Managing Information Exchange Between Business Entities

1 . A method performed with a computing system for managing information exchange between business entities, the method comprising:

identifying, through an application of a plurality of applications on a first business entity computing system, an identifiable business context (IBC) referenced on a second business entity computing system, the IBC comprising a unique identifier associated with the second business entity and a first plurality of business data attributes associated with the second business entity;

identifying a communication connection between the first business entity computing system and the second business entity computing system based on the identification of the IBC; and

generating an identifiable business context reference (IBCR) for storage on the first business entity computing system, the IBCR associated with the communication connection and comprising the unique identifier and a second plurality of business data objects, at least one of the second plurality of business data objects distinct from the first plurality of business data objects.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of applications are defined in an application layer of the first business entity computing system, the method further comprising:

generating the IBCR in an integration layer communicably coupled to the application layer; and

storing the IBCR in a repository communicably coupled to the application.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first plurality of business data attributes comprise a name of the second business entity and a first type of the second business entity, the method further comprising:

associating, through the integration layer, the unique identifier to the IBCR; and

generating the second plurality of business data objects that comprise a second type of the second business entity distinct from the first type of the second business entity.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating an IBCR for storage on the first business entity computing system comprises:

receiving, from a user through the application, the unique identifier and the second plurality of business data objects; and

generating the IBCR based on receipt of the unique identifier and the second plurality of business data objects.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating an IBCR for storage on the first business entity computing system comprises:

identifying a second IBCR associated with the IBC;

copying the second IBCR; and

generating the IBCR based on the copied second IBCR.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating an IBCR for storage on the first business entity computing system comprises:

identifying a registry that stores the unique identifier and a link to the IBC; and

generating the IBCR based on the unique identifier and the link to the IBC stored in the registry.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication connection comprises a communication protocol defined by one of web service protocol, a REST protocol, an iTalk communication protocol, an HTTP protocol, an HTTPS, an SMTP protocol, or a Fast Common Gateway Interface (FastCGI) protocol.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier and the first plurality of business data attributes are defined in an XML data object.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein generating an IBCR for storage on the first business entity computing system comprises:

copying the XML data object; and

generating the IBCR based on the copied XML data object.

10 . A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

identifying, through an application of a plurality of applications on a first business entity computing system, an identifiable business context (IBC) referenced on a second business entity computing system, the IBC comprising a unique identifier associated with the second business entity and a first plurality of business data attributes associated with the second business entity;

identifying a communication connection between the first business entity computing system and the second business entity computing system based on the identification of the IBC; and

generating an identifiable business context reference (IBCR) for storage on the first business entity computing system, the IBCR associated with the communication connection and comprising the unique identifier and a second plurality of business data objects, at least one of the second plurality of business data objects distinct from the first plurality of business data objects.

11 . The computer storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of applications are defined in an application layer of the first business entity computing system, the method further comprising:

generating the IBCR in an integration layer communicably coupled to the application layer; and

storing the IBCR in a repository communicably coupled to the application.

12 . The computer storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of business data attributes comprise a name of the second business entity and a first type of the second business entity, the method further comprising:

associating, through the integration layer, the unique identifier to the IBCR; and

generating the second plurality of business data objects that comprise a second type of the second business entity distinct from the first type of the second business entity.

13 . The computer storage medium of claim 10 , wherein generating an IBCR for storage on the first business entity computing system comprises:

receiving, from a user through the application, the unique identifier and the second plurality of business data objects; and

generating the IBCR based on receipt of the unique identifier and the second plurality of business data objects.

14 . The computer storage medium of claim 10 , wherein generating an IBCR for storage on the first business entity computing system comprises:

identifying a second IBCR associated with the IBC;

copying the second IBCR; and

generating the IBCR based on the copied second IBCR.

15 . The computer storage medium of claim 10 , wherein generating an IBCR for storage on the first business entity computing system comprises:

identifying a registry that stores the unique identifier and a link to the IBC; and

generating the IBCR based on the unique identifier and the link to the IBC stored in the registry.

16 . The computer storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the communication connection comprises a communication protocol defined by one of web service protocol, a REST protocol, an iTalk communication protocol, an HTTP protocol, an HTTPS, an SMTP protocol, or a Fast Common Gateway Interface (FastCGI) protocol.

17 . The computer storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the unique identifier and the first plurality of business data attributes are defined in an XML data object.

18 . The computer storage medium of claim 17 , wherein generating an IBCR for storage on the first business entity computing system comprises:

copying the XML data object; and

generating the IBCR based on the copied XML data object.

19 . A system of one or more computers configured to perform operations comprising:

identifying, through an application of a plurality of applications on a first business entity computing system, an identifiable business context (IBC) referenced on a second business entity computing system, the IBC comprising a unique identifier associated with the second business entity and a first plurality of business data attributes associated with the second business entity;

identifying a communication connection between the first business entity computing system and the second business entity computing system based on the identification of the IBC; and

generating an identifiable business context reference (IBCR) for storage on the first business entity computing system, the IBCR associated with the communication connection and comprising the unique identifier and a second plurality of business data objects, at least one of the second plurality of business data objects distinct from the first plurality of business data objects.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of applications are defined in an application layer of the first business entity computing system, the method further comprising:

generating the IBCR in an integration layer communicably coupled to the application layer; and

storing the IBCR in a repository communicably coupled to the application.

21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the first plurality of business data attributes comprise a name of the second business entity and a first type of the second business entity, the method further comprising:

associating, through the integration layer, the unique identifier to the IBCR; and

generating the second plurality of business data objects that comprise a second type of the second business entity distinct from the first type of the second business entity.

22 . The system of claim 19 , wherein generating an IBCR for storage on the first business entity computing system comprises:

receiving, from a user through the application, the unique identifier and the second plurality of business data objects; and

generating the IBCR based on receipt of the unique identifier and the second plurality of business data objects.

23 . The system of claim 19 , wherein generating an IBCR for storage on the first business entity computing system comprises:

identifying a second IBCR associated with the IBC;

copying the second IBCR; and

generating the IBCR based on the copied second IBCR.

24 . The system of claim 19 , wherein generating an IBCR for storage on the first business entity computing system comprises:

identifying a registry that stores the unique identifier and a link to the IBC; and

generating the IBCR based on the unique identifier and the link to the IBC stored in the registry.

25 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the communication connection comprises a communication protocol defined by one of web service protocol, a REST protocol, an iTalk communication protocol, an HTTP protocol, an HTTPS, an SMTP protocol, or a Fast Common Gateway Interface (FastCGI) protocol.

26 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the unique identifier and the first plurality of business data attributes are defined in an XML data object.

27 . The system of claim 26 , wherein generating an IBCR for storage on the first business entity computing system comprises:

copying the XML data object; and

generating the IBCR based on the copied XML data object.