Managed services platform

• US 8,266,304 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2005
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: zvelo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: zvelo Incorporated
• Inventors: Hartman, Robert Charles, Dietrich, II, John Elton, Finn, Jeffrey James, Holm, Rodney Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazaro, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): HENRY, MARIEGEORGES A
• Application Number:
  US11/154,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20060021014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,644 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A managed services platform. An applications management server is provided for managing relationships with application service providers and other entities over a wide area network such as the Internet. The applications management server interfaces with a master database server and the servers of one or more application service providers, or other entities, to facilitate selection and deselection of applications, services, and capabilities that may be available for use by the information technology network of a company.

Claims

1. A system for managing software application subscriptions, the system comprising:

a plurality of software application providers, each configured to deliver at least one software application to a client;

a subscription management server in communication with the plurality of software application providers, the subscription management server configured to store at least an identifier for each of the at least one software applications; and

an application management server in communication with the subscription management server, the application management server positioned as an intermediary between the subscription management server and the client, and configured to request the subscription management server for client access to the at least one software application.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of software application providers is an application service provider.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of software application providers is a server-based application service provider.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of software application providers is a vendor-based application service provider.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of software application providers resides on a network shared with the subscription management server.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of software application providers is an open-source organization.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of software application providers is an organization that distributes open source applications.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the organization provides the at least one software application without any modifications.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the organization provides the at least one software application in combination with at least one additional software application.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one software application is modified, altered, supplemented or otherwise augmented by the organization.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein a single organization provides the subscription management server, the application management server, and the at least one software application.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the single organization receives the at least one software application from a third party.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the third party is an application services provider.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one software application is altered, modified, supplemented or otherwise augmented by the single organization.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of software application providers is an open-source vendor.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of organizations provide the subscription management server, the application management server, and the at least one software application.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the software application provider is adapted to deliver a single application.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the software application provider is adapted to deliver a plurality of software applications.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the software application provider is an enterprise application services provider.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the software application provider resides within a local area network.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the local area network is an end-user computer network.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the software application provider resides on a third party computer network.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the software application is distributed via a wide area network.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the wide area network is the world wide web.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the wide area network is a wireless network.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the wide area network is selected from the group consisting of a cable network, PCS/GSM, TDMA, CDMA, 3G, 802.xx, WLANS, WIFI, and WiMax.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the software application is distributed via a local area network.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the subscription management server and the application management server comprise one or more of a read only memory, a random access memory, a user interface, a central processing unit, a clock, an integrated circuit, and a communications port.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the client is an end-user of the at least one software application.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the client is the application management server.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the application management server provides the at least one software application to an end-user of the software application.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein the client is the subscription management server.

33. A machine implemented method for managing software application subscriptions, comprising:

accessing at least one of a plurality of software distribution providers, each software distribution provider configured to provide at least one software application to a client;

storing, at a subscription management server, an identifier for the at least one software application;

requesting, at an application management server, access to the at least one software application, wherein the application management server is positioned as an intermediary between the subscription management server and the client; and

providing the application management server access to the at least one software application through the subscription management server.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising modifying, altering, supplementing or otherwise augmenting the at least one software application prior to providing the application management server access to the at least one software application.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the software distribution provider is an application service provider.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the software distribution provider resides on a wide area network.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the software distribution provider resides on a local area network.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the software distribution provider is an open source organization.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the software distribution provider is an open source vendor.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein the software distribution provided is an organization that distributes open source applications.

41. The method of claim 33, wherein the software distribution provider resides on a network shared with the subscription management server.

42. The method of claim 33, wherein the subscription management server and the application management server comprise one or more of a read only memory, a random access memory, a user interface, a central processing unit, a clock, an integrated circuit, and a communications port.

43. A system for managing software application subscriptions, the system comprising:

a plurality of software application sources, each configured to deliver at least one software application to a client;

a subscription management server in communication with the plurality of software application sources, the subscription management server configured to store at least an identifier for the at least one software application; and

an application management server in communication with the subscription management server, the application management server positioned as an intermediary between the subscription management server and the client, and configured to request the subscription management server for client access to the at least one software application.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein at least one of the plurality of software application sources is configured to deliver the at least one software application to the subscription management server.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein at least one of the plurality of software application sources is configured to deliver the at least one software application to the application management server.

46. The system of claim 43, wherein at least one of the plurality of software application sources is configured to deliver the at least one software application to the subscription management server and the application management server.

47. The system of claim 43, wherein the at least one software application is altered, modified, supplemented, or otherwise augmented prior to providing the application management server access to the at least one software application.

48. The system of claim 43, wherein the client is an end-user of the at least one software application.

49. The system of claim 43, wherein the client is the application management server.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the application management server provides the at least one software application to an end-user of the software application.

51. The system of claim 43, wherein the client is the subscription management server.