Spreadsheet Micro-Service Discovery via Cloud Credentials
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data analysts using spreadsheet applications like Microsoft Excel face difficulties in discovering and accessing micro-services developed by data science teams, as these micro-services are not readily available and require individual porting as native spreadsheet functions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that enables spreadsheet applications to proactively discover remote micro-services based on user credential information through a cloud service platform, allowing for dynamic access to available functionalities without manual re-coding, by communicating user credentials to the cloud-based analytics platform and persisting a list of accessible micro-services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If micro-services are developed by data science teams, then advanced analytical functionalities are created, but these micro-services are not discoverable or accessible by data analysts using spreadsheet applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud service platform as an intermediary between data science teams and data analysts. This platform hosts micro-services and provides discovery mechanisms that allow spreadsheet applications to find and access relevant micro-services without direct exposure to the development teams or infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service discovery where the spreadsheet application automatically queries the cloud service platform using user credentials to discover and access micro-services relevant to the current spreadsheet context, without requiring manual configuration or intervention from data scientists
2Adaptability or versatility
If micro-services are made available to spreadsheet applications, then functionality is enhanced, but each micro-service must be individually ported as a native spreadsheet function
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud service platform serves as a universal interface that can host diverse micro-services from different data science teams and make them all accessible through a single standardized mechanism in spreadsheet applications, eliminating the need for individual porting of each micro-service
Solution Approach 2:
The cloud service platform acts as a mediator that handles the complexity of micro-service management, authentication, and deployment, allowing spreadsheet applications to access micro-services through simplified credentials-based authentication without dealing with individual service porting details
3Extent of automation
If credential-based discovery is implemented, then proactive discovery of micro-services is enabled, but system complexity increases due to credential management and cloud service integration
Solution Approach 1:
The spreadsheet application performs self-service credential-based discovery by automatically using stored user credentials to authenticate with the cloud service platform and discover micro-services relevant to the current spreadsheet context, eliminating manual discovery processes
Solution Approach 2:
User credentials are obtained and stored in advance during the spreadsheet application's initialization or user login process, enabling subsequent automatic authentication and micro-service discovery without requiring real-time credential input or manual configuration
Data Source
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AI summary
The techniques described herein facilitate proactively discovery of remote micro-services by spreadsheet applications, e.g., Microsoft Excel®. In an implementation, a method of operating a spreadsheet application to proactively discover remote micro-services based on credential information is disclosed. The method includes identifying the credential information associated with a user of the spreadsheet application responsive to detecting a micro-service updating event and proactively discovering one or more micro-services that are available to the user of the spreadsheet application through a cloud service platform based on the credential information. The method further includes persisting a list including the one or more micro-services that are available to the user of the spreadsheet application based on the credentials.