MANAGING CLOUD SERVICE WITH COMMUNITY INVITATIONS

• US 20140280932A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MEETRIX COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
• Original Assignee: MEETRIX COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
• Inventors: Braun, James, Dykstra, Jebb
• Granted Patent: US 9,071,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities

Abstract

An illustrative system for managing a plurality of cloud services that includes a first cloud service, a second cloud service, a relational database, a cloud management console, a global user profile, an invitation, and a synchronization module. Each cloud service includes an LDAP directory configured to manage end users accessing the corresponding cloud service. The relational database is communicatively coupled to each LDAP directory. The cloud management console manages the relational database, which identifies a maximum number of end users that can access each cloud service and an end date for accessing each cloud service. The global user profile is stored on the relational database. The invitation communicated from the cloud management console enables an end user to access the cloud service. The synchronization module enables the relational database to synchronize with each of the LDAP directories according to each end user'"'"'s accepted invitations.

Claims

1. A system for managing a plurality of cloud services, the system comprising:

a first cloud service including a first LDAP directory configured to manage end users'"'"' accessing the first cloud service;

a first per seat license to the first cloud service that includes a first upper limit of end users that can access the first cloud service and a first end date for the first per seat license;

a second cloud service including a second LDAP directory configured to manage users'"'"' access the second cloud service;

a second per seat license to the second cloud service that includes a second upper limit of end users that can access the second cloud service and a second end date for the second per seat license;

a database communicatively coupled to the first LDAP directory and the second LDAP directory;

a global user profile stored on the database, wherein the global user profile includes a plurality of data fields configured to be communicated to at least one of the first cloud service and the second cloud service;

an invitation communicated from at least one Administrator to an end user, wherein the invitation enables the end user to access at least one of the first cloud service and second cloud service, when the end user accepts the invitation; and

a synchronization module that enables the database to synchronize with each of the LDAP directories according to the end user'"'"'s accepted invitations to at least one of the first per seat license and the second per seat license.

2. The system for managing cloud services of claim 1 further comprising an Organizational Unit that is established by the Administrator, wherein the Organizational Unit includes a plurality of end users that have permission to access at least one of the first cloud service and the second cloud service.

3. The system for managing cloud services of claim 2 further comprising a cloud management console that enables the Administrator to control the database and the Organizational Unit so that the Administrator can communicate a plurality of invitations to the Organizational Unit.

4. The system for managing cloud services of claim 1 further comprising,

a first-tier Administrator that identifies a community and an upper limit of users that can belong to the community;

and

a second-tier Administrator that is selected by the first-tier Administrator, wherein the second-tier Administrator is capable of creating at least one Organizational Unit that is a subset of the end users within the community.

5. The system for managing cloud services of claim 4 wherein the second-tier Administrator communicates the invitation to each member of the Organizational Unit.

6. The system of managing cloud services of claim 1 wherein the accepted invitation triggers communicating the global user profile data fields stored on the database to at least one of the first LDAP directory and the second LDAP directory.

7. The system for managing cloud services of claim 1 further comprising enabling the Administrator to remove an end user from the community, when the end user does not accept the invitation communicated from the Administrator to the end user.

8. A system for managing a plurality of cloud services, the system comprising:

a first cloud service including a first LDAP directory configured to manage end users accessing the first cloud service;

a second cloud service including a second LDAP directory configured to manage users access the second cloud service;

a relational database communicatively coupled to the first LDAP directory for the first cloud service and the second LDAP directory for the second cloud service;

a cloud management console that manages the relational database, which identifies a maximum number of end users that can access each cloud service and an end date for accessing each cloud service;

a global user profile stored on the relational database, wherein the global user profile includes a plurality of data fields configured to be communicated to at least one of the first cloud service and the second cloud service;

an invitation communicated from the cloud management console, wherein the invitation is configured to receive an input that enables an end user to access at least one of the first cloud service and the second cloud service; and

a synchronization module that enables the relational database to synchronize with each of the LDAP directories according to each end user'"'"'s accepted invitations to at least one of a first per seat license and a second per seat license.

9. The system for managing cloud services of claim 8 further comprising an Organizational Unit that is established by an Administrator, wherein the Organizational Unit includes a plurality of end users that have permission to access at least one of the first cloud service and the second cloud service.

10. The system for managing cloud services of claim 9 wherein the cloud management console enables the Administrator to control the relational database and the Organizational Unit so that the Administrator can communicate a plurality of invitations to the Organizational Unit.

11. The system for managing cloud services of claim 8 further comprising,

a first-tier Administrator that identifies a community and an upper limit of users that can belong to the community;

and

a second-tier Administrator that is selected by the first-tier Administrator, wherein the second-tier Administrator is capable of creating at least one Organizational Unit that is a subset of the end users within the community.

12. The system for managing cloud services of claim 11 wherein the second-tier Administrator communicates the invitation to each member of the Organizational Unit.

13. The system for managing cloud services of claim 8 wherein the accepted invitation triggers communicating the global user profile data fields stored on the database to at least one of the first LDAP directory and the second LDAP directory.

14. The system for managing cloud services of claim 8 further comprising enabling the Administrator to remove an end user from the community, when the end user does not accept the invitation communicated from the Administrator to the end user.

15. A method of managing a plurality of cloud services for a plurality of end users, the method comprising:

communicating an invitation from a cloud management console to the plurality of end users, wherein the invitation is configured to receive a user input that enables an end user to access at least one of a first cloud service and a second cloud service;

managing end users'"'"' access to the first cloud service with a first LDAP directory that is associated with the first cloud service;

managing end users'"'"' access to the second cloud service with a second LDAP directory that is associated with the second cloud service;

enabling a relational database to be communicatively coupled to the first LDAP directory for the first cloud service and the second LDAP directory for the second cloud service;

controlling the relational database from the cloud management console, which identifies a maximum number of end users that can access each cloud service and an end date for accessing each cloud service;

storing a global user profile on the relational database, wherein the global user profile includes a plurality of data fields configured to be communicated to at least one of the first cloud service and the second cloud service;

synchronizing the relational database with each of the LDAP directories according to end users accepted invitations to at least one of a first per seat license and a second per seat license.

16. The method of managing cloud services of claim 15 further comprising establishing an Organizational Unit that includes a plurality of end users that have permission to access at least one of the first cloud service and the second cloud service, wherein the Organizational Unit is set up by an Administrator.

17. The method of managing cloud services of claim 16 wherein the cloud management console enables the Administrator to control the relational database and the Organizational Unit so the Administrator can communicate a plurality of invitations to the Organizational Unit.

18. The method of managing cloud services of claim 15 further comprising,

enabling a first-tier Administrator to identify a community and an upper limit of users that can belong to the community;

and

selecting a second-tier Administrator that is capable of creating at least one Organizational Unit that is a subset of the end users within the community.

19. The method of managing cloud services of claim 18 wherein the second-tier Administrator communicates the invitations to the Organizational Unit.

20. The method of managing cloud services of claim 15 further comprising communicating the global user profile data fields stored on the database to at least one of the first LDAP directory and the second LDAP directory, when the invitation is accepted by the end user.