Distributed Software Service Metadata Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current distributed computing technologies lack an efficient formal mechanism for sharing information between indirectly related components, particularly in software services, leading to a lack of visibility and control for users over the execution of their software, including the protection and privacy of confidential data, and the auditing of indirect software services.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that allows software components to access information about other components by storing and associating metadata and reference information, enabling the sharing of information across distributed computing components, including metadata that describes the interface, data formats, reliability, security, and attributes of downstream components, using mechanisms like XML and web service description language.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If distributed computing architectures are used to divide software into components, then software functionality and scalability are improved, but visibility and control over indirect components are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where component metadata and dependency information are continuously collected from distributed components and made available to requesting components. This allows upstream components to obtain information about downstream components they indirectly depend on, resolving the visibility loss while maintaining architectural distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary information exchange mechanism that mediates between distributed components. Through standardized metadata exchange and dependency tracking, this intermediary system enables indirect components to share information about their dependencies without requiring direct connections, thus maintaining both distribution and visibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If software services use other software services indirectly, then service functionality is enhanced, but auditing and security control become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback loops where service metadata, including dependency information and operational status, is continuously reported back to requesting services. This enables auditing mechanisms to trace and monitor indirect service dependencies, maintaining security control while allowing functional enhancement through service composition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by collecting and validating service metadata and dependency information before services are executed. This advance preparation creates an audit trail and security verification framework that makes it easier to detect and measure indirect service usage, rather than attempting to audit after the fact.
3Ease of manufacture
If components hide implementation details behind interfaces, then encapsulation and modularity are improved, but information sharing between indirect components is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts essential information from component implementations and places it into standardized metadata that can be exchanged independently of the actual implementation details. This separation allows components to maintain encapsulation and modularity while still sharing necessary information through the extracted metadata about dependencies, interfaces, and operational characteristics.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment the present invention includes a systems and methods of accessing information across distributed computing components. In one embodiment, a first software component has associated information and references to information associated with other software components that provide inputs to the first software component. Information about downstream software components may be accessed through the references. In one embodiment, a first software service such as a web service may include metadata that describes the service and pointers to other services consumed by the first software service. Embodiments of the invention provide automated auditing and searching across related software components.