Method and system for utilizing development components

• US 8,095,911 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Ronen, Benzi, Rostoker, Nir
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Cheneca
• Application Number:
  US11/396,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20070234291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,111 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/122
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

Methods, systems, and software for utilizing development components or other enterprise content—whether developed internally or by third parties—are described herein. One method for utilizing reusable development components includes presenting an interface to a remote user operable to display information for at least a first and a second development component. In some cases, the first development component is a first type of enterprise application content and the second development component of a second type of enterprise application content. The user is then allowed to update some portion of metadata associated with the first development component.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing reusable development components comprising:

presenting an interface to a remote user operable to display information for at least a first and a second development component, the first development component of a first type and the second development component of a second type;

allowing the user to update some portion of metadata associated with the first development for a new version of the first development component different from a prior version of the first development component, wherein allowing the user to update some portion of metadata comprises receiving a request from the user for customization of the first development component, and based on the request, updating a licensing agreement associated with the first development component by generating an appendix to the licensing agreement, presenting the appendix to the user for approval, and based on receiving approval from the user, adding the appendix to the licensing agreement; and

versioning the two versions of the first development component to determine a delta between the prior version and the new version, wherein determining the delta includes automatically determining a delta between the prior version and the new version and appending a summary of the delta to the metadata associated with the new version, the delta comprising a set of differences between the two versions,

wherein the first and second development components are associated with an enterprise software environment comprising a plurality of composite business applications, at least one of the composite business applications including an object access layer operable to exchange data with base systems of the enterprise software environment and provide a uniform interface for the business application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein allowing the user to update some portion of metadata comprises:

receiving the new version of the first development component; and

updating the metadata associated with the prior version to reflect publication of the new version.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein versioning the two versions comprises automatically versioning the two versions.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically notifying a plurality of authorized users of the new version.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically notifying a plurality of consultants of the customization request to facilitate a bidding process, at least one of the consultants being an internal resource.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically selecting a plurality of consultants for performing at least part of this customization request;

presenting at least a portion of the selected consultants to the user; and

notifying at least one of the presented consultants of the customization based on a selection by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, the interface comprising a multi-layered interface, the method further comprising presenting a preview of the first development component through a first layer of the interface, and wherein allowing the user to update some portion of metadata comprises receiving a request from the user for customization of the first development component via a second layer of the interface.

8. The method of claim 7, the user able to interactively add a graphical tag to the interface indicating the requested customization.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein allowing the user to update some portion of metadata comprises receiving feedback from the user on the first component via the interface, the feedback graphically linked with a particular portion of the component and the method further comprises presenting the feedback to a plurality of unrelated users.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to publish a new development component; and

identifying that the first development component is an existing prior version of the new development component, wherein the new development component is the new version of the first development component;

wherein allowing the user to update metadata associated with the first development component is in response to the received request.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the request includes the new development component, and identifying that the first development component is an existing version of the new development component includes searching a plurality of development components stored in at least one repository for a prior version of the new development component.

12. Apparatus comprising a non-transitory and tangible computer readable storage medium including instructions executable by at least one processor for utilizing reusable development components, the computer readable instructions operable when executed by the at least one processor to:

display information for at least a first and a second development component to a user via a user interface, the first development component of a first type and the second development component of a second type;

allow the user to update some portion of metadata associated with the first development component for a new version of the first development component different from a prior version of the first development component, wherein allowing the user to update some portion of metadata comprises receiving a request from the user for customization of the first development component, and based on the request, updating a licensing agreement associated with the first development component by generating an appendix to the licensing agreement, presenting the appendix to the user for approval, and based on receiving approval from the user, adding the appendix to the licensing agreement; and

version the two versions of the first development component to determine a delta between the prior version and the new version, wherein determining the delta includes automatically determining a delta between the prior version and the new version and appending a summary of the delta to the metadata associated with the new version, the delta comprising a set of differences between the two versions,

wherein the first and second development components are associated with an enterprise software environment comprising a plurality of composite business applications, at least one of the composite business applications including an object access layer operable to exchange data with base systems of the enterprise software environment and provide a uniform interface for the business application.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein allowing the user to update some portion of metadata comprises:

receiving the new version of the first development component; and

updating the metadata associated with the prior version to reflect publication of the new version.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein versioning the two versions comprises the software operable to automatically version the two versions.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further operable, when executed by the at least one processor to automatically notify a plurality of authorized users of the new version.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further operable, when executed by the at least one processor to automatically notify a plurality of consultants of the customization request to facilitate a bidding process, at least one of the consultants being an internal resource.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further operable, when executed by the at least one processor to:

automatically select a plurality of consultants for performing at least part of this customization request;

present at least a portion of the selected consultants to the user; and

notify at least one of the presented consultants of the customization based on a selection by the user.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, the interface comprising a multi-layered interface, the software further operable to present a preview of the first development component through a first layer of the interface, and wherein allowing the user to update some portion of metadata comprises receiving a request from the user for customization of the first development component via a second layer of the interface.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, the user able to interactively add a graphical tag to the interface indicating the requested customization.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein allowing the user to update some portion of metadata comprises the software operable to receive feedback from the user on the first component via the interface, the feedback graphically linked with a particular portion of the component and the method further comprises presenting the feedback to a plurality of unrelated users.