On-demand database service system, method and computer program product for conditionally allowing an application of an entity access to data of another entity

• US 8,140,576 B1
• Filed: 07/18/2008
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Viripaeff, Lexi, Mehra, Vinod, Warshavsky, Alex, Horne, Nate, Dapkus, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perveen, Rehana
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, THUY T
• Application Number:
  US12/176,026
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 707/781, 707/783, 707/785, 707/784
• US Class Current: 707/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24573 using data annotations, e.g. user-defined metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2147 Locking files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for conditionally allowing an application of an entity access to data of another entity in an on-demand database service. These mechanisms and methods for conditionally allowing an application of an entity access to data of another entity in an on-demand database service can enable embodiments to limit such access to the data, as desired. Furthermore, embodiments of such mechanisms and methods may provide additional security when sharing data among different subscribers to an on-demand database service.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a request from an application created by a first entity of an on-demand database service, the request including a request to access data of a second entity stored in a database of the on-demand database service;

determining, utilizing a hardware processor, whether the application is authorized to access the data of the second entity stored in the database of the on-demand database service using a plurality of data access limitations associated with the application and indicated in a profile;

conditionally allowing the access to the data of the second entity stored in the database of the on-demand database service, based on the determination;

receiving an update associated with the application; and

presenting the update to the second entity for acceptance by the second entity, and

conditionally allowing the access to the data of the second entity stored in the database of the on-demand database service utilizing the update, based on the acceptance;

wherein the profile indicating the data access limitations associated with the application is defined for a package including the data;

wherein the data access limitations grant the application created by the first entity access to the data of the second entity;

wherein the first entity and the second entity are different subscribers to the on-demand database service, such that the on-demand database service processes requests for each of the first entity and the second entity and stores information for each of the first entity and the second entity, and wherein the profile indicating the data access limitations granting the application created by the first entity access to the data of the second entity provides sharing with the first entity the data of the second entity that is stored in the database of the on-demand database service;

wherein the data access limitations are included with the application in the package;

wherein the package is installed by the second entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first entity and the second entity include different organizations.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first entity and the second entity include different divisions of a single organization.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the access to the data of the second entity stored in the database of the on-demand database service is subject to the data access limitations.

5. The method of claim 4, and further comprising presenting the data access limitations to the second entity for acceptance by the second entity, and conditionally allowing the access to the data of the second entity stored in the database of the on-demand database service, based on the acceptance.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data access limitations are determined by the second entity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data access limitations include a plurality of data access levels.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data access limitations include limitations on at least one type of the data of the second entity stored in the database of the on-demand database service that can be accessed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data access limitations include limitations on at least one action that may be performed on the data of the second entity stored in the database of the on-demand database service.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the application includes business logic.

11. The method of claim 1, and further comprising authenticating the application, and conditionally installing the application based on the authentication.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the application is served by the on-demand database service.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the on-demand database service includes a multi-tenant on-demand database service.

14. A non-transitory machine-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

receiving a request from an application created by a first entity of an on-demand database service, the request including a request to access data of a second entity stored in a database of the on-demand database service;

determining whether the application is authorized to access the data of the second entity stored in the database of the on-demand database service using a plurality of data access limitations associated with the application and indicated in a profile;

conditionally allowing the access to the data of the second entity stored in the database of the on-demand database service, based on the determination;

receiving an update associated with the application; and

presenting the update to the second entity for acceptance by the second entity, and conditionally allowing the access to the data of the second entity stored in the database of the on-demand database service utilizing the update, based on the acceptance;

wherein the profile indicating the data access limitations associated with the application is defined for a package including the data;

wherein the data access limitations grant the application created by the first entity access to the data of the second entity;

wherein the first entity and the second entity are different subscribers to the on-demand database service, such that the on-demand database service processes requests for each of the first entity and the second entity and stores information for each of the first entity and the second entity, and wherein the profile indicating the data access limitations granting the application created by the first entity access to the data of the second entity provides sharing with the first entity the data of the second entity that is stored in the database of the on-demand database service;

wherein the data access limitations are included with the application in the package;

wherein the package is installed by the second entity.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a hardware processor; and

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

receiving a request from an application created by a first entity of an on-demand database service, the request including a request to access data of a second entity stored in a database of the on-demand database service;

determining whether the application is authorized to access the data of the second entity stored in the database of the on-demand database service using a plurality of data access limitations associated with the application and indicated in a profile;

conditionally allowing the access to the data of the second entity stored in the database of the on-demand database service, based on the determination;

receiving an update associated with the application; and

presenting the update to the second entity for acceptance by the second entity, and conditionally allowing the access to the data of the second entity stored in the database of the on-demand database service utilizing the update, based on the acceptance;

wherein the profile indicating the data access limitations associated with the application is defined for a package including the data;

wherein the data access limitations grant the application created by the first entity access to the data of the second entity;

wherein the first entity and the second entity are different subscribers to the on-demand database service, such that the on-demand database service processes requests for each of the first entity and the second entity and stores information for each of the first entity and the second entity, and wherein the profile indicating the data access limitations granting the application created by the first entity access to the data of the second entity provides sharing with the first entity the data of the second entity that is stored in the database of the on-demand database service;

wherein the data access limitations are included with the application in the package;

wherein the package is installed by the second entity.

16. A method for transmitting code for use in a multi-tenant database system on a transmission medium, the method comprising:

transmitting code for receiving a request from an application created by a first entity of an on-demand database service, the request including a request to access data of a second entity stored in a database of the on-demand database service;

transmitting code, utilizing a hardware processor, for determining whether the application is authorized to access the data of the second entity stored in the database of the on-demand database service using a plurality of data access limitations associated with the application and indicated in a profile; and

transmitting code for conditionally allowing the access to the data of the second entity stored in the database of the on-demand database service, based on the determination;

transmitting code for receiving an update associated with the application; and

transmitting code for presenting the update to the second entity for acceptance by the second entity, and conditionally allowing the access to the data of the second entity stored in the database of the on-demand database service utilizing the update, based on the acceptance;

wherein the profile indicating the data access limitations associated with the application is defined for a package including the data;

wherein the data access limitations grant the application created by the first entity access to the data of the second entity;

wherein the first entity and the second entity are different subscribers to the on-demand database service, such that the on-demand database service processes requests for each of the first entity and the second entity and stores information for each of the first entity and the second entity, and wherein the profile indicating the data access limitations granting the application created by the first entity access to the data of the second entity provides sharing with the first entity the data of the second entity that is stored in the database of the on-demand database service;

wherein the data access limitations are included with the application in the package;

wherein the package is installed by the second entity.