System and method for business intelligence metadata exchange

• US 20050278304A1
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cognos Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Perlman, Julia, Da Silva, Ricardo
• Granted Patent: US 8,229,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application

Abstract

The invention makes use of a single data structure to define all of the information and parameters necessary for the efficient sharing and exchange of entire or partial BI applications. The invention enables a user to capture preferences that are applicable to both ends of the exchange, namely the source and the target systems. It provides for users to be presented with a comprehensive list of preferences and smart defaults from which they can select, and in some cases override, at both the source and target end points of the exchange. The actual metadata exchange is persisted as an exchange structure in a computer system file system called an exchange archive.

Claims

1. A method for use in a business intelligence application system having business data sources, content managers, and business intelligence application services, the method comprising the steps of:

a) selecting a source environment where the business intelligence application system resides;

b) selecting business intelligence application objects of the source environment to be exported together with the overriding options and any default values for the objects;

c) creating in the source system an exchange definition that contains definitions of all actionable options and preferences selected in the previous step;

d) saving the exchange definition in the file system of the source environment;

e) extracting in the target system the exchange definition from the archive;

f) processing in the target system the exchange definition of application objects according to previously selected overriding options; and

g) creating objects in the content manager repository of the target system according to the definitions of application objects.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the source and target system are the same system, to provide a backup and restore solution.

2. A method for use in a business intelligence application system having business data sources, content managers, and business intelligence application services, the method comprising the steps of:

a) selecting a source environment where the business intelligence application system resides;

b) selecting business intelligence application objects of the source environment to be exported together with the overriding options for the objects, the business intelligence application objects being selected from a list comprising, but not limited to, report definitions, reporting schedules, report execution histories, groups and roles, contacts and distribution lists, and data sources and their related signons;

c) creating in the source system an exchange definition that contains definitions of all actionable options and preferences selected in the previous step;

d) saving the exchange definition in the file system of the source environment;

e) extracting in the target system the exchange definition from the archive;

f) processing in the target system the exchange definition of application objects according to previously selected overriding options; and

g) creating objects in the content manager repository of the target system according to the definitions of application objects.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the saving step d) includes the additional step of:

d1) encrypting the exchange definition before writing it to the archive;

and the extracting step e) includes the additional step of;

e1) decrypting the encrypted exchange definition before importing it into the content manager of the second system

5. A system for use in a business intelligence application system having business data sources, content managers, and business intelligence application services, the system comprising:

a) means for selecting a source environment where the business intelligence application system resides;

b) means for selecting business intelligence application objects of the source environment to be exported together with the overriding options and any default values for the objects;

c) means for creating in the source system an exchange definition that contains definitions of all actionable options and preferences selected in the previous step;

d) means for saving the exchange definition in the file system of the source environment;

e) means for extracting in the target system the exchange definition from the archive;

f) means for processing in the target system the exchange definition of application objects according to previously selected overriding options; and

g) means for creating objects in the content manager repository of the target system according to the definitions of application objects.