Composite Export Entity for Secure Business Intelligence Object Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for moving Business Intelligence (BI) objects between systems are restrictive, requiring both systems to be online and network-accessible, creating security risks, and are resource-intensive for third-party object support, limiting extensibility.
Innovation Solution
A technique involving the creation of a composite export entity that defines attributes and relationships of BI objects, allowing for their export and import into a target system without simultaneous online access, using executable instructions on a computer-readable medium to merge objects into the target system's hierarchy, preserving dependencies and security settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If both source and target systems are kept simultaneously online and network accessible for BI object movement, then object transport can be performed, but security risks increase and system availability requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the BI object data from the source system into a standalone export file that can be stored locally or transferred independently. This extraction eliminates the need for both systems to be simultaneously online, allowing the target system to import objects using only the exported file, thereby removing the security risk of network accessibility while maintaining full transport capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary export of BI objects from the source system into a file format before the actual import operation. This preliminary action captures all necessary object data, relationships, and metadata in advance, enabling the target system to complete the import process without requiring real-time connection to the source system, thus eliminating continuous network accessibility requirements
2Adaptability or versatility
If the import tool is rewritten to understand every new kind of third-party BI object, then third-party object support is achieved, but resource intensity and development coordination requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal export file format that can represent any BI object type through standardized metadata elements and data structures. This universal format allows the import tool to handle third-party objects without rewriting, as long as they conform to the standardized schema, thereby achieving high adaptability while keeping the import tool simple and maintainable
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter-based metadata definitions that can be configured to represent different BI object types. By changing metadata parameters rather than rewriting the import tool logic, the system can accommodate new third-party objects dynamically, reducing development coordination requirements while maintaining versatility
3Reliability
If systems are located behind firewalls or in physically remote locations, then security and physical distribution are improved, but network accessibility and import complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts BI objects into portable file formats that can be transferred through secure channels independent of network connectivity. This extraction allows objects to be moved between physically remote locations or across firewall boundaries using simple file transfer mechanisms, eliminating the complexity of network-based import while maintaining security and physical distribution benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates complete copies of BI objects in a portable file format that can be stored and transferred independently. This copying approach allows the target system to receive and import objects without requiring real-time network access to the source system, simplifying the import process while enabling secure transfer across firewall boundaries and remote locations
Data Source
AI summary
A computer readable medium includes executable instructions to create a first export file that defines attributes and relationships associated with a first business intelligence object. A second export file that characterizes a second business intelligence object associated with the first business intelligence object is formed. The first export file and the second export file are combined into a composite export entity. The composite export entity is distributed.