METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SHARING DATA BETWEEN SUBSCRIBERS OF A MULTI-TENANT DATABASE SERVICE

• US 20090030906A1
• Filed: 06/24/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Kuruganti, Aditya, Bhatt, Chaitanya, Doshi, Kedar
• Granted Patent: US 8,577,835 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for sharing data among subscribers of a multi-tenant database service. These mechanisms and methods for sharing data among subscribers of a multi-tenant database service can enable embodiments to providing controlled, limited sharing between the subscribers regardless of the physical location of the subscriber data. The ability of embodiments to provide such additional sharing capabilities may lead to more secure sharing of data within a multi-tenant on-demand database service.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

communicating a request to share data of a first subscriber of an on-demand database service with at least one second subscriber of the on-demand database service;

determining whether the request is actually from the first subscriber;

determining whether the request is accepted by the at least one second subscriber; and

enabling the first subscriber to share the data of the first subscriber with the at least one second subscriber if the request is determined to be actually from the first subscriber and the request is accepted by the at least one second subscriber.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is communicated by the first subscriber by sending an electronic message to the at least one second subscriber.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the request is accepted by the at least one second subscriber utilizing the electronic message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the request is accepted by the at least one second subscriber by selecting a link in the electronic message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein it is determined whether the request is actually from the first subscriber by authenticating the first subscriber.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein different data of the first subscriber is shared with different other subscribers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sharing of the data of the first subscriber with the at least one second subscriber is enabled by the first subscriber publishing the data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first subscriber publishes the data by selecting the data utilizing a graphical user interface.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the sharing of the data of the first subscriber with the at least one second subscriber is enabled by the at least one second subscriber subscribing to at least a portion of the data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one second subscriber subscribes to the data by selecting the at least a portion of the data utilizing a graphical user interface.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one second subscriber subscribes only to a subset of the data.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein after the publishing and the sharing, the at least a portion of the data is communicated from the first subscriber to the at least one second subscriber.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least a portion of the data is capable of being accepted by the at least one second subscriber.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is shared between the first subscriber and the at least one second subscriber automatically based on at least one rule.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one rule defines related data that is automatically shared.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the sharing of the data of the first subscriber with the at least one second subscriber is enabled by synchronizing the data.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes at least one of files and records.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the on-demand database service includes a multi-tenant on-demand database service.

19. A machine-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

communicating a request to share data of a first subscriber of an on-demand database service with at least one second subscriber of the on-demand database service;

determining whether the request is actually from the first subscriber;

determining whether the request is accepted by the at least one second subscriber; and

enabling the first subscriber to share the data of the first subscriber with the at least one second subscriber if the request is determined to be actually from the first subscriber and the request is accepted by the at least one second subscriber.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

communicating a request to share data of a first subscriber of an on-demand database service with at least one second subscriber of the on-demand database service;

determining whether the request is actually from the first subscriber;

determining whether the request is accepted by the at least one second subscriber; and

enabling the first subscriber to share the data of the first subscriber with the at least one second subscriber if the request is determined to be actually from the first subscriber and the request is accepted by the at least one second subscriber.

21. A method for transmitting code for use in a multi-tenant database system on a transmission medium, the method comprising:

transmitting code for communicating a request to share data of a first subscriber of an on-demand database service with at least one second subscriber of the on-demand database service;

transmitting code for determining whether the request is actually from the first subscriber;

transmitting code for determining whether the request is accepted by the at least one second subscriber; and

transmitting code for enabling the first subscriber to share the data of the first subscriber with the at least one second subscriber if the request is determined to be actually from the first subscriber and the request is accepted by the at least one second subscriber.