CENTRALLY MANAGING AND MONITORING OF CLOUD COMPUTING SERVICES

1 - 25 . (canceled)

26 . A method for managing the use of a plurality of cloud computing services within a common connection and database framework, the method comprising:

receiving a request for managing information and attributes related to a plurality of cloud computing services, the request being received via a single portal within a common connection and database framework;

displaying an Internet-based interface that is configured to display, select and access information and attributes related to the plurality of cloud computing services;

receiving a selection criteria for an object related to the plurality of cloud computing services within the Internet-based interface to be managed;

selecting a management operation to be performed for the object selected;

selecting at least one cloud computing service from a list of available cloud computing services related to the object selected;

selecting at least one item from a list of available items related to the object selected;

performing the management operation on the at least one item selected and for the at least one cloud computing service selected;

storing a result of the management operation performed; and

determining when additional management is required,

wherein managing is performed for selected objects, items and cloud computing services displayed in the Internet-based interface via the single portal within the common connection and database framework.

27 . The method according to claim 26 , further comprising:

partitioning of the information and attributes available for display, selection and access via the Internet-based interface, wherein the partitioning is based on cloud computing services registered to a user or corporate entity.

28 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein the management operation includes reading, writing, modifying, deleting and copying.

29 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein the objects include users, groups, policies, mailboxes and phones related the use of the plurality of cloud computing services.

30 . The method according to claim 28 , wherein the items include subsets of the users, the groups, the policies, the mailboxes and the phones related the use of the plurality of cloud computing services.

31 . The method according to claim 26 , further comprising:

providing an application exchange infrastructure that allows sharing of information related to the plurality of cloud computing services by connecting to the common connection and database framework, the providing of the application exchange infrastructure comprises:

receiving a request for connection to the common connection and database framework;

displaying the Internet-based interface that is configured to display, select and access information related to a number of the plurality of cloud computing services;

receiving a selection criteria for a category of services related to the number of the plurality of cloud computing services within the Internet-based interface to be searched;

selecting a sub-category related to a selected category of services from a list of available sub-categories related to at least one of the number of the plurality of cloud computing services to be searched;

providing access to the information related to the selected sub-category of services;

initiating an application exchange related to the at least one of the number of the plurality of cloud computing services related to the selected sub-category;

storing new information related to the selected sub-category, when new information is to be stored; and

determining when a category or sub-category for another of the number of the plurality of cloud computing services is to be searched via the Internet-based interface.

32 . The method according to claim 26 , further comprising:

providing a social networking infrastructure that allows sharing of information related to the plurality of cloud computing services by connecting to the common connection and database framework, the providing of the social networking infrastructure comprises:

receiving a request for connection to the common connection and database framework;

displaying the Internet-based interface that is configured to display, select and access information related to a number of the plurality of cloud computing services;

receiving a selection criteria for a category of services related to the number of the plurality of cloud computing services within the Internet-based interface to be searched;

selecting a sub-category related to the selected service from a list of available sub-categories related to at least one of the number of the plurality of cloud computing services to be searched;

providing access to the information related to the selected sub-category;

storing new information related to the selected sub-category, when new information is to be stored; and

determining when a category or sub-category for another of the number of the plurality of cloud computing services to be searched via the Internet-based interface.

33 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the social networking infrastructure further provides managing of information and attributes related the number of the plurality of cloud computing services via the Internet-based interface.

34 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the application exchange includes the exchange of an application program interface enabling the use of a cloud computing service.

35 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the new information includes existing experiences with the use of a cloud computing service.

36 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the new information includes a rating of a cloud computing service.

37 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the new information includes objects, attributes and operational data that will allow interaction with selected cloud computing services.

38 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the rating is presented in a graphical format along with text comments related to the rating of the cloud computing services.

39 . A program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium for managing the use of a plurality of cloud computing services within a common connection and database framework, the program causing a computer to perform steps comprising:

receiving a request for managing information and attributes related to a plurality of cloud computing services, the request being received via a single portal within a common connection and database framework;

displaying an Internet-based interface that is configured to display, select and access information and attributes related to the plurality of cloud computing services;

receiving a selection criteria for an object related to the plurality of cloud computing services within the Internet-based interface to be managed;

selecting a management operation to be performed for the object selected;

selecting at least one cloud computing service from a list of available cloud computing services related to the object selected;

selecting at least one item from a list of available items related to the object selected;

performing the management operation on the at least one item selected and for the at least one cloud computing service selected;

storing a result of the management operation performed; and

determining when additional management is required,

wherein managing is performed for selected objects, items and cloud computing services displayed in the Internet-based interface via the single portal within the common connection and database framework.

40 . A system for managing the use of a plurality of cloud computing services within a common connection and database framework, the system comprising:

a plurality of databases configured to store information and attributes related to a plurality of cloud computing services;

an Internet-based interface configured to display, select and access the information and attributes related to the plurality of cloud computing services,

a first data access layer configured to establish data communications between the Internet-based interface and the plurality of databases based on a command received via the Internet-based interface, the data communications including at least retrieving and storing the information and attributes related to the plurality of cloud computing services,

a push-pull data layer configured to push data to and pull data from the plurality of cloud computing services based on a command received via the Internet-based interface; and

a second data access layer configured to established data communications between the push-pull data layer and the plurality of cloud computing services based on a command received from the Internet-based interface;

a first network interface configured to establish a connection to the Internet-based interface from a third-party apparatus via a public network; and

a second network interface configured to establish a connection between the plurality of cloud computing services and the push-pull data layer via the public network,

wherein the system is configured to manage selected information and attributes of the plurality of cloud computing services available within the Internet-based interface via a single portal and the first network interface,

the plurality of databases includes an objects database, a methods database and a logs database,

the objects database includes all tables, queries, stored procedures and application code required to store, add, append, delete and modify the object and object attributes related to the managing of the use of the plurality of cloud computing services,

the methods database includes all tables, queries, stored procedures and application code required to store, add, append, delete, modify and execute actions related to the managing of the use of the plurality of cloud computing services, and

the logs database includes all tables, queries, stored procedures and application code required to store, add, append, delete and modify all activity, events, incidents, security, performance related to the plurality of cloud computing services.

41 . An apparatus for managing the use of a plurality of cloud computing services within a common connection and database framework, the apparatus comprising:

an Internet-based interface configured to display, select and access information and attributes related to a plurality of cloud computing services;

a first data access layer configured to establish data communications between the cloud computing services management apparatus and a plurality of databases based on a command received via the Internet-based interface, the data communications including storing and retrieving the information and attributes stored in the plurality of databases;

a push-pull data layer configured to push data to and pull data from the plurality of cloud computing services based on a command received via said Internet-based interface;

a second data access layer configured to established data communications between the cloud computing services management apparatus and the plurality of cloud computing services based on a command received from the push-pull data layer;

a social networking infrastructure that allows sharing of information related to the plurality of cloud computing services by connecting to the common connection and database framework; and

an application exchange infrastructure that allows sharing of information related to the plurality of cloud computing services by connecting to the common connection and database framework,

wherein the cloud computing services management apparatus is configured to manage selected information and attributes of the plurality of cloud computing services available within the Internet-based interface via a single portal to the cloud computing services management apparatus.