Support for multiple mechanisms for accessing data stores

• US 20040024762A1
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Agarwal, Sachin, Thiyagarajan, Lakshmi V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,512,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/9
• 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: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

Technology is disclosed for supporting the use of multiple access mechanisms for accessing one or more data stores. Examples of access mechanisms include the LDAP protocol and the ADSI protocol. One embodiment of the present invention includes maintaining an association of access mechanisms to types of data store operations such that two or more types of data store operations for a first data store can be associated with different access mechanisms. The system receives a first operation for the first data store, where the first operation is of a first type of data store operation. The system accesses the first data store to perform the first operation using an access mechanism associated with the first type of data store operation.

Claims

1. A method of using multiple access mechanisms to communicate with a data store, comprising the steps of:

maintaining associations of access mechanisms to types of data store operations such that two or more types of data store operations for a first data store can be associated with different access mechanisms;

receiving a first operation for said first data store, said first operation is of a first type of data store operation; and

accessing said first data store to perform said first operation using an access mechanism associated with said first type of data store operation.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said access mechanism associated with said first type of data store operation is LDAP.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said access mechanism associated with said first type of data store operation is LDAP over SSL.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said access mechanism associated with said first type of data store operation is ADSI.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first type of operation is a modify operation.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein:

said first operation is an attempt to modify a specific attribute in a user profile.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first data store is used to store identity profiles.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said steps of maintaining, receiving and accessing are performed as part of an identity system.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said steps of maintaining, receiving and accessing are performed as part of an access system.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said steps of maintaining, receiving and accessing are performed as part of an integrated access system and identity system.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of maintaining includes maintaining association of access mechanisms to types of data store operations for multiple data stores capable of utilizing multiple access mechanisms.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first operation is received as part of a first access request, said first access request includes multiple operations of different types of data store operations associated with different access mechanisms.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

changing said association of access mechanisms to types of data store operations, said steps of maintaining, changing and accessing are performed by a system while said system is live.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving a second operation for said first data store, said second operation is of a second type of data store operation; and

accessing said first data store to perform said second operation using an access mechanism associated with said second type of data store operation.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein:

said steps of receiving a second operation and accessing said first data store to perform said second operation are performed concurrently with said steps of receiving a first operation and accessing said first data store to perform said first operation.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of:

changing said association of access mechanisms to types of data store operations, said steps of maintaining, changing and accessing are performed by a system while said system is live, said first data store is used to store identity profiles.

17. A method of using multiple access mechanisms to communicate with a data store, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first operation and a second operation, said first operation is of a first type of operation, said second operation is of said second type of operation, said first type of operation is associated with a first mechanism for accessing a first data store while said second type of operation is associated with a second mechanism for accessing said first data store;

accessing said first data store to perform said first operation using said first mechanism; and

accessing said first data store to perform said second operation using said second mechanism.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein:

said steps of receiving, accessing said first data store to perform said first operation and accessing said first data store to perform said second operation are performed as part of an identity system.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein:

said steps of receiving, accessing said first data store to perform said first operation and accessing said first data store to perform said second operation are performed as part of an access system.

20. A method according to claim 17, wherein:

said steps of receiving, accessing said first data store to perform said first operation and accessing said first data store to perform said second operation are performed as part of an integrated access system and identity system.

21. A method of using multiple access mechanisms to communicate with a data store, comprising the steps of:

maintaining an association of a first type of data store operation to a first access mechanism;

changing said association such that said first type of data store operation is associated with a second access mechanism; and

accessing said data store to perform an operation of said first type of data store operation using said second mechanism, said steps of maintaining, changing and accessing are performed by a system while said system is live.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein:

said steps of maintaining, changing and accessing are performed as part of an identity system.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein:

said steps of maintaining, changing and accessing are performed as part of an access system.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein:

said steps of maintaining, changing and accessing are performed as part of an integrated access system and identity system.

25. A method according to claim 21, wherein:

said step of maintaining includes maintaining associations of access mechanisms to types of data store operations for multiple data stores capable of utilizing multiple access mechanisms.

26. A method according to claim 21, wherein:

said steps of maintaining, changing and accessing are performed by a system while said system is live.

27. A system capable of using multiple access mechanisms to communicate with a data store, comprising:

associations of access mechanisms to types of data store operations such that two or more types of data store operations for a first data store can be associated with different access mechanisms; and

an agent capable of receiving requests to perform operations of various types of data store operations and accessing said first data store using appropriate one or more access mechanisms based on said associations.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein:

said agent is used to access identity profiles stored on said first data store.

29. A system according to claim 27, wherein:

said associations are maintained for an identity system.

30. A system according to claim 27, wherein:

said associations are maintained for an access system.

31. A system according to claim 27, wherein:

said associations are maintained for an integrated access system and identity system.

32. A system according to claim 27, wherein:

said associations includes associations of access mechanisms to types of data store operations for multiple data stores capable of utilizing multiple access mechanisms.

33. A system according to claim 27, wherein:

said associations can be changed while said agent is live.

34. A system according to claim 33, wherein:

said associations are maintained for an integrated access system and identity system.

35. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more storage devices; and

one or more processor in communication with said one or more storage devices, said one or more processor perform a method comprising the steps of;

maintaining associations of access mechanisms to types of data store operations such that two or more types of data store operations for a first data store can be associated with different access mechanisms,

receiving a first operation for said first data store, said first operation is of a first type of data store operation, and

accessing said first data store to perform said first operation using an access mechanism associated with said first type of data store operation.

36. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein:

said step of maintaining includes maintaining associations of access mechanisms to types of data store operations for multiple data stores capable of utilizing multiple access mechanisms.

37. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said method further comprises the step of:

changing said associations of access mechanisms to types of data store operations, said steps of maintaining, changing and accessing are performed by a system while said system is live.

38. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said processor readable storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method comprising the steps of:

maintaining associations of access mechanisms to types of data store operations such that two or more types of data store operations for a first data store can be associated with different access mechanisms;

receiving a first operation for said first data store, said first operation is of a first type of data store operation; and

accessing said first data store to perform said first operation using an access mechanism associated with said first type of data store operation.

39. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 38, wherein:

said first data store is used to store identity profiles.

40. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 38, wherein:

said method is performed as part of an identity system.

41. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 38, wherein:

said method is performed as part of an access system.

42. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 38, wherein:

said method is performed as part of an integrated access system and identity system.

43. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 38, wherein:

said step of maintaining includes maintaining associations of access mechanisms to types of data store operations for multiple data stores capable of utilizing multiple access mechanisms.

44. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 38, wherein said method further comprises the step of:

changing said association of access mechanisms to types of data store operations, said steps of maintaining, changing and accessing are performed by a system while said system is live.

45. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said processor readable storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors, said processor readable code capable of being used to create a system capable of using multiple access mechanism to communicate with a data store, the system compromising:

associations of access mechanisms to types of data store operations such that two or more types of data store operations for a first data store can be associated with different access mechanisms; and

an agent capable of receiving requests to perform operations of various types of data store operations and accessing said first data store using appropriate one or more access mechanisms based on said associations.

46. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 45, wherein:

said agent is used to access identity profiles stored on said first data store.

47. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 45, wherein:

said associations are maintained for an identity system.

48. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 45, wherein:

said associations are maintained for an access system.

49. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 45, wherein:

said associations are maintained for an integrated access system and identity system.

50. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 45, wherein:

said associations includes associations of access mechanisms to types of data store operations for multiple data stores capable of utilizing multiple access mechanisms.

51. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 45, wherein:

said associations can be changed while said agent is live.