Hybrid workflow synchronization between cloud and on-premise systems in a content management system

• US 9,672,261 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyland UK Operations Limited (Hyland Software Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Alfresco Software Incorporated (Hyland Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Holmes-Higgin, Paul, Heremans, Frederik, Rademakers, Tijs, Barrez, Joram
• Primary Examiner(s): Hershley, Mark E
• Application Number:
  US14/170,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20150100547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 707610
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

A workflow executed by an on-premise installation of the content management system can include a cloud workflow and an on-premise workflow relating to on-premise content retained in an on-premise repository managed by the on-premise installation of the content management system. A synchronization can be initiated between the on-premise content and a cloud copy of the on-premise content to reflect a change to either of the on-premise content or the cloud copy in the other of the on-premise content and the cloud copy. The cloud copy can exist at a location managed by a cloud-based installation of the content management system. Upon detection that the cloud workflow has been completed by the location using the cloud copy, a resumption of the on-premise workflow can be triggered using the synchronization between the on-premise content and the cloud copy of the on-premise content. Related systems, methods, products, etc. are described.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations of an on-premise installation of a content management system, the operations comprising:

executing an on-premise workflow by the on-premise installation of the content management system, the on-premise workflow relating to an on-premise content item retained in an on-premise repository managed by the on-premise installation of the content management system, the on-premise workflow comprising a hybrid workflow process, the hybrid workflow process comprising a synchronization set defining a workflow pair having an on-premise workflow state, an associated cloud workflow state, and a communication channel between the on-premise workflow state and the associated cloud workflow state, the on-premise workflow state and the associated cloud workflow state comprising a representation of an action in the hybrid workflow, the action affecting the on-premise content item;

determining a destination for a cloud copy of the on-premise content item, the destination comprising a location managed by a cloud-based installation of the content management system, the on-premise installation of the content management system being protected from access by external users by a firewall, and the location managed by the cloud-based installation being outside of the firewall;

initiating a synchronization between the on-premise content item and the cloud copy of the on-premise content item, the synchronization comprising reflecting a change to either of the on-premise content item or the cloud copy in the other of the on-premise content item and the cloud copy based on synchronizing the on-premise workflow state and the associated cloud workflow state over the communication channel as defined in the synchronization set to reflect when the action is completed, the change comprising at least one of a content change and a metadata change; and

triggering, upon detection that the hybrid workflow process has been completed by the location using the cloud copy of the on-premise content, a resumption of the on-premise workflow using the on-premise content item as synchronized with the cloud copy of the on-premise content item.

2. The computer program product in accordance with claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise adding an aspect to all on-premise content associated with the on-premise workflow, the aspect comprising a record that designates the on-premise content item for the hybrid workflow.

3. The computer program product in accordance with claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise designating, based on the destination, one or more assignees of a service task to be executed on the cloud copy of the on-premise content item, the one or more assignees being associated with the cloud-based installation of the content management system.

4. The computer program product in accordance with claim 3, wherein the service task further designates an outcome that, once completed by the one or more assignees, triggers the resumption of the on-premise workflow.

5. The computer program product in accordance with claim 3, wherein the service task is associated with a synchronization service, the synchronization service synchronizing the content change and/or the metadata change between the on premise content and the cloud copy.

6. The computer program product in accordance with claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a selection of content and properties of the on-premise content item to be included in the on-premise workflow.

7. A computer implemented method comprising:

executing an on-premise workflow by one or more processors associated with an on-premise installation of the content management system, the on-premise workflow relating to an on-premise content item retained in an on-premise repository managed by the on-premise installation of the content management system, the on-premise workflow comprising a hybrid workflow process, the hybrid workflow process comprising a synchronization set defining a workflow pair having an on-premise workflow state, an associated cloud workflow state, and a communication channel between the on-premise workflow state and the associated cloud workflow state, the on-premise workflow state and the associated cloud workflow state comprising a representation of an action in the hybrid workflow, the action affecting the on-premise content item;

determining, by the one or more processors, a destination for a cloud copy of the on-premise content item, the destination comprising a location managed by a cloud-based installation of the content management system, the on-premise installation of the content management system being protected from access by external users by a firewall, and the location managed by the cloud-based installation being outside of the firewall;

initiating, by the one or more processors, a synchronization between the on-premise content item and the cloud copy of the on-premise content item, the synchronization comprising reflecting a change to either of the on-premise content item or the cloud copy in the other of the on-premise content item and the cloud copy based on synchronizing the on-premise workflow state and the associated cloud workflow state over the communication channel as defined in the synchronization set to reflect when the action is completed, the change comprising at least one of a content change and a metadata change.

8. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising:

triggering, by the one or more processors and upon detection that the hybrid workflow process has been completed by the location using the cloud copy of the on-premise content, a resumption of the on-premise workflow using the on-premise content item as synchronized with the cloud copy of the on-premise content item.

9. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising:

adding, by the one or more processors, an aspect to all on-premise content associated with the on-premise workflow, the aspect comprising a record that designates the on-premise content item for the hybrid workflow.

10. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising:

designating, by the one or more processors and based on the destination, one or more assignees of a service task to be executed on the cloud copy of the on-premise content item, the one or more assignees being associated with the cloud-based installation of the content management system.

11. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the service task further designates an outcome that, once completed by the one or more assignees, triggers the resumption of the on-premise workflow.

12. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the service task is associated with a synchronization service, the synchronization service synchronizing the content change and/or the metadata change between the on premise content item and the cloud copy.

13. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising receiving a selection of content and properties of the on-premise content item to be included in the workflow.

14. A system comprising:

computer hardware configured to perform operations of a first installation of a content management system, the operations comprising;

executing an on-premise workflow by the on-premise installation of the content management system, the on-premise workflow relating to an on-premise content item retained in an on-premise repository managed by the on-premise installation of the content management system, the on-premise workflow comprising a hybrid workflow process, the hybrid workflow process comprising a synchronization set defining a workflow pair having an on-premise workflow state, an associated cloud workflow state, and a communication channel between the on-premise workflow state and the associated cloud workflow state, the on-premise workflow state and the associated cloud workflow state comprising a representation of an action in the hybrid workflow, the action affecting the on-premise content item;

determining a destination for a cloud copy of the on-premise content item, the destination comprising a location managed by a cloud-based installation of the content management system, the on-premise installation of the content management system being protected from access by external users by a firewall, and the location managed by the cloud-based installation being outside of the firewall;

initiating a synchronization between the on-premise content item and the cloud copy of the on-premise content item, the synchronization comprising reflecting a change to either of the on-premise content item or the cloud copy in the other of the on-premise content item and the cloud copy based on synchronizing the on-premise workflow state and the associated cloud workflow state over the communication channel as defined in the synchronization set to reflect when the action is completed, the change comprising at least one of a content change and a metadata change.

15. The system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the computer hardware comprises at least one programmable processor and a machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform the operations.

16. The system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

triggering, upon detection that the hybrid workflow process has been completed by the location using the cloud copy of the on-premise content, a resumption of the on-premise workflow using the on-premise content item as synchronized with the cloud copy of the on-premise content item.

17. The system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

adding an aspect to all on-premise content associated with the on-premise workflow, the aspect comprising a record that designates the on-premise content item for the hybrid workflow.

18. The system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

designating, based on the destination, one or more assignees of a service task to be executed on the cloud copy of the on-premise content item, the one or more assignees being associated with the cloud-based installation of the content management system.

19. The system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the service task further designates an outcome that, once completed by the one or more assignees, triggers the resumption of the on-premise workflow.

20. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors associated with a cloud-based installation of a content management system, a synchronization initiated by a on-premise installation of the content management system between an on-premise content item retained in an on-premise repository managed by the on-premise installation of the content management system and a cloud copy of the on-premise content item at a destination comprising a location managed by the cloud-based installation, the synchronization comprising reflecting a change to either of the on-premise content item or the cloud copy in the other of the on-premise content item and the cloud copy, the change comprising at least one of a content change and a metadata change, the on-premise installation of the content management system being protected from access by external users by a firewall, and the location being outside of the firewall, the on-premise workflow comprising a hybrid workflow process, the hybrid workflow process comprising a synchronization set defining a workflow pair having an on-premise workflow state, an associated cloud workflow state, and a communication channel between the on-premise workflow state and the associated cloud workflow state, the on-premise workflow state and the associated cloud workflow state comprising a representation of an action in the hybrid workflow, the action affecting the on-premise content item;

executing the hybrid workflow by the one or more processors in response to a triggering of the hybrid workflow part by the on-premise installation; and

sending, based on synchronizing the on-premise workflow state and the associated cloud workflow state over the communication channel as defined in the synchronization set to reflect when the action is completed, a notification from the one or more processors to the on-premise installation indicating that the cloud workflow has been completed by the location using the cloud copy of the on-premise content item, the notification causing the on-premise installation to resume the on-premise workflow using the synchronization between the on-premise content and the cloud copy of the on-premise content.