SERVER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

• US 20120131166A1
• Filed: 01/08/2009
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Barbedette, Gilles, Jeulin, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 8,949,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70

Abstract

A system for managing one or more services during the provision of an application to a user is provided. The system comprises an application component operably connected to a network and configuration data for the user. The configuration data specifies: one or more partner servers configured to supply one or more respective services within one or more respective service categories, each partner server in a service category being chosen from a plurality of available partner servers for the service category and communication parameters for each partner server that allow communication with the partner server over the network. During the provision of the application to the user, the application component uses the configuration data for the user to access a service provided by an appropriate partner server.

Claims

1. A system for managing one or more services during the provision of an application to a user comprising:

an application component operably connected to a network; and

configuration data for the user specifying;

one or more partner servers configured to supply one or more respective services within one or more respective service categories, each partner server in a service category being chosen from a plurality of available partner servers for the service category; and

communication parameters for each partner server that allow communication with the partner server over the network;

wherein, during the provision of the application to the user, the application component uses the configuration data for the user to access a service provided by an appropriate partner server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the application component is adapted to perform the steps of:

receiving a request to access a service, the request comprising request parameters including a service category;

accessing the configuration data for the present user to determine the appropriate partner server based on the request parameters; and

executing the request to access the service using the configuration data.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the request is received from either a client device of the user or from the application.

4. The system of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the request further comprises data associated with the service, the application component further adapted to perform the step of:

processing the data associated with the service if required, and

forwarding said data in an appropriate format to the partner server.

5. The system of any of the preceding claims, further comprising:

a management component operably connected to the network; and

definition data specifying;

one or more service categories;

a plurality of available partner servers connected to the network that provide a plurality of respective services, each partner server being associated with a selected one of the service categories; and

communication parameters for each partner server that allow communication with the partner server over the network;

wherein, before implementation of the application, the user selects a partner server for each service category from the plurality of available partner servers and the management component processes this selection and the definition data to generate the configuration data.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a first computer comprising a processor and memory for implementing the application component and optionally the application; and

a first storage device accessible by the application component for storing the configuration data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first computer is operably connected to a client device operated by the user and the application is adapted to communicate with the client device to return the results of the service.

8. The system of claim 6 or claim 7, further comprising:

a second computer comprising a processor and memory for implementing the management component, the second computer being optionally distinct from the first computer; and

a second storage device accessible by the management component for storing the definition data, the second storage device being optionally distinct from the first storage device.

9. The system of any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the management component is adapted to perform the steps of:

receiving a request from a user to add, edit or delete data associated with a partner server within the definition data; and

amending the definition data accordingly, including assigning the partner server to a service category if required.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the management component is further adapted to perform the steps of:

approving or denying the request, the definition data only being amended following approval.

11. The system of any claims 8 to 10, wherein the management component is adapted to perform the steps of:

receiving a request from a user to add or replace one or more partner servers associated with one or more respective service categories within the configuration data; and

amending the configuration data associated with the appropriate service categories accordingly.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the management component is further adapted to perform the steps of:

approving or denying the request, the configuration data only being amended following approval.

13. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the definition data and the configuration data are encrypted, optionally within a public key infrastructure (PKI), to prevent unauthorised access.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein one or more of:

the management component or one or more of the partner servers, or any operator of the management component or one or more of the partner servers are trusted parties within the PKI.

15. The system of any of the preceding claims, where one or more of the definition data and the configuration data comprise one or more eXtended Markup Language (XML) documents.

16. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein communication between two or more of the application component, the management component, the application, one or more client devices and one or more partner servers is encrypted.

17. The system of any claims 5 to 16, wherein the definition data comprises one or more of:

data identifying the service category; and

one or more partner server types assigned to each service category, each partner server within the definition data being assigned a partner server type, each partner server type comprising data identifying one or more of;

communication parameters common to the partner server type;

error protocol common to the partner server type; and

version information.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the data identifying any communication parameters common to the partner server type comprises one or more of:

a common uniform resource locator (URL);

common login information; and

metadata, for example template or format information.

19. The system of any of claims 5 to 18, wherein the definition data specifying one or more individual partner servers comprises one or more of:

data identifying the partner server; and

parameters specific to the partner server, for example HTTP address and port.

20. A method of managing one or more services during the provision of an application to a user comprising:

a. defining one or more service categories;

b. assigning a plurality of partner servers to the one or more of the service categories, wherein each partner server provides a particular service;

c. for each assigned partner server, defining communication parameters that enable communication with the partner server over a network to provide the particular service;

d. selecting a partner server for each service category to provide a specified application to a user; and

e. using one or more selected partner servers and the appropriate communication parameters to access one or more respective services as part of the provision of the specified application.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein steps a. to c. further comprise storing the results of each step as definition data and step d. further comprises storing the result of this step as configuration data.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of encrypting all or part of the stored data, optionally within a public key infrastructure (PKI).

23. The method of claim 22, wherein one or more of the partner servers, or any operator of one or more of the partner servers are trusted parties within the PKI.

24. The method of any of claims 20 to 23, wherein all or part of any stored data is stored in an eXtended Markup Language (XML) format.

25. The method of any of claims 20 to 24, wherein step e. further comprises the steps of:

e.1 executing an application, said application requiring, in use, access to a service;

e.2 determining the service category required for the service;

e.3 determining the selected partner server for the service category;

e.4 accessing the communication parameters for the selected partner service; and

e.5 communicating with the selected partner service over the network using the communication parameters in order to access the service.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein step e1, further comprises:

e.1.1 communicating with a client device of the user over the network.

27. The method of any of claims 20 to 26, further comprising:

f. receiving a request from a user to add, edit or delete a partner server;

g. amending the group of assigned partner servers accordingly; and

h. optionally, approving or denying the request, the group of assigned partner servers only being amended following approval.

28. The method of any of claims 20 to 27, further comprising:

i. receiving a request from a user to change one or more selected partner servers associated with one or more respective service categories;

j. amending the group of selected partner servers accordingly; and

k. optionally, approving or denying the request, the group of selected partner servers only being amended following approval.

29. The method of any of claims 20 to 28, further comprising the step of:

m. communicating with one or more partner servers over the network using a secure communication link.

30. The method of any of claims 20 to 29, wherein any of steps a) to d), and optionally steps f) to k), are performed by a management computer comprising a processor and memory and any of steps e) and m) are performed by an application computer comprising a processor and memory.

31. A computer program product comprising instructions for performing the method of any of claims 20 to 30.