Method, system, and apparatus for discovering and connecting to data sources

• US 7,558,799 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Campbell, Johnny S., Welcker, Brian L., Battagin, Daniel C., Asnash, Liviu, Megiddo, Eran, Martynov, Alexander, Levin, Ira, Hawking, Robert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones; Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choi; Yuk Ting
• Application Number:
  US10/858,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20050278307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,862 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method, system, and apparatus for discovering and connecting to data sources are provided. A system is provided that includes a server computer operative to maintain a centrally managed repository of data connection definitions. A client computer is also provided including an application program capable of consuming data from a data source. When a request is received by the application to connect to a data source, a list of available sources is retrieved from the server computer. If one of the data sources in the list is selected, a data connection file is retrieved and utilized to connect to the data source. If a report is opened by the application that includes a reference to a data source, the repository is utilized to confirm the connection to the data source.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for discovering and connecting to a data source, comprising:

receiving, by the computer, a request to connect to a data source, wherein the request to connect to a data source comprises a request to connect to a data source to obtain data for use in a report;

in response to the request, transmitting, by the computer, a request to a centrally managed data connection repository for a list of available data sources;

receiving, by the computer, the list of available data sources from the centrally managed data connection repository and displaying the list;

receiving, by the computer, the selection of one of the available data sources from the displayed list;

transmitting, by the computer, the identity of the selected data source to the centrally managed data connection repository;

in response to transmitting the identity of the selected data source, receiving, by the computer, from the repository a data connection file having data stored therein for establishing a connection to the selected data source and metadata describing one or more properties for the data source, wherein the metadata comprises a credential field for describing credentials to access the data source, the credentials comprising a plurality of values indicating whether a user should be prompted for the credentials, whether no credentials are required to access the data source, whether the credentials are integrated, or whether the credentials are stored in another location;

utilizing, by the computer, the data stored in the data connection file to establish a connection to the selected data source;

storing, by the computer, a link in the report to the connection file stored in the centrally managed data connection repository;

receiving, by the computer, a request to open the report;

in response to the request, determining, by the computer, whether the connection file identified by the link is contained in the centrally managed data connection repository;

in response to determining that the connection file identified by the link is not in the centrally managed data connection repository, loading, by the computer, the report without establishing a connection to the data source; and

in response to determining, by the computer, that the connection file identified by the link is not in the centrally managed data connection repository and the data in the connection file is cached in the report, then utilizing, by the computer, the data in the connection file to establish a connection to the data source.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in response to determining that the connection file identified by the link is in the centrally managed data connection repository,

copying, by the computer, the connection file from the centrally managed data connection repository,

utilizing, by the computer, the data stored in the data connection file to establish a connection to the selected data source, and

executing, by the computer, the report.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising embedding, by the computer, the connection file in the report.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

in response to the request, determining, by the computer, whether the connection file embedded in the report is contained in the centrally managed data connection repository;

in response to determining that the embedded connection file is in the centrally managed data connection repository, utilizing, by the computer, the data stored in the embedded data connection file to establish a connection to the selected data source, and executing the report.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

in response to determining that the embedded connection file is not in the centrally managed data connection repository, determining, by the computer, whether the report is trusted;

in response to determining that the report is trusted, utilizing, by the computer, the data stored in the embedded data connection file to establish a connection to the selected data source, and executing, by the computer, the report; and

in response to determining that the report is not trusted, loading, by the computer, the report without establishing a connection to the data source.

6. A system for providing discovery of data sources, the system comprising:

a server computer operative to maintain a centrally managed repository for data connection definitions, the data connection definitions comprising a data connection file having data stored therein for establishing a connection to a data source and metadata describing one or more properties for the data source, the metadata comprising a credential field for describing credentials to access the data source, the credentials comprising a plurality of values indicating whether a user should be prompted for the credentials, whether no credentials are required to access the data source, whether the credentials are integrated, or whether the credentials are stored in another location; and

a client computer operative to execute an application program for consuming data from the data source, the application program further operative to;

receive a request to connect to the data source, wherein the request to connect to the data source comprises a request to connect to the data source to obtain data for use in a report;

in response to the request, transmit a request to the centrally managed data connection repository for a list of available data sources;

receive the list of available data sources from the centrally managed data connection repository and displaying the list;

receive the selection of one of the available data sources from the displayed list;

transmit the identity of the selected data source to the centrally managed data connection repository;

in response to transmitting the identity of the selected data source, receive from the repository the data connection file;

utilize the data stored in the data connection file to establish a connection to the selected data source;

store a link in the report to the connection file stored in the centrally managed data connection repository;

receive a request to open the report;

in response to the request, determine whether the connection file identified by the link is contained in the centrally managed data connection repository;

in response to determining that the connection file identified by the link is not in the centrally managed data connection repository, load the report without establishing a connection to the data source; and

in response to determining that the connection file identified by the link is not in the centrally managed data connection repository and in response to a determination that the data in the connection file is cached in the report, then utilize data in the connection file to establish a connection to the data source.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the server computer is further operative to determine the list of available data sources from the centrally managed repository based on one or more filter terms provided with the request for the list of available data sources.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the client computer is further operative to execute an application program for managing the contents of the centrally managed repository located at the server computer.

9. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, will cause the computer to perform a method for discovering and connecting to a data source, the method comprising:

receiving a request to connect to a data source, wherein the request to connect to a data source comprises a request to connect to a data source to obtain data for use in a report;

in response to the request, transmitting a request to a centrally managed data connection repository for a list of available data sources from the displayed list;

receiving the list of available data sources from the centrally managed data connection repository and displaying the list;

receiving the selection of one of the available data sources from the displayed list;

transmitting the identity of the selected data source to the centrally managed data connection repository;

in response to transmitting the identify of the selected data source, receiving from the repository a data connection file having data stored therein for establishing a connection to the selected data source and metadata describing one or more properties for the data source, wherein the metadata comprises a credential field for describing credentials to access the data source, the credentials comprising a plurality of values indicating whether a user should be prompted for the credentials, whether no credentials are required to access the data source, whether the credentials are integrated, or whether the credentials are stored in another location;

utilizing the data stored in the data connection file to establish a connection to the selected data source;

storing a link in the report to the connection file stored in the centrally managed data connection repository;

receiving a request to open the report;

in response to the request, determining whether the connection file identified by the link is contained in the centrally managed data connection repository;

in response to determining that the connection file identified by the link is not in the centrally managed data connection repository, loading the report without establishing a connection to the data source; and

in response to determining that the connection file identified by the link is not in the centrally managed data connection repository and the data in the connection file is cached in the report, then utilizing the data in the connection file to establish a connection to the data source.