System and method for managing information objects
A system and method for managing information on a network using an identity index may include a software program stored on a computer-readable medium which is operable to associate one or more users with the information objects that define the user. The software program can maintain a “virtual identity” for each user, the virtual identity comprising a list of information objects (e.g., accounts) associated with the user and the identities of resources at which the information objects can be found. The list of information objects may include an information object identifier for each information object. The software program may maintain a resource definition for each identified resource. The resource definition may include a set of connection parameters that can be used by the software program to connect to the corresponding resource.
1. A system for managing information, comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a software program operable to maintain an identity index, wherein said identity index comprises:
a plurality of index keys, wherein each index key indexes a virtual identity of a respective one of a plurality of users;
a plurality of virtual identities, wherein each virtual identity is indexed within the identity index by one the plurality of index keys, wherein each virtual identity is a virtual identity of a respective one of the plurality of users, wherein each virtual identity comprises identity information of the respective user in regard to multiple different computer resources used by the same respective user, and wherein one or more of the virtual identities comprises:
a plurality of information object identifiers, wherein each information object identifier identifies a respective information object of the respective user stored at a respective one of the multiple different computer resources; and
a plurality of resource names, wherein each resource name identifies which one of the multiple different computer resources contains a respective one of the information objects of the respective user, wherein each said resource name is linked to a respective one of the plurality of information object identifiers; and
wherein said identity index further comprises a plurality of resource definitions, wherein each resource definition is a definition of a respective one of the multiple computer resources, wherein each resource definition comprises connection information for the respective computer resource; and
wherein the software program is operable to access the identity index via one of the plurality of index keys to locate and retrieve, from within the identity index, information from a respective one of the plurality of virtual identities indexed by the one of the index keys.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein one or more of said plurality of resource definitions further comprises a schema map.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein said schema map maps a resource attribute from said resource to a virtual attribute defined by said schema map.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein a virtual attribute value for said virtual attribute is stored in RAM.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said connection information contains a connection parameter selected from one of a hostname, a port, a resource username, a resource password or a resource type.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said respective information objects comprises a user account.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein said information object identifier comprises an account name.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein one or more of said plurality of resource definitions further comprises a schema map.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein said schema map maps a resource attribute from said resource to a virtual attribute defined by said schema map.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein a virtual attribute value for said virtual attribute is maintained in RAM.
11. The system of claim 6 , wherein said connection information contains a connection parameter selected from one of a hostname, a port, a resource username, a resource password or a resource type.
12. The system of claim 6 , wherein said resource is one of a Unix system, a Windows NT system, a Oracle database system or an email server.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein said software program is operable to connect to each of said multiple different computer resources based on said respective resource definitions.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein one or more of said plurality of resource definitions further comprises a schema map; and
wherein, said software program is operable to create a composite view of said virtual identity based on said schema map.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein said software program is operable to present a representation of said composite view in a graphical user interface.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein said graphical user interface is customizable.
17. A method of managing information, comprising:
storing an identity index comprising:
a plurality of index keys, wherein each index key indexes a virtual identity of a respective one of a plurality of users;
a plurality of virtual identities, wherein each virtual identity is indexed within the identity index by one the plurality of index keys, wherein each virtual identity is a virtual identity of a respective one of the plurality of users, wherein each virtual identity comprises identity information of the respective user in regard to multiple different computer resources used by the same respective user, and wherein one or more of the virtual identities comprises:
a plurality of information object identifiers, wherein each information object identifier identifies a respective information object of the respective user stored at a respective one of the multiple different computer resources; and
a plurality of resource names, wherein each resource name identifies which one of the multiple different computer resources contains a respective one of the information objects of the respective user, wherein each said resource name is linked to a respective one of the plurality of information object identifiers; and
a plurality of resource definitions, wherein each resource definition to is a definition of a different one of the multiple computer resources, and wherein each resource definition contains connection information for the corresponding computer resource; and
accessing the identity index via one of the plurality of index keys to locate and retrieve, from within the identity index, information from a respective one of the plurality of virtual identities indexed by the one of the index keys.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein each information object identifier from said plurality of information object identifiers comprises one of said plurality of index keys as a native key for the corresponding information object.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said native key comprises an account name.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein each information object comprises a user account.
21. The method of claim 17 , wherein each resource definition further comprises a schema map.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein said schema map maps a resource attribute to a virtual attribute.
23. The method of claim 21 , further comprising creating a composite view of a user based on said schema map from each resource definition.