Enterprise content management network-attached system

• US 20050246311A1
• Filed: 04/29/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Filenet Corporation (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Whelan, Daniel S., Fay, Charles R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,213,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1474 in transactions G06F16/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method and system for providing services in an enterprise content management network-attached system, where the enterprise content management functions are provided as an integral part of a storage system. An integrated enterprise content management network-attached system provides a single, unified approach to the entire range of enterprise content management functions from storage management to content and business process management. The result is a robust and reliable complete enterprise content management solution with a lower total cost of ownership than existing products.

Claims

1. An enterprise content management network-attached system with native integration of a content management system, a business process management system, and a storage system, comprising:

a storage system for storing content data, content metadata, business process data, and computer executable process steps for content management and business process management,

wherein the computer executable process steps for content management and business process management include;

(1) steps for accessing the content data, the content metadata, and business process data, and (2) steps for processing the content data in accordance with information contained in the content metadata and business process data.

2. The enterprise content management network-attached system of claim 1, further comprising:

a native, unified replication system which automatically synchronizes replication of the content data, the content metadata, and the business process data.

3. The enterprise content management network-attached system of claim 1, wherein the storage system comprises a Storage Area Network (SAN) system.

4. The enterprise content management network-attached system of claim 1, wherein the storage system comprises a Network Attached Storage (NAS) system.

5. The enterprise content management network-attached system of claim 1, wherein the storage system comprises a Content Addressable Storage (CAS) system.

6. The enterprise content management network-attached system of claim 1, wherein the storage system comprises a fixed content storage system.

7. An enterprise content management network-attached system with native integration of a content management system and a storage system, comprising:

a storage system for storing content data, content metadata, and computer executable process steps for content management,

wherein the computer executable process steps for content management include;

(1) steps for accessing the content data and the content metadata, and (2) steps for processing the content data in accordance with information contained in the content metadata.

8. The enterprise content management network-attached system of claim 7, further comprising:

a native, unified replication system which automatically synchronizes replication of the content data and the content metadata.

9. The enterprise content management network-attached system of claim 7, wherein the storage system comprises a Storage Area Network (SAN) system.

10. The enterprise content management network-attached system of claim 7, wherein the storage system comprises a Network Attached Storage (NAS) system.

11. The enterprise content management network-attached system of claim 7, wherein the storage system comprises a Content Addressable Storage (CAS) system.

12. The enterprise content management network-attached system of claim 7, wherein the storage system comprises a fixed content storage system.

13. A method of providing services in an enterprise content management network-attached system with native integration of a content management system, a business process management system, and a storage system, comprising the steps of:

providing a storage system for storing content data, content metadata, business process data, and computer executable process steps for content management and business process management; and

providing computer executable process steps for content management and business process management including;

(1) steps for accessing the content data, the content metadata, and business process data, and (2) steps for processing the content data in accordance with information contained in the content metadata and business process data.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

providing a native, unified replication system which automatically synchronizes replication of the content data, the content metadata, and the business process data.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein, in the step of providing a storage system, the storage system comprises a Storage Area Network (SAN) system.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein, in the step of providing a storage system, the storage system comprises a Network Attached Storage (NAS) system.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein, in the step of providing a storage system, the storage system comprises a Content Addressable Storage (CAS) system.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein, in the step of providing a storage system, the storage system comprises a fixed content storage system.

19. A method of providing services in an enterprise content management network-attached system with native integration of a content management system and a storage system, comprising the steps of:

providing a storage system for storing content data, content metadata, and computer executable process steps for content management; and

providing computer executable process steps for content management including;

(1) steps for accessing the content data and the content metadata, and (2) steps for processing the content data in accordance with information contained in the content metadata.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of:

providing a native, unified replication system which automatically synchronizes replication of the content data and the content metadata database.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein, in the step of providing a storage system, the storage system comprises a Storage Area Network (SAN) system.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein, in the step of providing a storage system, the storage system comprises a Network Attached Storage (NAS) system.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein, in the step of providing a storage system, the storage system comprises a Content Addressable Storage (CAS) system.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein, in the step of providing a storage system, the storage system comprises a fixed content storage system.