Hosted multi-tenant application with per-tenant unshared private databases

• US 20080270459A1
• Filed: 04/26/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Shutt, David Robert, Lewis, Elliot Stephenson, Kolpak, Jeremy, Grewal, Jasjit Singh, Peri, Jagan
• Granted Patent: US 8,122,055 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/103R
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/256 in federated or virtual databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Technologies are described herein for providing a hosted multi-tenant application that utilizes per-tenant unshared private databases. A shared middle-tier is utilized in conjunction with private, unshared databases for each of the tenants. The private, unshared databases are utilized to store application data for an associated tenant, along with any customizations to the application implemented by the tenant. A shared configuration database is also utilized that stores application data that is shared among the tenants. When a request is received from a tenant to access the hosted application, the shared configuration database is utilized to locate the private, unshared database associated with the tenant making the request. The contents of the private, unshared database associated with the tenant making the request are then utilized to response to the request.

Claims

1. A system for providing a hosted application to a plurality of tenants, the system comprising:

a middle-tier shared among the plurality of tenants, the middle-tier operative to provide the hosted application to each of the plurality of tenants; and

a private unshared database for each of the plurality of tenants, each private unshared database being associated with one of the tenants and inaccessible by the other tenants.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a shared configuration database storing data identifying a location of each private shared database for each of the plurality of tenants, and wherein the shared configuration database is shared among the plurality of tenants.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each of the private unshared databases is stored by a server computer located within a scale group.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the shared configuration database stores data mapping each of the plurality of tenants to a scale group where an associated private unshared database is stored.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the hosted application comprises a hosted business application.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the hosted business application comprises a customer relationship management (CRM) application.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a structured query language (SQL) server application, the SQL server application operative to create and maintain the configuration database and the private unshared databases.

8. A method for providing a hosted application to a plurality of tenants, the method comprising:

receiving a request for the hosted application from one of the plurality of tenants;

in response to the request, locating a private unshared database associated with the one of the plurality of tenants; and

responding to the request for the hosted application utilizing data stored in the identified private unshared database.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein locating a private unshared database associated with the one of the plurality of tenants comprises searching a configuration database shared among the plurality of tenants for a location of a private unshared database associated with the one of the plurality of tenants.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the private unshared database is stored by a database server computer within a scale group, and wherein locating a private unshared database associated with the one of the plurality of tenants comprises searching a configuration database shared among the plurality of tenants for the database server and the scale group where the private unshared database associated with the one of the plurality of tenants is stored.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the hosted application comprises a hosted business application.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the business application comprises a customer relationship management (CRM) application.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the private unshared database is maintained by a structured query language (SQL) application.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, will cause the computer to perform the method of claim 8.

15. A method for providing access to a hosted business application, the method comprising:

providing a shared middle-tier operative to provide the hosted business application to a plurality of tenants;

storing a private unshared database for each of the plurality of tenants in one or more scale groups, the scale groups accessible to the shared middle-tier;

receiving at the shared middle-tier a request to access the hosted business application from one of the tenants;

in response to receiving the request, locating the private unshared database associated with the one of the plurality of tenants and inaccessible to the other tenants; and

responding to the request to access the hosted business application utilizing data stored in the located private unshared database associated with the one of the tenants.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein locating the private unshared database associated with the one of the plurality of tenants and inaccessible to the other tenants comprises searching a configuration database shared among the plurality of tenants for a location of the private unshared database associated with the one of the plurality of tenants.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein locating the private unshared database associated with the one of the plurality of tenants comprises searching a configuration database shared among the plurality of tenants for the scale group where the private unshared database associated with the one of the plurality of tenants is stored.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the hosted business application comprises a customer relationship management (CRM) application.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the private unshared databases are maintained by a structured query language (SQL) application.

20. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, will cause the computer to perform the method of claim 15.