Method and system for integrating disparate information technology applications and platforms across an enterprise

• US 6,041,362 A
• Filed: 10/20/1995
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Electronic Data Systems Corporation (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rucker, Brad L., Mears, Randall F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coleman, Eric
• Application Number:
  US08/546,390
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 395/800, 709/300, 709/250, 709/219
• US Class Current: 719/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation

Abstract

A method and system for integrating disparate information technology applications and platforms across an enterprise provides a web client interface that associates with an enterprise network. Connecting with the web client through the network is the Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server that includes a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) interface program for augmenting the integration of the disparate applications and platforms via remote and local applications execution. The HTTP server is specific to the particular enterprise for specifically dealing with application servers and information servers and further for collecting information and gathering it together into a form that is then displayed on the web client.

Claims

1. A system for connecting a web client to an enterprise network having a plurality of disparate applications and platforms, comprising:

a web client;

a predetermined information interface form for interfacing the web client with an enterprise network; and

an application server that connects the web client to the enterprise network, the application server operable to initiate the updating of information in a first disparate application in response to information received from a second disparate application.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the application server comprises a Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol server; and

the predetermined information interface form comprises a Hyper-Text Markup Language document.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the application server further comprises an interface program operable to:

receive a request generated by the web client for information from the disparate applications and platforms;

retrieve the requested information from at least two of the disparate applications and platforms; and

integrate the requested information into the predetermined information interface form for delivery to the web client.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the interface program further comprises instructions for building a Hyper-Text Markup Language document that integrates the requested information into the predetermined interface form for delivery to the web client.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the application server comprises a Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol server having a Common Gateway interface program operable to integrate the requested information into the predetermined information interface form for delivery to the web client.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the disparate applications comprise a member database application, an employee file application, and an order file and program application.

7. An application server for connecting a web client to an enterprise network having a plurality of disparate applications and platforms, the application server having an interface program comprising:

first instructions for receiving a request generated by the web client for information from the disparate applications and platforms; and

second instructions for initiating the updating of information in a first disparate application in response to information received from a second disparate application.

8. The application server of claim 7, further comprising:

third instructions for retrieving the requested information from at least two of the disparate applications and platforms; and

fourth instructions for integrating the requested information into a predetermined information interface form for delivery to the web client.

9. The application server of claim 7, wherein the interface program comprises a Common Gateway interface program.

10. The application server of claim 8, wherein:

the application server comprises a Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol server; and

the predetermined information interface form comprises a Hyper-Text Markup Language document.

11. The application server of claim 8, wherein the third instructions comprise third instructions for retrieving the requested information from the disparate applications and platforms by using remote and local applications execution.

12. The application server of claim 8, wherein the third instructions comprise third instructions for:

initiating a remote application execution on at least one of the disparate applications;

retrieving the requested information resulting from the remote application execution; and

processing the requested information by initiating a local application execution on the application server.

13. The application server of claim 8, wherein the fourth instructions comprise fourth instructions for building a Hyper-Text Markup Language document that integrates

the requested information into the predetermined interface form for delivery to the web client.

14. A method for connecting a web client to an enterprise network having a plurality of disparate applications and platforms, comprising the following steps performed at an application server:

receiving a request generated by the web client for information from the disparate applications and platforms; and

initiating the updating of information stored in a first disparate application in response to information received from a second disparate application.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the application server comprises a Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol server; and

the predetermined information interface form comprises a Hyper-Text Markup Language document.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

retrieving the requested information from at least two of the disparate applications and platforms; and

integrating the requested information into a predetermined information interface form for delivery to the web client.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of retrieving comprises retrieving the requested information from the disparate applications and platforms using remote and local applications execution.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of retrieving comprises retrieving the requested information from

the disparate applications and platforms using remote and local applications execution of a Common Gateway interface program residing on the application server.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of retrieving comprises:

initiating a remote application execution on at least one of the disparate applications;

retrieving the requested information resulting from the remote application execution; and

processing the requested information by initiating a local application execution on the application server.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of integrating the requested information comprises building a Hyper-Text Markup Language document that integrates the requested information into a predetermined interface form for delivery to the web client.