Method, system and program product for establishing a data reporting and display communication over a network

• US 6,175,832 B1
• Filed: 05/11/1998
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Luzzi, Joseph, Zhu, Gengxin
• Primary Examiner(s): HOMERE, JEAN RAYMOND
• Application Number:
  US09/075,621
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/9, 707/102, 707/3, 395/200.33, 395/200.49, 395/200.53, 395/200.8, 709/203, 709/219, 709/223
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method system and program product for facilitating the transfer of data between a requesting computer and data repository over a computer network is disclosed herein. An interface is provided over the network to a requesting computer from a front-end server computer via a network communication session. Via the interface the requesting computer generates requests to the data repository to access the data stored therein. Requests are passed via a temporary data link from the requesting computer to a software-based bridge element which is continuously logically coupled to the data repository. The bridge accesses the requested data from the repository and sends the requested data to the requesting computer system. The communication session between the front-end server and the requesting computer may be terminated upon the sending of the interface to permit the server to service further requests.

Claims

1. In a computer network having a front-end server system for providing an interface package for enabling a requester computer system to access a remote and a bridge element for facilitating the transfer of information between said remote resource and said requester computer system, a method for providing access to said remote resource for said requester computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing said interface package to said requester system in a first communication session from said front-end server system to said requester computer system to enable access to said remote resource by said requester computer system;

establishing a second communication session between said requester computer system and said bridge element using said interface package said second communication session being independent of said front-end server;

receiving at said bridge element requests generated from said requestor computer system for said remote resource, said bridge element forwarding said requests via a third communication session to said remote resource; and

sending a response to said request from said remote resource through said bridge element to said requestor computer system.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said interface package includes an interface program which is executed at said requestor computer system.

3. A method according to claim 2 further including the steps of:

processing, via said interface program at said requestor computer system, said requests for said access to said remote resource by said requester computer system;

receiving said response to said requests at said requestor computer system via said second communication session; and

processing at said requestor computer system said received response to said request sent from said remote resource said response to said request being processed by said interface program to display said response to said request at said requester computer system.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said interface program includes a graphical user interface for generation of said requests for said access to said remote resource by said requestor computer system, and for displaying said received response to said request at said requestor computer system.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said first communication session between said front-end server system and said requester computer system is terminated upon said providing of said interface package from said front-end server system to said requester computer system.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said requester computer system is authenticated to receive said interface package from said front-end server system via said first communication session between front-end server system and said requestor computer system.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said requester computer system is authenticated for access to said remote resource through said first communication session between said front-end server system and said requester computer system.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said requests for said access to said remote resource may be generated by one or more of said requester computer systems and wherein said second communication session is established between each of said one or more requester computer systems and said bridge element for sending said response to said request therebetween.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein said third communication session between said bridge element and said remote resource remains open to serially send said response to said request from said remote resource through said bridge element to said one or more requester computer system over said second communication session.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein data stored in said remote resource corresponds to the performance of a monitored application program in a computer network.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein said bridge element comprises a program running in said remote resource.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein said remote resource includes a data repository.

13. A method according to claim 1 wherein said bridge element forwarding step comprises modifying said forwarded request.

14. In a computer network having a front-end server system for providing an interface package for enabling a requester computer system to access a remote resource and a bridge element for facilitating the transfer of information between said remote resource and said requestor computer system, an apparatus for providing access to said remote resource for said requestor computer system, the apparatus comprising:

means for providing said interface package to said requester system in a first communication session from said front-end server system to said requester computer system to enable access to said remote resource by said requestor computer system;

means for establishing a second communication session between said requestor computer system and said bridge element using said interface package, said second communication session being independent of said front-end server;

means for receiving at said bridge element requests generated from said requestor computer system for said remote resource, said bridge element forwarding said requests via a third communication session to said remote resource; and

means for sending a response to said request from said remote resource through said bridge element to said requestor computer system.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said interface package includes an interface program which is executed at said requestor computer system.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15 further including:

means for processing, via said interface program at said requestor computer system, said requests for said access to said remote resource by said requester computer system;

means for receiving said response to said requests at said requestor computer system via said second communication session, and

means for processing at said requestor computer system said received response to said request sent from said remote resource, said response to said request being processed by said interface program to display said response to said request at said requester computer system.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said interface program includes a graphical user interface for generation of said requests for said remote resource access by said requester computer system, and for displaying said received response at said requester computer system.

18. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said first communication session between said front-end server system and said requester computer system is terminated upon said providing of said interface package from said front-end server system to said requester computer system.

19. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said requester computer system is authenticated to receive said interface package from said front-end server system via said first communication session between said front-end server system and said requester computer system.

20. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said requester computer system is authenticated for access to said remote resource through said first communication session between said front-end server system and said requester computer system.

21. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said requests for said access to said remote resource may be generated by one or more of said requester computer systems and wherein said second communication session is established between each of said one or more requestor computer systems and said bridge element for sending said response to said request therebetween.

22. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said third communication session between said bridge element and said remote resource remains open to serially send said response to said request from said remote resource through said bridge element to said one or more requester computer system over said second communication session.

23. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein data stored in said remote resource corresponds to the performance of a monitored application program in a computer network.

24. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said bridge element comprises a program running in said remote resource.

25. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said remote resource includes a data repository.

26. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said bridge element comprises means for modifying said forwarded request during said forwarding of said requests via said third communication session.

27. In a computer network having a front-end server system for providing an interface package for enabling a requester computer system to access a remote resource and a bridge element for facilitating the transfer of information between said remote resource and said requestor computer system, a program storage device readable by a digital processing apparatus and tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by said digital processing apparatus to perform method steps for providing access to said remote resource for said requestor computer system, the method comprising:

providing said interface package to said requester system in a first communication session from said front-end server system to said requester computer system to enable access to said remote resource by said requester computer system;

establishing a second communication session between said requester computer system and said bridge element using said interface package, said second communication session being independent of said front-end server;

receiving at said bridge element requests generated from said requester computer system for said remote resource, said bridge element forwarding said requests via a third communication session to said remote resource; and

sending a response to said request from said remote resource through said bridge element to said requestor computer system.

28. A program storage device according to claim 27 wherein said interface package includes an interface program which is executed at said requester computer system.

29. A program storage device according to claim 28 further including the steps of:

processing, via said interface program at said requestor computer system, said requests for said access to said remote resource by said requestor computer system;

receiving said response to said requests at said requester computer system via said second communication session; and

processing at said requester computer system said received response to said request sent from said remote resource, said response to said request being processed by said interface program to display said response to said request at said requester computer system.

30. A program storage device according to claim 29 wherein said interface program includes a graphical user interface for generation of said requests for said access to said remote resource by said requester computer system, and for displaying said received response from said remote resource at said requester computer system.

31. A program storage device according to claim 27 wherein said first communication session between said front-end server system and said requestor computer system is terminated upon said providing of said interface package from said front-end server system to said requester computer system.

32. A program storage device to claim 27 wherein said requester computer system is authenticated to receive said interface package from said front-end server system via said first communication session between said front-end server system and said requester computer system.

33. A program storage device to claim 27 wherein said requester computer system is authenticated for access to said remote resource through said first communication session between said front-end server system and said requester computer system.

34. A program storage device according to claim 27 wherein said requests for said access to said remote resource may be generated by one or more of said requester computer systems and wherein said second communication session is established between each of said one or more requester computer systems and said bridge element for sending said response to said request therebetween.

35. A program storage device according to claim 27 wherein said third communication session between said bridge element and said remote resource remains open to serially send said response to said request from said remote resource through said bridge element to said one or more requester computer system over said second communication session.

36. A program storage device according to claim 27 wherein data stored in said remote resource corresponds to the performance of a monitored application program in a computer network.

37. A program storage device according to claim 27 wherein said bridge element comprises a program running in said remote resource.

38. A program storage device according to claim 27 wherein said remote resource includes a data repository.

39. A program storage device according to claim 27 wherein said bridge element forwarding step comprises modifying said forwarded request.