Configuring computer systems with business configuration information

• US 8,095,564 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2010
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Herzog, Wolfgang, Frenzel, Ulrich, Lang, Klaus-Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): WILSON, KIMBERLY LOVEL
• Application Number:
  US12/837,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20100281244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 707/793, 707/999.104, 715/747, 717/121
• US Class Current: 707/793
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A configuration server includes a configuration repository that stores a wide range of configuration information for possible use by application programs. The configuration repository may include configuration parameters, settings for the parameters, and meta-data of definitions and descriptions of the parameters. Configuration information is selected from the configuration repository and stored in a configuration directory for later use by application programs at runtime. The configuration information is accessed from the configuration directory when needed by an application program or a component thereof.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

storing a plurality of configuration information entries in a configuration repository, the configuration information entries including configuration data designed to customize software application programs, wherein the plurality of configuration information entries are stored in an XML format in the configuration repository;

receiving, at a computer system, user input indicating a context associated with operation of a particular software application program, wherein the context includes information indicating at least one data type associated with the particular software application program;

selecting, by the computer system and based on the context indicated by the user input, at least one configuration information entry from the plurality of configuration information entries stored in the configuration repository;

storing, in a configuration directory different from the configuration repository, the selected at least one configuration information entry in a database table format with which access to the selected at least one configuration information entry for a separate computing device running the particular software application program is faster than with the XML format; and

providing from the configuration directory, by the computer system, the selected at least one configuration information entry to the separate computing device running the particular software application program in response to a request for configuration information from the separate device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of configuration information entries are associated with at least one respective data type.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the at least one configuration information entry is selected based on a match between information associated with the at least one configuration information entry and the information indicating the at least one data type associated with the particular software application, as included in the context indicated by the user input.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of configuration information entries is organized in the configuration repository based on data type.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data type associated with the particular software application program comprises master data.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the master data comprises data that is created, revised, or deleted by the particular software application program.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the master data comprises a sales order object that is used as part of a business enterprise system.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the master data comprises a product object that is used as part of a business enterprise system.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the master data comprises an employee object that is used as part of a business enterprise system.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the master data comprises a customer object that is used as part of a business enterprise system.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the master data comprises a business partner object that is used as part of a business enterprise system.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data type associated with the software application program comprises business process data.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the business process data comprises information that controls how the particular software application functions.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request indicates a data type associated with the particular software application program running on the separate computing device;

and wherein selecting the at least one configuration information entry is based on the data type indicated by the request matching the information indicating the at least one data type associated with the at least one configuration information entry.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each configuration information entry includes (i) a configuration component available to be requested for a software application program and (ii) a configuration attribute and an associated attribute value that define terms for the software application program to apply to a business transaction of a business enterprise in an associated context.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising activating a stored process in the computer system that converts the at least one configuration information entry from the XML format to the database table format.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the configuration directory is stored separately from the particular software application program.

18. A computer-readable medium, in a machine-readable storage device, storing a computer program product, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, cause a configuration information handling component to perform operations comprising:

storing a plurality of configuration information entries in a configuration repository, the configuration information entries including configuration data designed to customize software application programs, wherein the plurality of configuration information entries are stored in an XML format in the configuration repository;

receiving user input indicating a context associated with operation of a particular software application program, wherein the context includes information indicating at least one data type associated with the particular software application program;

selecting, based on the context indicated by the user input, at least one configuration information entry from the plurality of configuration information entries stored in the configuration repository;

storing, in a configuration directory different from the configuration repository, the selected at least one configuration information entry in a database table format with which access to the selected at least one configuration information entry for a separate computing device running the particular software application program is faster than with the XML format; and

providing from the configuration directory the selected at least one configuration information entry to the separate computing device running the particular software application program in response to a request for configuration information from the separate device.

19. A computer system comprising:

a first computer system comprising a storage device comprising;

a configuration repository storing multiple entries of configuration information for a software application program, each entry designed for customizing the software application program for a specific situation and the software application program being designed to remotely request configuration information as needed, wherein the configuration repository organizes the multiple entries of configuration information based on information associated with at least one data type used by a software application, and wherein the multiple entries of configuration information entries stored in the configuration repository have an XML format;

a configuration directory different from the configuration repository, the configuration directory storing in a database table format at least a first configuration information entry selected from among the multiple entries of configuration information stored in the configuration repository based on a received user input indicating a context associated with operation of the software application program, wherein the context includes information indicating at least one data type associated with the particular software application program, the configuration directory being stored separately from the software application program, and wherein access to the selected first configuration information entry for a separate computing device running the software application program is faster than with the XML format;

a processing device, coupled to the storage device, for providing the selected first configuration information entry from the configuration directory to the software application program in response to a request; and

a second computer system that operates the software application program and that is remote from the first computer system, the software application program being configured to send, from the second computer system over a communications link to the first computer system, the request for the first configuration information entry.