Extensible framework for communicating over a firewall with a software application regarding a user account

1. A method for communicating over a firewall, the method comprising:

sending, periodically, a check-in communication to a management server located outside the firewall, the check-in communication indicating an agent/OPA interface associated with the check-in communication;

receiving an action from the management server, wherein the action includes a standardized portion that adheres to a standardized format and concerns user account information maintained by an on-premise software application (“OPA”) installed on a device located inside the firewall;

generating an OPA interface request based on the action, wherein the OPA interface request relates to user accounts of the OPA and includes the standardized portion; and

sending the OPA interface request to the agent/OPA interface configured to communicate with the device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the action further concerns managing a user account of the user accounts of the OPA or using the user account to perform delegated authentication.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the check-in communication comprises a web query.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the standardized portion includes information that the OPA needs to execute a command.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the standardized format is System for Cross-domain Identity Management (SCIM).

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the OPA interface request comprises a System for Cross-domain Identity Management (SCIM) representational state transfer (REST) request.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the OPA interface request comprises a location of the device on which the OPA is installed.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the OPA interface request comprises authentication information needed to access the user account information.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the action further includes a portion that identifies the agent/OPA interface.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program modules for communicating over a firewall, the computer program modules executable to perform steps comprising:

sending, periodically, a check-in communication to a management server located outside the firewall, the check-in communication indicating an agent/OPA interface associated with the check-in communication;

receiving an action from the management server, wherein the action includes a standardized portion that adheres to a standardized format and concerns user account information maintained by an on-premise software application (“OPA”) installed on a device located inside the firewall;

generating an OPA interface request based on the action, wherein the OPA interface request relates to user accounts of the OPA and includes the standardized portion; and

sending the OPA interface request to the agent/OPA interface configured to communicate with the device.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the action further concerns managing a user account of the user accounts of the OPA or using the user account to perform delegated authentication.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the standardized portion includes information that the OPA needs to execute a command.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the standardized format is System for Cross-domain Identity Management (SCIM), and wherein the OPA interface request comprises a SCIM representational state transfer (REST) request.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the OPA interface request comprises a location of the device on which the OPA is installed.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the OPA interface request comprises authentication information needed to access the user account information.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the action further includes a portion that identifies the agent/OPA interface.

17. A computer system for communicating over a firewall, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program modules executable to perform steps comprising:

sending, periodically, a check-in communication to a management server located outside the firewall, the check-in communication indicating an agent/OPA interface associated with the check-in communication;

receiving an action from the management server, wherein the action includes a standardized portion that adheres to a standardized format and concerns user account information maintained by an on-premise software application (“OPA”) installed on a device located inside the firewall;

generating an OPA interface request based on the action, wherein the OPA interface request relates to user accounts of the OPA and includes the standardized portion; and

sending the OPA interface request to the agent/OPA interface configured to communicate with the device; and

a computer processor for executing the computer program modules.