Method and system for utilizing a database as a service
View Patent ↗A method and system for providing a database as a is disclosed. In a first aspect, the method comprises the steps of accessing the database over a public network by a browser without downloading software. The method further includes controlling access to the database on an agreed-upon schedule. In a second aspect, a database service for use on a public network is disclosed. The database service comprises a presentation layer, the presentation layer including a browser, a web server coupled to the public network and a web application platform coupled to the web server. The database includes an application layer comprising a user interface (UI) application. The UI application is executed on the web application platform and is capable of communicating with the browser through a standard program code. Finally, the database service includes a database management layer. The database management layer includes at least one database which communicates with the UI application. Accordingly, a database can be managed centrally while resources of the database can be consumed individually and globally.
1. A method for providing a database utilizing a computer which includes a browser, the method comprising:
(a) authenticating a user via the browser by a user interface (UI) application;
(b) providing commands from a web server over a public network to the browser for displaying a screen;
(c) providing commands from the browser to the web server based upon user interaction with the screen, the commands from the browser including database commands;
(d) extracting and sending the database commands by the UI application to the database over the public network, the database providing a response thereto;
(e) combining the response with control commands by the UI application;
(f) sending the combined response and control commands through the web server to the browser for display, wherein the database is accessed over the public network by the browser without downloading database software; and
(g) controlling usage of the database based on an agreed-upon schedule and price.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the commands are provided in hypertext markup language (HTML) code.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the database commands are structured query language (SQL) statements.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the screen is a window to enter database commands.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the UI application is executed as a web application platform.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the authentication step (a) comprises the steps of:
(a1) opening a uniform resource locator (URL) in the browser;
(a2) sending the URL to the web server;
(a3) sending a request to the UI application based upon the URL;
(a4) producing the HTML code for login and providing the HTML code to the browser;
(a5) providing identification (ID)/password in the HTML code based upon user interaction by the browser;
(a6) extracting ID/password from the HTML code by UI application; and
(a7) determining if ID/password is authentic.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the authentication step (a) further comprises the steps of:
(a8)opening a session if the ID/password is authentic.
8. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for providing a database utilizing a computer which includes a browser, the program instructions for:
(a) authenticating a user via the browser by a user interface (UI) application;
(b) providing commands from a web server over a public network to the browser for displaying a screen;
(c) providing commands from the browser to the web server based upon user interaction with the screen, the commands from the browser including database commands;
(d) extracting and sending the database commands by the UI application to the database over the public network, the database providing a response thereto;
(e) combining the response with control commands by the UI application;
(f) sending the combined response and control commands through the web server to the browser for display, wherein the database is accessed over the public network by the browser without downloading database software; and
(g) controlling usage of the database based on an agreed-upon schedule and price.
9. The computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the commands from a web server, the commands from the browser, and the control commands are provided in hypertext markup language (HTML) code.
10. The computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the database commands are structured query language (SQL) statements.
11. The computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the screen is a window to enter database commands.
12. The computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the UI application is executed as a web application platform.
13. The computer readable medium of claim 12 wherein the authentication instruction (a) comprises the instructions for:
(a1) opening a uniform resource locator (URL) in the browser;
(a2)sending the URL to the web server;
(a3)sending a request to the UI application based upon the URL;
(a4)producing the HTML code for login and providing the HTML code to the browser;
(a5)providing identification (ID)/password in the HTML code based upon user interaction by the browser;
(a6)extracting ID/password from the HTML code by UI application; and
(a7)determining if ID/password is authentic.
14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the authentication instruction (a) further comprises the instruction for:
(a8)opening a session if the ID/password is authentic.
15. A database service comprising:
a presentation layer, the presentation layer including a browser, a web server coupled to a public network and a web application platform coupled to the web server;
an application layer comprising a user interface (UI) application, the UI application is executed on the web application platform and is capable of communicating with the browser through hypertext markup language (HTML) code; and
a database management layer, the database management layer comprising at least one database which communicates with the UI application over the public network; and at least one back up database coupled to the at least one database, wherein the UI application extracts database commands from the web server and presents the database commands to the database and combines database commands with control commands from the database and provides the HTML code to the server, wherein the database is accessed over the public network by the browser without downloading database software, and wherein usage of the database is based on an agreed-upon schedule and price.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein the usage of the database is controlled based on mutually agreed-upon criteria between a provider of the database and the user.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the mutually agreed-upon criteria is cost-based.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein the mutually agreed upon criteria is time-based.
19. The computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the usage of the database is controlled based on mutually agreed-upon criteria between a provider of the database and the user.
20. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the mutually agreed-upon criteria is cost-based.
21. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the mutually agreed upon criteria is time-based.
22. The database service of claim 15 wherein the usage of the database is controlled based on mutually agreed-upon criteria between a provider of the database and the user.
23. The database service of claim 22 wherein the mutually agreed-upon criteria is cost-based.
24. The database service of claim 22 wherein the mutually agreed upon criteria is time-based.