Implementation defined segments for relational database systems

• US 20080069132A1
• Filed: 09/13/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, Erik, Ellard, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,356,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/427
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein provide an implementation defined segments (IDS) subsystem which allows new data segments to be added to an identity hub after deployment. A set of metadata tables are utilized to describe IDS, each of which is a data structure encapsulating a single row from a master data record residing in the identity hub. Once a segment (an object) is described, the identity hub can use the information to define persistent storage for the object in the database for any relational database management system, create internal structures to hold the data and process business rules and demographic comparisons against the data object, describe the data object to remote clients, and allow the clients to query the identity hub at runtime about what data objects exist, what fields and data types they contain, and additionally how they might be displayed or formatted on various clients.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor;

one or more computer readable media accessible by said processor and storing computer instructions executable by said processor; and

an identity hub installed on said one or more computer readable media;

wherein said identity hub comprises an identity engine capable of matching and integrating identity data from a plurality of sources into master data records;

wherein functionality of said identity engine is accessible by an identity hub manager;

wherein said identity hub manager comprises a function for enabling adding implementation defined segments (IDS) after deployment of said identity hub;

wherein each IDS is a data structure which encapsulates a single row from one of said master data records; and

wherein each IDS has one or more editable fields and an associated Data Definition Language (DDL) statement.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said identity hub manager resides on a server computer and is accessible by a client computer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said identity hub manager is installed and run directly on a workstation.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said IDS coincide with data schema of said identity hub to define behavior of said identity engine and member information.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said identity hub includes a set of pre-defined segments which are created prior to said deployment.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said DDL statement is generated by said identity hub manager.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said IDS are member segments defining individual entities, member attributes, and task workflow.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said identity hub includes a set of metadata tables which are read at system start-up to define shape of data structures used by said identity engine.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said set of metadata tables include a first metadata table, a second metadata table, and a third metadata table, wherein each row of said first metadata table defines a unique name of a segment, wherein said second metadata table defines individual fields contained in each segment defined in said first metadata table, and wherein said third metadata table defines one or more roles of a particular segment.

10. A computer readable medium embodying a set of metadata tables defining shape of data structures to be used in an identity hub residing on a server computer;

wherein said set of metadata tables are deployable to a client computer;

wherein said set of metadata tables include a first metadata table, a second metadata table, and a third metadata table;

wherein each row of said first metadata table defines a unique name of a segment;

wherein said second metadata table defines individual fields contained in each segment defined in said first metadata table; and

wherein said third metadata table defines one or more roles of a particular segment.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein said set of metadata tables are read at system start-up of said client computer.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein one or more implementation defined segments (IDS) are added to said identity hub by utilizing said set of metadata tables to describe said one or more IDS.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein each IDS is a data structure which encapsulates a single row from a master data record residing in said identity hub.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein each IDS has one or more editable fields and an associated Data Definition Language (DDL) statement.

15. A method of generating implementation defined segments, comprising:

reading, at system start-up of a client computer, a set of metadata tables defining shape of data structures to be used in an identity hub residing on a server computer; and

utilizing said set of metadata tables to describe one or more segments;

wherein said set of metadata tables include a first metadata table, a second metadata table, and a third metadata table;

wherein each row of said first metadata table defines a unique name of a segment;

wherein said second metadata table defines individual fields contained in each segment defined in said first metadata table; and

wherein said third metadata table defines one or more roles of a particular segment.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each segment is a data structure which encapsulates a single row from a master data record residing in said identity hub.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating an associated Data Definition Language (DDL) statement for each segment.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising storing said associated DDL statement to a file system.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising specifying one or more fields for each segment.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising adding, updating, or deleting a field.