Data exchange technology

• US 9,059,894 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2012
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Saraswat, Saurabh, Deshmukh, Kirti, Krishnamurthy, Venkatesh Nelamangala, Wang, Alex, Shastri, Naresh Kumar, Balakrishnan, Arunkumar, Busch, Eckard, Bante, Sonal
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoffman, Brandon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woldemariam, Nega
• Application Number:
  US13/598,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20130173918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 726/4, 726/6, 726/9, 726/12, 713/1.167, 713/168, 713/169, 709/238, 709/223, 709/224, 709/248, 709/203, 709/208
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/02 Standardisation; Integration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5064 Customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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

Abstract

A data exchange adaptor that synchronizes data between an enterprise system operated by a company and a cloud-based system operated by a third party other than the company. The data exchange adaptor enables exchange of data between the enterprise system and the cloud-based system and controls storage and retrieval of data at the enterprise system and the cloud-based system. The data exchange adaptor also performs transport level security for communications that exchange data between the enterprise system and the cloud-based system and access level security for data stored to the enterprise system and the cloud-based system. The data exchange adaptor further schedules synchronization of data between the enterprise system and the cloud-based system and allows the enterprise system to retain control over the synchronization of data between the enterprise system and the cloud-based system.

Claims

1. A data exchange adaptor that synchronizes data between a customer relationship management (CRM) system operated by a company and a cloud-based system operated by a third party other than the company, the CRM system being configured to provide a user interface for receipt of the data from a user, the cloud-based system being configured to store the data for the CRM system, and the data exchange adaptor comprising:

at least one communication module;

at least one data controller;

at least one authentication module;

a job scheduler that is operated by the CRM system;

one or more processors and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more processors, to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

causing the at least one communication module to exchange data between the CRM system operated by the company and the cloud-based system operated by the third party;

causing the at least one data controller to extract data from the at least one communication module and control storage and retrieval of data at the CRM system and the cloud-based system;

causing the at least one authentication module to perform transport level security for communications that exchange data between the CRM system and the cloud-based system and access level security for data stored to the CRM system and the cloud-based system; and

causing the job scheduler to control the at least one communication module, the at least one data controller, and the at least one authentication module to schedule synchronization of data between the CRM system and the cloud-based system, including triggering reverse synchronization from the cloud-based system to the CRM system, and allow the CRM system to retain control over the synchronization of data between the CRM system and the cloud-based system such that reverse synchronization from the cloud-based system to the CRM system is always triggered by the CRM system sending a reverse synchronization message to the cloud-based system.

2. The data exchange adaptor of claim 1 wherein the operations comprise:

causing the at least one communication module to exchange calendar data between the CRM system operated by the company and the cloud-based system operated by the third party;

causing the at least one data controller to extract calendar data from the at least one communication module and control storage and retrieval of calendar data at the CRM system and the cloud-based system; and

causing the job scheduler to schedule synchronization of calendar data between the CRM system and the cloud-based system such that a calendar maintained by the CRM system is synchronized with a calendar maintained by the cloud-based system.

3. The data exchange adaptor of claim 1 wherein the operations comprise:

causing the at least one communication module to exchange contact data between the CRM system operated by the company and the cloud-based system operated by the third party;

causing the at least one data controller to extract contact data from the at least one communication module and control storage and retrieval of contact data at the CRM system and the cloud-based system; and

causing the job scheduler to schedule synchronization of contact data between the CRM system and the cloud-based system such that contacts maintained by the CRM system are synchronized with contacts maintained by the cloud-based system.

4. The data exchange adaptor of claim 1 wherein the operations comprise:

causing the at least one communication module to exchange task data between the CRM system operated by the company and the cloud-based system operated by the third party;

causing the at least one data controller to extract task data from the at least one communication module and control storage and retrieval of task data at the CRM system and the cloud-based system; and

causing the job scheduler to schedule synchronization of task data between the CRM system and the cloud-based system such that tasks maintained by the CRM system are synchronized with tasks maintained by the cloud-based system.

5. The data exchange adaptor of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one communication module comprises at least one web service module; and

the operations comprise causing the web service module to exchange web-based requests and responses between the CRM system operated by the company and the cloud-based system operated by the third party.

6. The data exchange adaptor of claim 5, wherein the at least one web service module comprises:

a first web service operated on the CRM system; and

a second web service operated on the cloud-based system,

wherein the operations comprise causing the first web service operated on the CRM system and the second web service operated on the cloud-based system to exchange web-based requests and responses with each other.

7. The data exchange adaptor of claim 6:

wherein the first web service operated on the CRM system is a consumer web service operated on the CRM system; and

wherein the second web service operated on the cloud-based system is a producer web service operated on the cloud-based system.

8. The data exchange adaptor of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise causing the job scheduler to periodically initiate a synchronization process after a particular period of time has passed since a most recent synchronization process.

9. The data exchange adaptor of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise causing the job scheduler to initiate a synchronization process based on user input received to perform synchronization.

10. The data exchange adaptor of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise causing the job scheduler to initiate a synchronization process based on a change to data maintained by the CRM system.

11. The data exchange adaptor of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one data controller comprises;

a first data controller operated on the CRM system; and

a second data controller operated on the cloud-based system; and

the operations comprise;

causing the first data controller to control storage and retrieval of data at the CRM system; and

causing the second data controller to control storage and retrieval of data at the cloud-based system.

12. The data exchange adaptor of claim 11 wherein:

the first data controller comprises;

a web-based user interface,

a first data injector,

a first data extractor,

first exception handler, and

a first logging component;

the second data controller comprises;

a service manager,

a second data injector,

a second data extractor,

a second exception handle, and

a second logging component; and

the operations comprise;

causing the web-based user interface to enable selection and deselection of synchronization options and manual triggering of synchronization,

causing the first data injector to update data received from the cloud-based system to the CRM system,

causing the first data extractor to extract data from the CRM system and forward the extracted data to the cloud-based system for synchronization,

causing the first exception handler to check on a variety of exceptions and errors received while synchronization is in process,

causing the first logging component to log events on a periodic basis;

causing the service manager to provide a controller service to access various services in the cloud-based system,

causing the second data injector to update data received from the CRM system to the cloud-based system,

causing the second data extractor to extract data from the cloud-based system and forward the extracted data to the CRM system for synchronization,

causing the second exception handler to check on a variety of exceptions and errors received while synchronization is in process, and

causing the second logging component to log events on a periodic basis.

13. The data exchange adaptor of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise causing the at least one authentication module to use a two-legged authentication mechanism to perform create, read, update, and delete operations in the cloud-based system.

14. The data exchange adaptor of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise causing the at least one authentication module to:

determine whether a consumer key and a secret for a domain are present for a requested operation;

based on a determination that a consumer key or a secret for the domain are absent for the requested operation, decline the requested operation and provide an indication that no update operation will be performed;

based on a determination that a consumer key and a secret for the domain are present for the requested operation, use a two-legged authentication process to authorize the consumer key and the secret for the domain; and

based on authorizing the consumer key and the secret for the domain, make a subsequent request to perform the requested operation.

15. The data exchange adaptor of claim 1:

wherein the at least one communication module comprises a first web service operated on the CRM system and a second web service operated on the cloud-based system;

wherein the at least one authentication module comprises a first encryption mechanism operated on the CRM system and a second encryption mechanism operated on the cloud-based system;

wherein the at least one data controller comprises a cloud data controller operated on the cloud-based system; and

wherein the operations comprise;

causing the first web service to access data stored by the CRM system, initiate the first encryption mechanism, and provide a request/response object to the first encryption mechanism;

causing the first encryption mechanism to encrypt a system provided key, add the system provided key to the request/response object, and provide an updated version of the request/response object to the first web service;

causing the first web service to send the updated version of the request/response object to the second web service;

causing the second web service to receive the updated version of the request/response object and provide the updated version of the request/response object to the second encryption mechanism;

causing the second encryption mechanism to segregate the encrypted key from the updated version of the request/response object, validate the segregated key against a reference key provided to the cloud-based system in advance, and forward the validated request/response object to the second web service for further processing;

causing the second web service to forward the validated request/response object to the cloud data controller; and

causing the cloud data controller to perform a data synchronization operation based on the validated request/response object.

16. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

exchanging data between a customer relationship management (CRM) system operated by a company and a cloud-based system operated by a third party other than the company, the CRM system being configured to provide a user interface for receipt of the data from a user and the cloud-based system being configured to store the data for the CRM system;

controlling storage and retrieval of data at the CRM system and the cloud-based system;

performing transport level security for communications that exchange data between the CRM system and the cloud-based system and access level security for data stored to the CRM system and the cloud-based system; and

scheduling synchronization of data between the CRM system and the cloud-based system, including triggering reverse synchronization from the cloud-based system to the CRM system, in a manner that allows the CRM system to retain control over the synchronization of data between the CRM system and the cloud-based system such that reverse synchronization from the cloud-based system to the CRM system is always triggered by the CRM system sending a reverse synchronization message to the cloud-based system.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 the operations comprising:

enabling, using a web-based user interface included in the CRM system, selection and deselection of synchronization options and manual triggering of synchronization,

updating, using a first data injector included in the CRM system, data received from the cloud-based system to the CRM system,

extracting, using a first data extractor that is operated by the CRM system, data from the CRM system and forwarding the extracted data to the cloud-based system for synchronization,

checking, using a first exception handler that is operated by the CRM system, a variety of exceptions and errors received while synchronization is in process,

logging, using a first logging component that is operated by the CRM system, events on a periodic basis;

providing, using a service manager that is operated by the cloud-based system, controller service to access various services in the cloud-based system,

updating, using a second data injector that is operated by the cloud-based system, data received from the CRM system to the cloud-based system,

extracting, using a second data extractor that is operated by the cloud-based system, data from the cloud-based system and forwarding the extracted data to the CRM system for synchronization,

checking, using a second exception handler that is operated by the cloud-based system, a variety of exceptions and errors received while synchronization is in process, and

logging, using a second logging component that is operated by the cloud-based system, events on a periodic basis.

17. A method comprising:

using at least one communication module to exchange data between a customer relationship management (CRM) system operated by a company and a cloud-based system operated by a third party other than the company, the CRM system being configured to provide a user interface for receipt of the data from a user and the cloud-based system being configured to store the data for the CRM system;

using at least one data controller to extract data from the at least one communication module and control storage and retrieval of data at the CRM system and the cloud-based system;

using at least one authentication module to perform transport level security for communications that exchange data between the CRM system and the cloud-based system and access level security for data stored to the CRM system and the cloud-based system; and

using a job scheduler that is operated by the CRM system to schedule synchronization of data between the CRM system and the cloud-based system, including triggering reverse synchronization from the cloud-based system to the CRM system, and allow the CRM system to retain control over the synchronization of data between the CRM system and the cloud-based system such that reverse synchronization from the cloud-based system to the CRM system is always triggered by the CRM system sending a reverse synchronization message to the cloud-based system.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising:

using a web-based user interface that is operated by the CRM system to enable selection and deselection of synchronization options and manual triggering of synchronization,

using a first data injector that is operated by the CRM system to update data received from the cloud-based system to the CRM system,

using a second data extractor that is operated by the CRM system to extract data from the CRM system and forward the extracted data to the cloud-based system for synchronization,

using a first exception handler that is operated by the CRM system to check on a variety of exceptions and errors received while synchronization is in process,

using a first logging component that is operated by the CRM system to log events on a periodic basis;

using a service manager that is operated by the cloud-based system to provide controller service to access various services in the cloud-based system,

using a second data injector that is operated by the cloud-based system to update data received from the CRM system to the cloud-based system,

using a second data extractor that is operated by the cloud-based system to extract data from the cloud-based system and forwarding the extracted data to the CRM system for synchronization,

using a second exception handler that is operated by the cloud-based system to check on a variety of exceptions and errors received while synchronization is in process, and

using a second logging component that is operated by the cloud-based system to log events on a periodic basis.