Multiple vendor services oriented architecture (SOA) service requesting proxy

• US 10,673,973 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2018
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Baig, Mirza, Vargas, Juan F., Snitzer, Brian J., Zhao, Jun Li, Du, Yan, Chen, Li Long
• Primary Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US16/128,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20200084288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 709223, 709224, 709225, 709226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2866 Architectures; Arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/566 Grouping or aggregating service requests, e.g. for unified processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers

Abstract

A single service proxy for requesting services from multiple different service vendors with different communication protocols. In this way, a single communication protocol can be used by a service consuming entity to request various services, through the multiple vendor proxy, from various vendors, with the multiple vendor proxy converting the requests into the communication protocol (for example, syntax) appropriate for the vendor from whom the service is being requested on behalf of the service consuming entity.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a service requestor proxy system (SRPS), a service/vendor mapping data store including information indicative of;

(i) an identity of a first service-oriented architecture (SOA) service that is provided by a first vendor, and (ii) an identity of a second (SOA) service that is provided by a second vendor;

receiving a first SOA service request, from a first client device, over a communication network and by the SRPS, with the first service request being a request for performance of the first SOA service;

determining, by the SRPS, that the first vendor performs the first SOA service based upon the service/vendor mapping data store;

responsive to the determination that the first vendor performs the first SOA service, sending, by the SRPS, over the communication network and to a first vendor SOA performance system, a second SOA service request that requests performance of the first SOA service as a proxy on behalf of the first client device;

receiving a third SOA service request, from a second client device, over the communication network and by the SRPS, with the third SOA service request being a request for performance of the second SOA service;

determining, by the SRPS, that the second vendor performs the second SOA service based upon the service/vendor mapping data store; and

responsive to the determination that the second vendor performs the second SOA service, sending, by the SRPS, over the communication network and to a second vendor SOA performance system, a fourth SOA request that requests performance of the second SOA service as a proxy on behalf of the second client device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first client device is controlled by a first enterprise entity;

the second client device is controlled by the first enterprise entity;

the SRPS is controlled by a second enterprise entity;

the first vendor SOA performance system is controlled by a third enterprise entity; and

the second vendor SOA performance system is controlled by a fourth enterprise entity.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first client device is controlled by a first enterprise entity;

the second client device is controlled by the first enterprise entity;

the SRPS is controlled by the first enterprise entity;

the first vendor SOA performance system is controlled by a second enterprise entity; and

the second vendor SOA performance system is controlled by a third enterprise entity.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first client device is controlled by a first enterprise entity;

the second client device is controlled by a second enterprise entity;

the SRPS is controlled by a third enterprise entity;

the first vendor SOA performance system is controlled by a fourth enterprise entity; and

the second vendor SOA performance system is controlled by a fifth enterprise entity.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to receipt of the second SOA service request, performing, by the first vendor SOA service performance system, the first SOA service on behalf of the first client device; and

responsive to receipt of the fourth SOA service request, performing, by the second vendor SOA service performance system, the second SOA service on behalf of the second client device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein:

the performance of the first SOA service is carried out in a serviceless manner; and

the performance of the second SOA service is carried out in a serviceless manner.

7. A method comprising:

receiving, by a service requestor proxy system (SRPS), a service/vendor mapping data store including information indicative of;

(i) an identity of a first service-oriented architecture (SOA) service that is directly requested using a first communication protocol, and (ii) an identity of a second (SOA) service that is provided by a second communication protocol;

receiving a first SOA service request, from a first client device, over a communication network and by the SRPS, with the first SOA service request being formed and formatted according to a generic communication protocol, with the first service request being a request for performance of the first SOA service, and with the generic communication protocol being different from the first communication protocol;

determining, by the SRPS, that the first SOA service is to be directly requested in the first communication protocol based upon the service/vendor mapping data store;

converting, by the SRPS, the first SOA service request from the generic communication protocol to a second SOA service request for performance of the first SOA service, with the second SOA service being formed and formatted according to the first communication protocol;

sending, by the SRPS, over the communication network and to a first SOA performance system, the second SOA service request formed and formatted according to the first communication protocol;

receiving a third SOA service request, from a second client device, over a communication network and by the SRPS, with the third SOA service request being formed and formatted according to the generic communication protocol, with the third SOA service request being a request for performance of the second SOA service, and with the generic communication protocol being different from the second communication protocol;

determining, by the SRPS, that the third SOA service is to be directly requested in the second communication protocol based upon the service/vendor mapping data store;

converting, by the SRPS, the third SOA service request from the generic communication protocol to a fourth SOA service request for performance of the second SOA service, with the fourth SOA service being formed and formatted according to the second communication protocol; and

sending, by the SRPS, over the communication network and to a second SOA performance system, the fourth SOA service request formed and formatted according to the second communication protocol.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the second SOA performance system is the same as the first SOA performance system.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the second SOA performance system is different than the first SOA performance system.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the second client device is the same as the first client device.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the second client device is different than the first client device.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

responsive to receipt of the second SOA service request, performing, by the first vendor SOA service performance system, the first SOA service on behalf of the first client device; and

responsive to receipt of the fourth SOA service request, performing, by the second vendor SOA service performance system, the second SOA service on behalf of the second client device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the performance of the first SOA service is carried out in a serviceless manner; and

the performance of the second SOA service is carried out in a serviceless manner.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, by a service requestor proxy system (SRPS), a service/vendor mapping data store including information indicative of;

(i) an identity of a first service-oriented architecture (SOA) service that is directly requested from a first vendor using a first communication protocol, and (ii) an identity of a second (SOA) service that is provided by a second vendor a second communication protocol;

receiving a first SOA service request, from a first client device, over a communication network and by the SRPS, with the first SOA service request being formed and formatted according to a generic communication protocol, with the first service request being a request for performance of the first SOA service, and with the generic communication protocol being different from the first communication protocol;

determining, by the SRPS, that the first SOA service is to be directly requested in the first communication protocol based upon the service/vendor mapping data store;

determining, by the SRPS, that the first vendor performs the first SOA service based upon the service/vendor mapping data store;

converting, by the SRPS, the first SOA service request from the generic communication protocol to a second SOA service request for performance of the first SOA service, with the second SOA service being formed and formatted according to the first communication protocol;

responsive to the determination that the first vendor performs the first SOA service, sending, by the SRPS, over the communication network and to a first SOA performance system, the second SOA service request formed and formatted according to the first communication protocol;

receiving a third SOA service request, from a second client device, over a communication network and by the SRPS, with the third SOA service request being formed and formatted according to the generic communication protocol, with the third SOA service request being a request for performance of the second SOA service, and with the generic communication protocol being different from the second communication protocol;

determining, by the SRPS, that the third SOA service is to be directly requested in the second communication protocol based upon the service/vendor mapping data store;

converting, by the SRPS, the third SOA service request from the generic communication protocol to a fourth SOA service request for performance of the second SOA service, with the fourth SOA service being formed and formatted according to the second communication protocol;

determining, by the SRPS, that the second vendor performs the second SOA service based upon the service/vendor mapping data store; and

responsive to the determination that the second vendor performs the second SOA service, sending, by the SRPS, over the communication network and to a second SOA performance system, the fourth SOA service request formed and formatted according to the second communication protocol.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

responsive to receipt of the second SOA service request, performing, by the first vendor SOA service performance system, the first SOA service on behalf of the first client device; and

responsive to receipt of the fourth SOA service request, performing, by the second vendor SOA service performance system, the second SOA service on behalf of the second client device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein:

the performance of the first SOA service is carried out in a serviceless manner; and

the performance of the second SOA service is carried out in a serviceless manner.