlling access to the database based on an agreed-upon schedule and price.