Customization of metadata describing objects in a computing environment

• US 20040181534A1
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Plaisted, Patrick E., Morel, Michael J., Mortensen, Douglas R., Mortensen, Richard W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,085,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• 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 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

The present invention facilitates customization of metadata that describes objects in a software system without requiring modification of source code. A customization that describes a desired customization to metadata is received and the relevant metadata is identified. A delta value indicating the customization to the metadata is stored.

Claims

1. A method of customizing metadata in a software system, comprising

receiving a customization specification identifying a desired customization to the metadata;

identifying the metadata to be customized in a metadata store based on the specification; and

storing a delta value indicative of a customization to the metadata to be made based on the customization specification.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

when subsequently accessing the metadata to be customized, retrieving the delta value; and

customizing the metadata to be customized with the delta value.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein customizing the metadata comprises:

replacing already existing metadata with the delta value.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein customizing the metadata comprises:

adding the delta value to the metadata.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein storing the delta value comprises:

storing the delta value in a metadata store that stores the metadata.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the metadata is stored in a metadata store and wherein storing comprises:

storing the delta value in a separate data store, separate from the metadata store.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the metadata is represented by a metadata tree structure having leaves with values indicative of metadata values.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein identifying comprises:

identifying a leaf in the metadata tree structure that is to be customized based on the customization specification.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein storing the delta value comprises:

storing a new value for the identified leaf.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein replacing the metadata to be customized with the delta value comprises:

replacing the value for the identified leaf, with the new value for the identified leaf, in the metadata tree structure.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving a customization specification comprises:

identifying a conflict by receiving a plurality of conflicting customization specifications; and

resolving the conflict prior to replacing the metadata to be customized with the delta value.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the metadata comprises a plurality of metadata nodes, each having a node type, and wherein identifying the metadata to be customized comprises:

identifying a node of metadata to be customized for each of the customizations based on the customization specifications.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein receiving a plurality of conflicting customization specifications comprises:

receiving the plurality of customization specifications that specify a different customization to an identified node.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein at least one conflict resolution policy is associated with each node of metadata, and wherein resolving the conflict comprises:

applying the conflict resolution policy associated with the identified node.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the conflict resolution policies are associated with metadata nodes based on node type.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein resolving the conflict comprises:

selecting one of the plurality of customization specifications to apply.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein resolving the conflict comprises:

selecting portions of each of the plurality of customization specifications to apply.

18. A system for customizing metadata in software, comprising:

a metadata store storing a metadata structure indicative of the metadata;

a delta store storing delta values indicative of desired customizations to the metadata structure; and

a customization component configured to receive a request for metadata and customize the metadata structure with delta values associated with the requested metadata to obtain a customized metadata structure, and return the customized metadata structure.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the metadata store and the delta store are implemented on a single storage device.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the metadata structure comprises:

a tree having nodes, each node including at least one metadata value.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the delta values comprise customization values for nodes in the tree to be customized.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein each node has a corresponding node type.

23. The system of claim 22 and further comprising:

a conflict resolution component storing conflict resolution policies associated with nodes in the tree.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the customization component is configured to identify a customization conflict in which a plurality of different customization values is specified for a single node.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the customization component is configured to apply a conflict resolution policy to resolve the conflict.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the conflict resolution policies are associated with the nodes based on the node type of the nodes.

27. The system of claim 18 wherein the customization component comprises:

an adapter entity having methods invoked to receive the request for metadata and to identify metadata customizations to be made.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the customization component comprises:

a target entity having methods invokable by the adapter to apply the delta values to the metadata to be customized.

29. A method of customizing metadata in a software system, comprising:

receiving a plurality of conflicting customization specifications identifying plurality of conflicting desired customizations to the metadata;

identifying the metadata to be customized in a metadata store based on the specifications;

applying a conflict resolution rule associated with the metadata to be customized; and

storing a delta value indicative of a change to the metadata to be made based on the customization specifications and the conflict resolution rule.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the metadata comprises a tree having nodes, the nodes having node types and wherein the metadata to be customized corresponds to a node.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein applying a conflict resolution rule comprises:

identifying the conflict resolution rule based on the node type of the node corresponding to the metadata to be customized; and

applying the identified conflict resolution rule.

32. A system for customizing metadata in software, comprising:

a metadata store storing a metadata structure indicative of the metadata;

a delta store storing delta values indicative of desired customizations to the metadata structure;

an adapter entity having a method which, when invoked, receives a request for metadata and identifies delta values associated with the requested metadata; and

a target entity having a method which, when invoked, customizes the requested metadata with the delta values to obtain a customized metadata structure.