Efficient Identity Mapping With Self-Correction for Cascaded Server Systems

• US 20100017425A1
• Filed: 07/15/2008
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kao, I-Lung
• Granted Patent: US 9,104,776 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: N/A
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4523 using lightweight directory access protocol [LDAP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, computer program product, and apparatus for identity mapping with self-correction for cascaded server systems is provided. A request to perform a business transaction is received. Responsive to performing a first server process of the business transaction, the servers necessary to perform the business transaction are identified, forming a set of identified servers. A user identity is retrieved for each server in the set of identified servers, wherein the user identity for each server in the set of identified servers is linked to a user registry of a server, forming a set of linked user identities. A data structure comprising the set of linked user identities is created. A user identity for a next server in the set of identified servers is retrieved from the data structure. In addition, the data structure is forwarded to a next server in the set of identified servers.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for identity mapping with self-correction for cascaded server systems, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a request to perform a business transaction;

responsive to performing a first server process of the business transaction, identifying remaining servers for performing the business transaction, forming a set of identified servers;

retrieving a user identity for each server in the set of identified servers, wherein the user identity for each server in the set of identified servers is linked to a user registry of a server, forming a set of linked user identities;

generating a data structure comprising the set of linked user identities;

retrieving a user identity for a next server in the set of identified servers from the data structure; and

forwarding the data structure to a next server in the set of identified servers.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the data structure on a first server in the set of identified servers.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

repeating, for each server in the set of identified servers, the steps of;

performing a service process of a current server;

retrieving the user identity for the next server in the set of identified servers; and

forwarding the data structure to the next server in the set of identified servers.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the user identity for the next server is not a correct user identity for the next server, identifying servers in the set of identified servers that are downstream from a current server, forming a set of remaining servers, wherein the set of remaining servers includes the current server;

retrieving a user identity for each server in the set of remaining servers, wherein the user identity for each server in the set of remaining servers is linked to the user registry of the server, forming a set of new linked user identities;

determining whether each user identity in the set of new linked user identities matches the corresponding user identity in the set of user identities in the data structure; and

responsive to a determination that a user identity in the set of new linked user identities does not match the corresponding user identity in the set of linked user identities, updating the data structure to include the user identity from the set of new linked user identities.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user identity for each data processing system in the set of identified servers is stored in a first data repository on a remote data processing system.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying remaining servers for performing the business transaction, forming a set of identified servers comprises:

retrieving a list of servers associated with the business transaction from a data repository.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein retrieving a user identity for the next server of the set of identified servers from the data structure comprises:

identifying the user registry for the next server in the set of identified servers, to form a next registry; and

selecting the user identity in the data structure linked to the next registry.

8. A computer program product for identity mapping with self-correction for cascaded server systems, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable program code tangibly embodied thereon, the computer usable program code comprising;

computer usable program code for receiving a request to perform a business transaction;

computer usable program code for, responsive to performing a first server process of the business transaction, identifying remaining servers for performing the business transaction, forming a set of identified servers;

computer usable program code for retrieving a user identity for each server in the set of identified servers, wherein the user identity for each server in the set of identified servers is linked to a user registry of a server, forming a set of linked user identities;

computer usable program code for generating a data structure comprising the set of linked user identities;

computer usable program code for retrieving a user identity for a next server in the set of identified servers from the data structure; and

computer usable program code for forwarding the data structure to a next server in the set of identified servers.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

computer usable program code for storing the data structure on a first server in the set of identified servers.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

computer usable program code for repeating, for each server in the set of identified servers, the computer usable program code for;

performing a service process of a current server;

retrieving the user identity for the next server in the set of identified servers; and

forwarding the data structure to the next server in the set of identified servers.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

computer usable program code for, responsive to a determination that the user identity for the next server is not a correct user identity for the next server, identifying servers in the set of identified servers that are downstream from a current server, forming a set of remaining servers, wherein the set of remaining servers includes the current server;

computer usable program code for retrieving a user identity for each server in the set of remaining servers, wherein the user identity for each server in the set of remaining servers is linked to the user registry of the server, forming a set of new linked user identities;

computer usable program code for determining whether each user identity in the set of new linked user identities matches the corresponding user identity in the set of user identities in the data structure; and

computer usable program code for, responsive to a determination that a user identity in the set of new linked user identities does not match the corresponding user identity in the set of linked user identities, updating the data structure to include the user identity from the set of new linked user identities.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the user identity for each data processing system in the set of identified servers is stored in a first data repository on a remote data processing system.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer usable program code for identifying remaining servers for performing the business transaction, forming a set of identified servers comprises:

computer usable program code retrieving a list of data processing systems associated with the business transaction from a data repository.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer usable program code for retrieving a user identity for the next server of the set of identified servers from the data structure comprises:

computer usable program code for identifying the user registry for the next server in the set of identified servers, to form a next registry; and

computer usable program code for selecting the user identity in the data structure linked to the next registry.

15. A data processing system for identity mapping with self-correction for cascaded server systems, the data processing system comprising:

a bus;

a storage device connected to the bus, wherein the storage device contains computer usable code;

a communications unit connected to the bus; and

a processing unit connected to the bus, wherein the processing unit executes the computer usable code to receive a request to perform a business transaction;

responsive to performing a first server process of the business transaction, identify remaining servers for performing the business transaction, forming a set of identified servers;

retrieve a user identity for each server in the set of identified servers, wherein the user identity for each server in the set of identified servers is linked to a user registry of a server, forming a set of linked user identities;

generate a data structure comprising the set of linked user identities;

retrieve a user identity for a next server in the set of identified servers from the data structure; and

forward the data structure to a next server in the set of identified servers.

16. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable code to store the data structure on a first server in the set of identified servers.

17. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable code to repeat, for each server in the set of identified servers, the computer usable program code to perform a service process of a current server;

retrieve the user identity for the next server in the set of identified servers; and

forward the data structure to the next server in the set of identified servers.

18. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable code to, responsive to a determination that the user identity for the next server is not a correct user identity for the next server, identify servers in the set of identified servers that are downstream from a current server, forming a set of remaining servers, wherein the set of remaining servers includes the current server;

retrieve a user identity for each server in the set of remaining servers, wherein the user identity for each server in the set of remaining servers is linked to the user registry of the server, forming a set of new linked user identities;

determine whether each user identity in the set of new linked user identities matches the corresponding user identity in the set of user identities in the data structure; and

, responsive to a determination that a user identity in the set of new linked user identities does not match the corresponding user identity in the set of linked user identities, update the data structure to include the user identity from the set of new linked user identities.

19. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the processing unit executing the computer usable code to identify remaining servers for performing the business transaction, forming a set of identified servers comprises the processing unit executing the computer usable program code to retrieve a list of data processing systems associated with the business transaction from a data repository.

20. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the processing unit executing the computer usable code to retrieve a user identity for the next server of the set of identified servers from the data structure comprises the processing unit executing the computer usable program code to identify the user registry for the next server in the set of identified servers, to form a next registry;

and to select the user identity in the data structure linked to the next registry.