Linking framework for information technology management

• US 9,286,368 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2012
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Sanghvi, Ashvinkumar J., Zizys, Giedrius, Onalan, Bahadir Baris, Hutchison, Robert T., Sharma, Pritam K., Ge, David W., Roth, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US13/466,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20120221605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation

Abstract

A data synchronization task is received at a console, wherein the data synchronization task is associated with information technology management. A configuration document is configured using the data synchronization task, wherein the configuration document defines data synchronization through declarations. A linking framework is configured based on the configuration document. Data is synchronized from a first and second source to a target as defined by the configuration document.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

at least one processor;

memory coupled to the at least one processor;

an inbound workflow implemented at least in part by the at least one processor and via which at least one import connector is configured as described by a configuration document;

an outbound workflow implemented at least in part by the at least one processor and via which an export connector is configured as described by the configuration document;

the at least one import connector configured to import, as defined by the configuration document, data;

the export connector configured to retrieve, as defined by the configuration document, the imported data;

at least one transform module of the export connector configured to transform, as defined by the configuration document, the retrieved data from formats of the imported data to a format associated with a target;

a join module of the export connector configured to join, as defined by the configuration document, the transformed data; and

a conflict module of the export connector configured to perform, as defined by the configuration document, conflict resolution on the joined data, where the conflict resolution comprises reconciling any conflicts between the data imported by each of the at least one import connector, and where the conflict-resolved data can be traced back to a source.

2. The computing device of claim 1 where the at least one import connector includes a trigger configured to indicate when the at least one input connector is to import at least a portion of the data from a corresponding source.

3. The computing device of claim 1 where the at least one transform module is configured to transform the retrieved data as required by the target.

4. The computing device of claim 1 where the at least one transform module is further configured to transform the retrieved data to conform to a common schema.

5. The computing device of claim 1 where the join module is configured to join the transformed data after waiting for the transformed data to become available from each of the at least one transform module.

6. A method performed on a computing device, the method comprising:

configuring, via an inbound workflow, at least one import connector as described by a configuration document;

configuring, via an outbound workflow, an export connector as described by a configuration document;

importing, via the at least one import connector as defined by the configuration document, data;

retrieving, via the export connector as defined by the configuration document, the imported data;

transforming, as defined by the configuration document, the retrieved data from formats of the imported data to a format associated with a target;

joining, as defined by the configuration document, the transformed data; and

performing, as defined by the configuration document, conflict resolution on the joined data, where the conflict resolution comprises reconciling any conflicts between the data imported by each of the at least one import connector, and where the conflict-resolved data can be traced back to a source.

7. The method of claim 6 where the at least one import connector includes a trigger configured for indicating when the at least one input connector is to import at least a portion of the data from a corresponding source.

8. The method of claim 6 where the export connector comprises a transform module configured for performing the transforming, a join module configured for performing the joining, and a conflict module configured for performing the conflict resolution.

9. The method of claim 6 where the transforming comprises conforming the imported data to a common schema.

10. The method of claim 6 where the joining comprises waiting for at least a portion of the data to become available for the importing and transforming.

11. At least one memory storage device storing computer-executable instructions that, based on execution by a computing device that comprises memory, configure the computing device to perform actions comprising:

configuring, via an inbound workflow, at least one import connector as described by a configuration document;

configuring, via an outbound workflow, an export connector as described by a configuration document;

importing, via the at least one import connector as defined by the configuration document, data into the memory;

retrieving, via the export connector as defined by the configuration document, the imported data;

transforming, as defined by the configuration document, the retrieved data from formats of the imported data to a format associated with a target;

joining, as defined by the configuration document, the transformed data; and

performing, as defined by the configuration document, conflict resolution on the joined data, where the conflict resolution comprises reconciling any conflicts between the data imported by each of the at least one import connector, and where the conflict-resolved data can be traced back to a source.

12. The at least one memory storage device of claim 11 where the at least one import connector includes a trigger configured for indicating when the at least one input connector is to import at least a portion of the data from a corresponding source.

13. The at least one memory storage device of claim 11 where the export connector comprises a transform module configured for performing the transforming, a join module configured for performing the joining, and a conflict module configured for performing the conflict resolution.

14. The at least one memory storage device of claim 11 where the transforming comprises conforming the imported data to a common schema.

15. The at least one memory storage device of claim 11 where the joining comprises waiting for at least a portion of the data to become available for the importing and transforming.