System, method, and service for managing persistent federated folders within a federated content management system

• US 20050060337A1
• Filed: 09/16/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Yaung, Alan Tsu-I, Vo, Mimi Phuong-Thao, Summers, Robert Nelson, Chou, Kehsing J., Soetarman, Basuki N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,533,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24539 using cached or materialised query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/256 in federated or virtual databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A persistent federated folder within a federated content management system saves the result of a search or selection of items stored in various heterogeneous datastores. The federated folder can be used to save federated search results, to act as a container in a workflow process, or a container for a set of documents or folders with similar characteristics. The search result may be shared by several application programs without performing a separate search for each application. The federated folder and its associated storage structure have the capability to save its instances persistently. The federated folder operations can selectively create, retrieve, update, and/or delete an instance of a federated folder in addition to adding, retrieving updating and deleting its parts and its members. Seamless integration with the federated query is provided to operate on the federated folder transparently regardless of the locality of the user or the datastores the user is searching. Access rights for federated folders are enforced according to user'"'"'s general privileges.

Claims

1. A method of managing a persistent federated folder within a federated content management system, comprising:

creating the persistent federated folder on a local datastore within the federated content management system;

mapping a plurality of entities to the persistent federated folder;

updating the persistent federated folder by modifying a members list, and updating attributes of the persistent federated folder; and

deleting the persistent federated folder.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the members list comprises adding at least one new member.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the members list comprises removing at least one member.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting items in the plurality of entities as a result of a search.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising a user selecting items in the plurality of entities.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising an application selecting items in the plurality of entities.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising saving a persistent identifier reference in the persistent federated folder for each of the items in the entities selected as a result of the search.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising saving a persistent identifier reference in the persistent federated folder for each of the items in the entities selected by the user.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising saving a persistent identifier reference in the persistent federated folder for each of the items in the entities selected by the application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein deleting the persistent federated folder does not delete items referenced in the persistent federated folder.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the persistent federated folder contains at least one persistent federated folder.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the persistent federated folder contains members from entities originating from heterogeneous datastores.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the persistent federated folder contains members from an entity of the persistent federated folder.

14. The method in claim 1, wherein the persistent federated folder integrates seamlessly within the federated content management system allowing a federated query to operate transparently with respect to a client.

15. The method in claim 1, wherein the persistent federated folder system limits access rights of users according to users'"'"' general privileges.

16. The method in claim 1, further comprising providing administrative support for creating, mapping, and administering the persistent federated folder.

17. A computer program product having instruction codes for managing a persistent federated folder within a federated content management system, comprising:

a first set of instruction codes for creating the persistent federated folder on a local datastore within the federated content management system;

a second set of instruction codes for mapping a plurality of entities to the persistent federated folder;

a third set of instruction codes for updating the persistent federated folder by modifying a members list, and updating attributes of the persistent federated folder; and

a fourth set of instruction codes for deleting the persistent federated folder.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the third set of instruction codes modifies the members list by adding at least one new member.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the third set of instruction codes modifies the members list by removing at least one member.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the fourth set of instruction codes does not delete items referenced in the persistent federated folder.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the persistent federated folder contains members from entities originating from heterogeneous datastores.

22. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the persistent federated folder contains members from an entity of the persistent federated folder.

23. The computer program product in claim 17, wherein the persistent federated folder system limits access rights of users according to users'"'"' general privileges.

24. A system for managing a persistent federated folder within a federated content management system, comprising:

means for creating the persistent federated folder on a local datastore within the federated content management system;

means for mapping a plurality of entities to the persistent federated folder;

means for updating the persistent federated folder by modifying a members list, and updating attributes of the persistent federated folder; and

means for deleting the persistent federated folder.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for updating modifies the members list by adding at least one new member.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for updating modifies the members list by removing at least one member.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for deleting does not delete items referenced in the persistent federated folder.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the persistent federated folder contains members from entities originating from heterogeneous datastores.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the persistent federated folder contains members from an entity of the persistent federated folder.

30. The system in claim 24, wherein the persistent federated folder system limits access rights of users according to users'"'"' general privileges.