SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXPORTING, PUBLISHING, BROWSING AND INSTALLING ON-DEMAND APPLICATIONS IN A MULTI-TENANT DATABASE ENVIRONMENT

• US 20110196883A1
• Filed: 04/18/2011
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Bezar, Eric David, Brooks, David, Gross, Adam, Jasik, Benji, Wong, Simon, Chasman, Douglas, Tzuo, Tien, Tucker, Lewis Wiley, Hansma, Scott, Tamm, Steven, Mason, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 8,635,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/756
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/173 using an interconnection network, e.g. matrix, shuffle, pyramid, star, snowflake
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/176 Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/211 Schema design and management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/214 Database migration support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2329 using versioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24573 using data annotations, e.g. user-defined metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9566 URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/50 Circuit switching systems, i.e. systems in which the path is physically permanent during the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for creating, exporting, viewing and testing, and importing custom applications in a multi-tenant database environment. These mechanisms and methods can enable embodiments to provide a vehicle for sharing applications across organizational boundaries. The ability to share applications across organizational boundaries can enable tenants in a multi-tenant database system, for example, to easily and efficiently import and export, and thus share, applications with other tenants in the multi-tenant environment.

Claims

1. A computer-based method of sharing an application in a multi-tenant database environment, including a multi-tenant database that stores data and objects for a plurality of organizations, the method comprising:

storing a package comprising an object and a set of one or more dependent objects that are dependent upon said object, wherein said object and dependent objects are associated with a first organization;

storing a reference to the package in a directory, wherein the directory is accessible to a user in a second organization; and

allowing access to the package to the user in the second organization.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the reference to the package is a Universal Resource Locator (URL); and

selection of the URL provides the access to the package by the user in the second organization.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein after selection of the URL the package is instantiated into a database schema associated with the second organization.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a flag that indicates whether a particular dependent object can be altered by the user in the second organization.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising requiring a password before allowing the access to the package.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising prohibiting changes to the package while the user in the second organization is allowed access to the package.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the user in the second organization has been granted permission to import the package.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving mappings from certain references in the package to values of the second organization.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the package is stored in a database separate from the multi-tenant database.

10. A computer-readable storage medium containing code executable by a processor in a client device to share an application in a multi-tenant database environment that stores data and objects for multiple organizations, the code including instructions to:

store a package comprising an object and a set of one or more dependent objects that are dependent upon said object, wherein said object and dependent objects are associated with a first organization;

store a reference to the package in a directory, wherein the directory is accessible to a user in a second organization; and

allow access to the package to the user in the second organization.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the code further includes instructions to store a flag that indicates whether a particular dependent object can be altered by the user in the second organization.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the code further includes instructions to prohibit changes to the package while the user in the second organization is allowed access to the package.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the code further includes instructions to determine that the user in the second organization has been granted permission to import the package.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the code further includes instructions to receive mappings from certain references in the package to values of the second organization.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the code further includes instructions to store the package in a database separate from the multi-tenant database.

16. A computer system, comprising:

a database system that stores data and objects for multiple organizations;

a network interconnect; and

a client device with a processor that executes logic that is operable to control the database system to;

store a package comprising an object and a set of one or more dependent objects that are dependent upon said object, wherein said object and dependent objects are associated with a first organization; and

store a reference to the package in a directory, wherein the directory is accessible to a user in a second organization.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the reference to the package is a Universal Resource Locator (URL).

18. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the logic is further operable to control the database system to allow access to the package to the user in the second organization.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the logic is further operable to control the database system to store a flag that indicates whether a particular dependent object can be altered by the user in the second organization.

20. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the logic is further operable to control the database system to require a password before allowing the access to the package.

21. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the logic is further operable to control the database system to prohibit changes to the package while the user in the second organization is allowed access to the package.

22. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the logic is further operable to control the database system to determine that the user in the second organization has been granted permission to import the package.

23. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the logic is further operable to control the database system to receive mappings from certain references in the package to values of the second organization.