WOPI Abstractor for Heterogeneous Cloud Storage Bridging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Implementing the Web App Open Platform Interface (WOPI) protocol across multiple cloud storage and cloud application environments is burdensome and complicated, requiring the development and maintenance of numerous 'bridge services' to facilitate seamless file access.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a WOPI abstractor, multiple WOPI servers corresponding to cloud applications, and a cloud storage abstractor that functions as an intermediary between WOPI servers and cloud storages, allowing users to access files stored in multiple cloud storages via any cloud application through a single interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the WOPI protocol is implemented on a per cloud storage and per cloud application basis to enable cross-provider file access, then file accessibility between heterogeneous cloud services is improved, but the number of bridge services required increases exponentially (m×n for m storages and n applications), leading to increased system complexity and maintenance burden
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud storage abstractor as an intermediary layer between cloud applications and cloud storages. This abstractor receives requests from WOPI servers, translates them into storage-specific operations, and manages connections to multiple cloud storages. By positioning this mediator between the application layer and storage layer, the system enables cross-provider file access without requiring individual bridge services for each storage-application pair, thus resolving the technical contradiction between adaptability and system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The cloud storage abstractor is designed as a universal component that can interface with multiple different cloud storage providers through a standardized interface. Rather than creating specialized bridge services for each combination of storage and application, this single multi-functional abstractor handles connections to various cloud storages (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive) and works with multiple cloud applications simultaneously, thereby reducing the overall system complexity while maintaining broad file accessibility
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple bridge services are deployed to support multiple cloud storages and applications, then cross-provider file access capability is improved, but the maintenance burden and operational complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud storage abstractor serves as a centralized intermediary that manages all connections between WOPI servers and cloud storages. Instead of maintaining multiple distributed bridge services, the system consolidates connectivity logic in this single component. The abstractor handles authentication, connection management, and protocol translation centrally, which significantly reduces the maintenance burden while preserving cross-provider file access capabilities across multiple storages and applications
3Reliability
If a traditional WOPI implementation is used where each cloud application requires its own WOPI server connected to each cloud storage, then protocol compatibility is improved, but the scalability of the system deteriorates due to the exponential growth of bridge services
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the traditional monolithic WOPI implementation into distinct functional layers: cloud applications, WOPI servers, cloud storage abstractor, and cloud storages. This segmentation allows each component to operate independently with well-defined interfaces. The WOPI servers maintain protocol compatibility with cloud applications, while the cloud storage abstractor handles storage-specific implementations. This layered segmentation enables the system to scale efficiently by adding or removing individual components without requiring proportional changes across the entire system
Solution Approach 2:
The cloud storage abstractor is designed as a universal interface layer that works with multiple cloud storage providers through standardized protocols. Rather than requiring dedicated WOPI server instances for each storage provider, this multi-functional abstractor handles connections to various storages (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.) and various cloud applications simultaneously, enabling the system to scale linearly rather than exponentially as new storages or applications are added
Data Source
AI summary
Heterogeneous sets of cloud applications and storage can be bridged. Cloud services can be configured to include a Web Application Open Platform Interface (WOPI) abstractor, multiple WOPI servers corresponding to respective multiple WOPI clients of cloud applications that may be used to access files, and a cloud storage abstractor that functions as an intermediary between the multiple WOPI servers and multiple cloud storages in which the files may be stored. The cloud services allow a user to access a single webpage or other interface to obtain access to his or her files stored in the multiple cloud storages via any of the multiple cloud applications.