Multi-user system with dynamic data source selection

• US 8,799,489 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2002
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Suen, Edward Shaw-Lee, Dixit, Sunil Prabhakar
• Primary Examiner(s): BIAGINI, CHRISTOPHER D
• Application Number:
  US10/186,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20070226339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,422 Days
• Field of Search: 707 3- 5, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2457 with adaptation to user needs

Abstract

Techniques to dynamically select data sources for users and to direct queries for the users to the proper data sources. Initially, user information (e.g., user name) for each user is received and used to determine a data source designated for the user. The designated data source may be determined via a look-up table or by running a query with the user information to obtain the identity (e.g., the logical name) of the data source. A data source variable for each user can then be set to the identity of the designated data source. Thereafter, queries for each user are directed to the user'"'"'s designated data source by determining database connection information for the designated data source based on the data source variable and using this information to direct the queries.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising:

a first set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to receive user identification information for each user of a plurality of users at a start of a current session of each user;

a second set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to dynamically determine a plurality of data sources designated for each user based on the user identification information, wherein the plurality of data sources comprises

a common database that is accessible by all of the plurality of users, and

at least one user-specific database that is configured to be accessed by only designated users;

a third set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to set a data source variable for each user, wherein

the data source variable comprises information configured to identify the data sources designated for the user, and

the data source variable is a session-specific variable that is utilized by the user only for the current session;

a fourth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to provide a user-specific data source selection interface to each user so as to enable each user to select one or more user-specific data sources, wherein said fourth set of instructions is configured to determine if a user is authorized to select another data source and to receive, after the start of the current session and after the data source variable is set, a user selection identifying at least one data source which is different from the data sources designated for the user and associated with the data source variable;

a fifth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to dynamically change the data source variable during the current session so that the data source variable comprises information configured to identify one or more data sources identified by the user selection;

a sixth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to direct queries for each user to the data sources designated for the user or identified by the user selection based on the identity of the data sources set in the data source variable, wherein said sixth set of instructions is configured to direct identical queries for different users to different data sources even when results returned from the data sources in response to the identical queries are different; and

non-transitory computer readable storage media, wherein said first set of instructions, said second set of instructions, said third set of instructions, said fourth set of instructions, said fifth set of instructions, and said sixth set of instructions are encoded in said non-transitory computer readable storage media.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the user identification information for each user comprises login information.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the user identification information and identity of the designated data sources for each user are stored in a look-up table.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the identity of each of the data sources set in the data source variable for each user is only valid for the current session.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the second set of instructions comprises:

a first subset of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to execute a query for each user with the user identification information to obtain identities of the data sources designated for the user.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the second set of instructions comprises:

a second subset of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to access a look-up table with the user identification information to obtain identities of the data sources designated for the user.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the sixth set of instructions is further configured to:

determine database connection information for the data sources designated for or selected by each user, and wherein the queries for the user are directed to the designated or selected data sources based on the database connection information.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the database connection information for the data sources is stored in a configuration file.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product is installed in a single server.

10. A method implemented on a computer system comprising one or more processors, the method comprising:

receiving user identification information for each user of a plurality of users at a start of a current session of each user;

dynamically determining a plurality of data sources designated for each user based on the user identification information, wherein the plurality of data sources comprises

a common database that is accessible by all of the plurality of users, and

at least one user-specific database that is configured to be accessed by only designated users;

setting a data source variable for each user, wherein

the data source variable comprises information configured to identify the data sources designated for the user, and

the data source variable is a session-specific variable that is utilized by the user only for the current session;

providing a user-specific data source selection interface to each user so as to enable each user to select one or more user-specific data sources, determining if a user is authorized to select another data source, and receiving, after the start of the current session and after the data source variable is set, a user selection identifying at least one data source which is different from the data sources designated for the user and associated with the data source variable;

dynamically changing the data source variable during the current session so that the data source variable comprises information configured to identify one or more data sources identified by the user selection;

directing queries for each user to the data sources designated for the user or identified by the user selection based on the identity of the data sources set in the data source variable, wherein said directing directs identical queries for different users to different data sources even when results returned from the data sources in response to the identical queries are different.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the user identification information for each user comprises login information.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the user identification information and identity of the designated data sources for each user are stored in a look-up table.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the identity of each of the data sources set in the data source variable for each user is only valid for the current session.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

executing a query for each user with the user identification information to obtain identities of the data sources designated for the user.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising accessing a look-up table with the user identification information to obtain identities of the data sources designated for the user.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising determining database connection information for the data sources designated for or selected by each user, and wherein the queries for the user are directed to the designated or selected data sources based on the database connection information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the database connection information for the data sources is stored in a configuration file.