Modernization of legacy application by reorganization of executable legacy tasks by role

• US 9,055,002 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2010
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ADVANCED BusinessLink Corporation
• Original Assignee: ADVANCED BusinessLink Corporation
• Inventors: Lategan, Christopher F.
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Meng
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rashid, Wissam
• Application Number:
  US12/914,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20110231851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/51 Source to source
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/52 Binary to binary
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/66 of program code stored in read-only memory [ROM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/72 Code refactoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/74 Reverse engineering; Extracting design information from source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/76 Adapting program code to run in a different environment; Porting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/448 Execution paradigms, e.g. implementations of programming paradigms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 : Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 : for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 : Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 : Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 67/141 : Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 : Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 : Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Methods, systems, and techniques for role-based modernization of legacy applications are provided. Example embodiments provide a Role-Based Modernization System (“RBMS”), which enables the reorganization of (menu-based) legacy applications by role as a method of modernization and enables user access to such modernized applications through roles. In addition the RBMS supports the ability to enhance such legacy applications by blending them with non-legacy tasks and functions in a user-transparent fashion. In one embodiment, the RBMS comprises a client-side javascript display and control module and a java applet host interface and a server-side emulation control services module. These components cooperate to uniformly present legacy and non-legacy tasks that have been reorganized according to role modernization techniques.

Claims

1. A computer-assisted method for modernizing a menu-driven legacy application having a plurality of tasks that are configured to be executed on a host computing system, comprising:

determining from the plurality of tasks of the menu-driven legacy application a plurality of executable legacy tasks that are configured to be executed on the host computing system;

reorganizing the determined plurality of executable legacy tasks by role by assigning one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks to each of a plurality of roles, each role comprising a definition of one or more users authorized to use the role to access the legacy application tasks and a set of identifiers of the one or more determined executable tasks assigned to the role;

storing the roles in a configuration data repository, such that when the configuration data repository is downloaded to a client computing system, the determined executable legacy tasks assigned to a role are made accessible to a user authorized to access the host computing system by that role;

under control of a client computing system, using at least one of the roles stored in the downloaded configuration data repository to directly access one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks assigned to the at least one of the roles, wherein using at least one of the roles to directly access one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks further comprises directly invoking the one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks without invoking menus of the legacy application; and

further modernizing at least one of the executable legacy tasks by supplementing the at least one of the executable legacy tasks with access to non-legacy functionality.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the using at least one of the roles to directly access one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks further comprises causing the one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks to execute in a terminal emulation session on the host computing system without a user opening the terminal emulation session.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of identifiers of the one or more determined executable legacy tasks assigned to the at least one of the roles is presented on a display of the client computing system using a role desktop metaphor.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving from a user authorized to access the at least one of the roles an indication to execute one of the executable legacy tasks indicated by the displayed set of indicators;

causing a corresponding task of the menu-driven legacy application to be executed on the host computing system; and

displaying an indicator of the corresponding task on the client computing system, such that a user can directly switch between displaying output of the corresponding task and displaying a role desktop.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the at least one of the roles to cause several of the executable legacy tasks assigned to the at least one of the roles to be executed on the host computing system;

presenting indicators to the output of the executing tasks; and

providing a mechanism for a user to switch between viewing each of the output of the executing tasks without opening or closing terminal emulator sessions on the client computing system.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the presenting the indicators to the output of the executing tasks is performed by presenting user interface controls usable to shift a task workspace area between the output of the executing tasks.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the plurality of executable tasks from the plurality of tasks of the menu-driven legacy application is performed by a computer application that harvests task data automatically from information regarding the menu-driven legacy application.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the information is information regarding the menu items of the menu-driven legacy application.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the non-legacy functionality is made to appear as part of the at least one of the executable legacy tasks.

10. A computing system, comprising:

a memory;

a computer processor;

a code module, stored in the memory and executed on the computer processor, configured to;

determine from the plurality of tasks of the menu-driven legacy application a plurality of executable legacy tasks that are configured to be executed on the host computing system;

reorganize the determined plurality of executable legacy tasks by role by assigning one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks to each of a plurality of roles, each role comprising a definition of one or more users authorized to use the role to access the legacy application tasks and a set of identifiers of the one or more determined executable legacy tasks assigned to the role;

store the roles in a configuration data repository, such that when the configuration data repository is downloaded to a client computing system, the determined executable legacy tasks assigned to a role are made accessible to a user authorized to access the host computing system by that role;

under control of a client computing system, use at least one of the roles stored in the downloaded configuration data repository to directly access one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks assigned to the at least one of the roles, wherein using at least one of the roles to directly access one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks further comprises directly invoking the one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks without invoking menus of the legacy application; and

further modernize at least one of the executable legacy tasks by supplementing the at least one of the executable legacy tasks with access to non-legacy functionality.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer processor to assist in modernizing a menu-driven legacy application having a plurality of tasks that are configured to be executed on a host computing system, using a method comprising:

determining from the plurality of tasks of the menu-driven legacy application a plurality of executable legacy tasks that are configured to be executed on the host computing system;

reorganizing the determined plurality of executable legacy tasks by role by assigning one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks to each of a plurality of roles, each role comprising a definition of one or more users authorized to use the role to access the legacy application tasks and a set of identifiers of the one or more determined executable legacy tasks assigned to the role;

storing the roles in a configuration data repository, such that when the configuration data repository is downloaded to a client computing system, the determined executable legacy tasks assigned to a role are made accessible to a user authorized to access the legacy application by that role;

under control of a client computing system, using at least one of the roles stored in the downloaded configuration data repository to directly access one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks assigned to the at least one of the roles, wherein using at least one of the roles to directly access one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks further comprises directly invoking the one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks without invoking menus of the legacy application; and

further modernizing at least one of the executable legacy tasks by supplementing the at least one of the executable legacy tasks with access to non-legacy functionality.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising content for enabling a computing system to facilitate modernizing a menu-driven legacy application having a plurality of tasks that are configured to be executed on a host computing system, by performing a method comprising:

determining from the plurality of tasks of the menu-driven legacy application a plurality of executable legacy tasks that are configured to be executed on the host computing system, wherein the determining the plurality of executable tasks from the plurality of tasks of the menu-driven legacy application is performed by a computer application that harvests task data automatically from information regarding the menu-driven legacy application;

reorganizing the determined plurality of executable legacy tasks by role by assigning one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks to each of a plurality of roles, each role comprising a definition of one or more users authorized to use the role to access the legacy application tasks and a set of identifiers of the one or more determined executable tasks assigned to the role;

storing the roles in a configuration data repository, such that when the configuration data repository is downloaded to the client computing system, the determined executable legacy tasks assigned to a role are made accessible to a user authorized to access the host computing system by that role;

under control of a client computing system, using at least one of the roles stored in the downloaded configuration data repository to directly access one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks assigned to the at least one of the roles; and

further modernizing at least one of the executable legacy tasks by supplementing the at least one of the executable legacy tasks with access to non-legacy functionality.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the computer readable medium is a memory of the computing system and wherein the contents are instructions stored on the memory that are configured to cause the computing system to perform the method.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the method further comprises directly invoking the one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks without invoking menus of the legacy application.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the set of identifiers of the one or more determined executable legacy tasks assigned to the at least one of the roles is presented on a display of the client computing system using a role desktop metaphor.

16. A computing system comprising:

a memory;

a computer processor;

a code module, stored in the memory and executed on the computer processor, configured to;

determine from the plurality of tasks of the menu-driven legacy application a plurality of executable legacy tasks that are configured to be executed on a host computing system, wherein the determining the plurality of executable tasks from the plurality of tasks of the menu-driven legacy application is performed by a computer application that harvests task data automatically from information regarding the menu-driven legacy application;

reorganize the determined plurality of executable legacy tasks by role by assigning one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks to each of a plurality of roles, each role comprising a definition of one or more users authorized to use the role to access the legacy application tasks and a set of identifiers of the one or more determined executable tasks assigned to the role;

store the roles in a configuration data repository, such that when the configuration data repository is downloaded to a client computing system, the determined executable legacy tasks assigned to a role are made accessible to a user authorized to access the host computing system by that role;

under control of a client computing system, use at least one of the roles stored in the downloaded configuration data repository to directly access one or more of the determined executable legacy tasks assigned to the at least one of the roles; and

further modernize at least one of the executable legacy tasks by supplementing the at least one of the executable legacy tasks with access to non-legacy functionality.

17. The computing system of claim 16 wherein the one or more executable tasks are executed in a session on the host computing system without opening a session on the client computing system.

18. The computing system of claim 16 wherein the one or more executable tasks are executed in one of a plurality of pooled sessions on the host computing system.

19. The computing system of claim 16 wherein the configuration data repository is downloaded upon a startup procedure of the client computing system triggered by navigation to a URL.