Employing local data stores to maintain data during workflows

• US 7,114,037 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Agarwal, Sachin, Remahl, Thomas, Teng, Joan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hiep T.
• Application Number:
  US10/345,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20040010665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 711/143, 711/154
• US Class Current: 711/143
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Technology is disclosed for limiting the number of central data store accesses required when performing a series of steps, such as a workflow. A local data store is coupled between a central data store and a system carrying out a workflow. Alternatively, a Transfer Engine is coupled between the local data store and the central data store to transfer data between the local data store and central data store. The Transfer Engine allows the data formats in the central data store and local data store to be independent of each other. During a workflow step, the system stores attributes related to the workflow in the local data store—updating modified attribute values and creating entries for newly added attributes. The system determines whether any attributes in the central data store need to be updated with attribute information from the local data store. The system only updates the central data store with local data store attribute values for new and modified attributes when necessary—avoiding central data store updates after every workflow step.

Claims

1. A method of limiting central data store access during a workflow, comprising the steps of:

(a) performing a function in a step of a workflow using information related to said workflow in a local data store; and

(b) determining whether to update the central data store with information related to said workflow after performing said step (a) wherein determining whether to update the central data store is based on one or more entries in the information related to the workflow in the local data store.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein it is determined in said step (b) to update said central data store if said workflow is complete.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein it is determined in said step (b) to update said central data store if said workflow fails.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein it is determined in said step (b) to update said central data store if an entity not performing said step (a) requires access to said information related to said workflow.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step (b) is performed prior to performing another step in said workflow.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said method further includes the step of:

(c) updating a local data store with said information after performing said step (a).

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said step (c) includes the step of:

(1) updating at least one attribute entry in said local data store.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein said step (c) includes the steps of:

(2) selecting an attribute entry in said local data store; and

(3) updating said attribute entry.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said step (c)(3) includes the step of:

(i) storing an Attribute Value in said attribute entry.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said step (c)(3) includes the step

(ii) storing an Attribute State in said attribute entry.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said step (c )(3) includes the step of:

(iii) storing an Attribute Name in said attribute entry.

12. A method according to claim 8, wherein said step (c) includes the step of:

(4) determining whether to rollback an attribute associated with said attribute entry.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein it is determined to rollback said attribute in said step (c)(4) and said method includes the step of:

(5) retrieving a rollback value from a second attribute entry in said local data store,

wherein said step (c)(3) includes the step of;

(i) storing said rollback value in said attribute entry.

14. A method according to claim 6, wherein said method includes the step of:

(d) updating said central data store with said information related to said workflow after performing said step (c), if it is determined in said step (b) to update said central data store.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said step (d) includes the step of:

(1) selecting an attribute entry in said local data store; and

(2) updating said central data store with information from said attribute entry selected in said step (d)(1).

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein said step (d) includes the step of:

(3) selecting an attribute entry in said local data store; and

(4) updating said central data store with information from said attribute entry selected in said step (d)(3), if said attribute entry does not have an Attribute State of Not Modified.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein said step (d)(4) includes the step of:

(i) adding an attribute to said central data store, if said attribute entry has an Attribute State of Added.

18. A method according to claim 16, wherein said step (d)(4) includes the step of:

(ii) modifying a value for an attribute in said central data store, if said attribute entry has an Attribute State of Modified.

19. A method according to claim 6, wherein said central data store is not updated with said information related to said workflow if it is determined in said step (b) not to update said central data store.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein said method is performed as part of an Identity System.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein said method is performed as part of an Access System.

22. A method according to claim 1, wherein said method is performed as part of an integrated Identity/Access System.

23. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said one or more processor readable storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method comprising the steps of:

(a) performing a function in a step of a workflow using information related to said workflow in a local data store; and

(b) determining whether to update the central data store with information related to said workflow after performing said step (a) wherein determining whether to update the central data store is based on one or more entries in the information related to the workflow in the local data store.

24. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 23, wherein said step (b) is performed prior to performing another step in said workflow.

25. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 23, wherein said method includes the step of:

(c) updating a local data store with said information related to said workflow after performing said step (a).

26. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 25, wherein said step (c) includes the step of:

(1) updating at least one attribute entry in said local data store.

27. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 25, wherein said step (c) includes the steps of:

(2) selecting an attribute entry in said local data store; and

(3) updating said attribute entry.

28. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 27, wherein said step (c )(3) includes the steps of:

(i) storing an Attribute Value in said attribute entry; and

(ii) storing an Attribute State in said attribute entry.

29. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 27, wherein said step (c) includes the step of:

(4) retrieving a rollback value from a second attribute entry in said local data store,

wherein said step (c)(3) includes the step of;

(i) storing said rollback value in said attribute entry.

30. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 25, wherein said method includes the step of:

(d) updating said central data store with said information related to said workflow after performing said step (c), if it is determined in said step (b) to update said central data store.

31. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 30, wherein said step (d) includes the step of:

(1) selecting an attribute entry in said local data store; and

(2) updating said central data store with information from said attribute entry selected in said step (d)(1), if said attribute entry does not have an Attribute State of Not Modified.

32. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 25, wherein said central data store is not updated with said information related to said workflow if it is determined in said step (b) not to update said central data store.

33. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 23, wherein said method is performed as part of an Identity System.

34. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 23, wherein said method is performed as part of an Access System.

35. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more storage devices; and

one or more processors in communication with said one or more storage devices, said one or more processors performing a method comprising the steps of;

(a) performing a function in a step of a workflow using information related to said workflow in a local data store; and

(b) determining whether to update the central data store with information related to said workflow after performing said step (a) wherein determining whether to update the central data store is based on one or more entries in the information related to the workflow in the local data store.

36. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said method includes the step of:

(c) updating a local data store with said information related to said workflow after performing said step (a).

37. An apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said step (c) includes the steps of:

(1) selecting an attribute entry in said local data store; and

(2) updating said attribute entry.

38. An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said step (c)(2) includes the steps of:

(i) storing an Attribute Value in said attribute entry; and

(ii) storing an Attribute State in said attribute entry.

39. An apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said method includes the step of:

(d) updating said central data store with said information related to said workflow after performing said step (c), if it is determined in said step (b) to update said central data store.

40. An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said step (d) includes the steps of:

(1) selecting an attribute entry in said local data store; and

(2) updating said central data store with information from said attribute entry selected in said step (d)(1).

41. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said method is performed as part of an Identity System.

42. A method of limiting central data store access during a workflow, comprising the steps of:

(a) performing a first step of a series of steps, wherein said first step causes an attribute related to said series of steps to be Modified;

(b) updating an entry corresponding to said attribute in a local data store to reflect a modification of said attribute made during said first step; and

(c) performing a second step in said series of steps after performing said step (b), wherein an entry corresponding to said attribute in a central data store is not updated to reflect said modification of said attribute prior to performing said step (c).

43. A method according to claim 42, wherein said method includes the steps of:

(d) determining to update said central data store after said step (c) is performed; and

(e) updating said central data store with information from said entry corresponding to said attribute in said local data store.

44. A method according to claim 43, wherein said step (e) includes the step of:

(1) transferring an Attribute Value in said entry corresponding to said attribute in said local data store into said entry corresponding to said attribute in said central data store.

45. A method according to claim 44, wherein said series of steps is a workflow.

46. A method according to claim 42, wherein said method is performed as part of an Identity System.

47. A method according to claim 42, wherein said method is performed as part of an Access System.

48. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said one or more processor readable storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method comprising the steps of:

(a) performing a first step of a series of steps, wherein said first step causes an attribute related to said series of steps to be Modified;

(b) updating an entry corresponding to said attribute in a local data store to reflect a modification of said attribute made during said first step; and

(c) performing a second step in said series of steps after performing said step (b), wherein an entry corresponding to said attribute in a central data store is not updated to reflect said modification of said attribute prior to performing said step (c).

49. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 48, wherein said method includes the steps of:

(d) determining to update said central data store after said step (c) is performed; and

(e) updating said central data store with information from said entry corresponding to said attribute in said local data store.

50. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 49, wherein said step (e) includes the step of:

(1) transferring an Attribute Value in said entry corresponding to said attribute in said local data store into said entry corresponding to said attribute in said central data store.

51. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 50, wherein said series of steps is a workflow.

52. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 48, wherein said method is performed as part of an Identity System.

53. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more storage devices; and

one or more processors in communication with said one or more storage devices, said one or more processors performing a method comprising the steps of;

(a) performing a first step of a series of steps, wherein said first step causes an attribute related to said series of steps to be Modified;

(b) updating an entry corresponding to said attribute in a local data store to reflect a modification of said attribute made during said first step; and

(c) performing a second step in said series of steps after performing said step (b), wherein an entry corresponding to said attribute in a central data store is not updated to reflect said modification of said attribute prior to performing said step (c).

54. An apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said method includes the steps of:

(d) determining to update said central data store after said step (c) is performed; and

(e) updating said central data store with information from said entry corresponding to said attribute in said local data store.

55. An apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said method is performed as part of an Identity System.