Cloud database sharing

• US 8,615,528 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2011
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Shah, Ankur B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ehichioya, Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, ANHTAI V
• Application Number:
  US13/192,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20130031136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/783
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/20 of structured data, e.g. relational data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/278 Data partitioning, e.g. horizontal or vertical partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/28 Databases characterised by their database models, e.g. relational or object models
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product is provided achieving database sharing by providing an interface to contribute a database and a set of resources to a resource pool in a first cloud environment. The interface further allowing a user to input parameters identifying a database, a set of resources, a set of authorization credentials, and a sharing policy. The interface further comprising responsive to the user using the interface and providing the interface parameters which identify the database, the set of resources, the set of authorization credentials, and the sharing policy, adding the database, the set of resources, the set of authorization credentials, and the sharing policy to the database resource pool in the cloud environment, sharing the database, the set of resources, according to the sharing policy, and utilizing the set of authorization credentials.

Claims

1. A computer program product for achieving database sharing in a cloud, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable storage memory having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to provide an interface to contribute a database and a set of resources to a resource pool in cloud environment responsive to receiving input from a first user including parameters identifying the database, the set of resources, a set of authorization credentials and a sharing policy, wherein in the cloud environment a virtual machine of a first user in a first cloud provides access for the first user to a database and resources of the first user and a virtual machine of a second user in a second cloud provides an application for the second user, wherein authorization credentials include a relationship credential defining a predetermined relationship of a requester to the first user in a social network of the first user, wherein the sharing policy includes a policy of allowing use of the database and set of resources based on the relationship credential and wherein the computer readable program code is also configured for automatically allowing use of the database and set of resources by the second user responsive to the second user requesting access to the database and set of resources and the second user satisfying the relationship credential; and

computer readable program code configured to provide access for the second user to the first user'"'"'s database and set of resources when the database and set of resources are contributed to the resource pool by the first user, wherein the access for the second user includes access via a view by the second user'"'"'s virtual machine in the second cloud corresponding to a view of the first user'"'"'s database by the first user'"'"'s virtual machine in the first cloud.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program code is configured such that authentication and access to the database is controlled by cloud authentication.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program code is configured such that, responsive to a request for access to the database by the second user, applying the sharing policy, and responsive to the sharing policy allowing a change for the second user, updating the access permissions to the database for the second user.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein the computer readable program code is also configured for predetermined action based on a timeframe.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the computer readable program code is also configured to allow usage to the database based on a current usage of the database.

6. The computer program product according to claim 3, wherein the computer readable program code is also configured for predetermined action based on information in another database.

7. A method for achieving database sharing of an application in a cloud comprising:

providing an interface to contribute a database and a set of resources to a resource pool in a cloud environment responsive to receiving input from a first user including parameters identifying the database, the set of resources, a set of authorization credentials, and a sharing policy, wherein in the cloud environment a virtual machine of a first user in a first cloud provides access for the first user to a database and resources of the first user and a virtual machine of a second user in a second cloud provides an application for the second user, wherein receiving parameters identifying a set of authorization credentials includes receiving a relationship credential defining a predetermined relationship of a requester to the first user in a social network of the first user, wherein receiving parameters identifying a sharing policy includes receiving a sharing policy for allowing use of the database and set of resources based on the relationship credential and wherein the method further comprises;

automatically allowing use of the database and set of resources by the second user responsive to the second user requesting access to the database and set of resources and the second user satisfying the relationship credential; and

providing access for the second user to the first user'"'"'s database and set of resources when the database and set of resources are contributed to the resource pool by the first user, wherein the access for the second user includes access via a view by the second user'"'"'s virtual machine in the second cloud corresponding to a view of the first user'"'"'s database by the first user'"'"'s virtual machine in the first cloud.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

performing predetermined action based on a timeframe.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

responsive to a request for access to the database by the second user, applying the sharing policy, and responsive to the sharing policy allowing a change for the second user, updating the access permissions to the database for the second user.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

performing predetermined action based on information in another database.

11. A system for achieving database sharing of an application comprising:

a processor; and

computer readable program code, wherein when the computer readable program code is executed by the processor the system performs database sharing of an application, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to provide an interface to contribute a database and set of resources to a resource pool in a cloud environment responsive to receiving input from a first user, including parameters, identifying the database, the set of resources, a set of authorization credentials, and a sharing policy, wherein in the cloud environment a virtual machine of a first user in a first cloud provides access for the first user to a database and resources of the first user and a virtual machine of a second user in a second cloud provides an application for the second user, wherein the authorization credentials include a relationship credential defining a predetermined relationship of a requester to the first user in a social network of the first user, wherein the sharing policy includes a policy of allowing use of the database and set of resources based on the relationship credential and wherein the computer readable program code is also configured for automatically allowing use of the database and set of resources by the second user responsive to the second user requesting access to the database and set of resources and the second user satisfying the relationship credential; and

computer readable program code configured to provide access for the second user to the first user'"'"'s database and set of resources when the database and set of resources are contributed to the resource pool by the first user, wherein the access for the second user includes access via a view by the second user'"'"'s virtual machine in the second cloud corresponding to a view of the first user'"'"'s database by the first user'"'"'s virtual machine in the first cloud.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

the system is configured such that authentication and access to the first database is controlled by cloud authentication.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

the system is configured such that responsive to a request for access to the database by the second user, applying the sharing policy, and responsive to the sharing policy allowing a change for the second user, updating the access permissions to the database for the second user.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

the system configured to perform predetermined action based on a timeframe.