Master data management

Abstract

Multiple instances of a computer system subscribe to a central data storage system. The central data storage system receives a set of entities that the instances wish to synchronize with one another, along with a schema representing those entities, from each instance. The central data storage system receives changes to the identified entities from the various instances, identifies conflicts, and synchronizes changes from a given instance to the other subscribing instances.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving, by a synchronization system from a first computing system, an indication of a first schema corresponding to a first data record associated with the first computing system;   receiving, by the synchronization system from a second computing system, synchronization data indicative of a change made to a second data record associated with the second computing system, wherein the second data record corresponds to the first data record and has a second schema that is different than the first schema;   determining a schema conflict based on a comparison of the first schema to the second schema;   identifying a conflict resolution rule based on the schema conflict;   transforming the synchronization data based on the conflict resolution rule, wherein the transformed synchronization data is indicative of a change to the first data record; and   sending the transformed synchronization data to the first computing system.   
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21  and further comprising:
 storing, by the synchronization system, a superset of the first and second schemas. 
 
     
     
         23 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the first schema defines a first number of data fields in the first data record, the second schema defines a second number of data fields in the second data record, and wherein determining a schema conflict comprises:
 determining a conflict between the first number of data fields and the second number of data fields.   
     
     
         24 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 23 , wherein transforming the synchronization data based on the conflict resolution rule comprises:
 generating the transformed synchronization data to have the first number of data fields.   
     
     
         25 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein transforming the synchronization data based on the conflict resolution rule comprises:
 selecting one of the first and second schemas as a prevailing schema according to a schema hierarchy.   
     
     
         26 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 25 , wherein the transformed synchronization data is indicative of the change performed on the first data record according to the prevailing schema. 
     
     
         27 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the first schema defines a first table structure of the first data record, and the second schema defines a second table structure of the second data record. 
     
     
         28 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 27 , wherein transforming the synchronization data based on the conflict resolution rule comprises:
 automatically transforming the first table structure to the second table structure, and wherein the first data record is changed to correspond to the second table structure.   
     
     
         29 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 22 , wherein accessing the conflict resolution rule comprises:
 identifying one of the first and second computing systems as an authorized computing system, that is authorized to change the first and second data records; and   selecting the authorized computing system to transform the synchronization data according to the first or second schema associated with the authorized computing system.   
     
     
         30 . An electronic data synchronization system comprising:
 at least one processor; and   memory storing instructions executable by the processor, wherein the instructions configure the electronic data synchronization system to:
 receive an indication of a first schema corresponding to a first data record in a first computing system; 
 receive synchronization data indicative of a change made to a second data record in a second computing system, wherein the second data record corresponds to the first data record and has a second schema that is different than the first schema; 
 determine a schema conflict based on a comparison of the first schema to the second schema; 
 identify a schema conflict resolution rule based on the schema conflict; 
 transform the synchronization data based on the schema conflict resolution rule, wherein the transformed synchronization data is indicative of a change to the first data record; and 
 send the transformed synchronization data to the first computing system. 
   
     
     
         31 . The electronic data synchronization system of  claim 30 , wherein the instructions configure the electronic data synchronization system to:
 determine the schema conflict is indicative of a difference between the first schema and the second schema; and   identify the first schema as a prevailing schema.   
     
     
         32 . The electronic data synchronization system of  claim 31 , wherein the instructions configure the electronic data synchronization system to:
 generate the transformed synchronization data to include the change according to the prevailing schema.   
     
     
         33 . The electronic data synchronization system of  claim 32 , wherein the instructions configure the electronic data synchronization system to:
 send the transformed synchronization data to the first computing system according to the prevailing schema.   
     
     
         34 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 identifying, by a first computer system instance, a data record to be synchronized with a second computer system instance;   identifying a data schema used by the first computer system instance to store the data record;   sending, to a data synchronization system configured to synchronize data between the first and second computer system instances, a record identifier indicative of the data record and an indication of the data schema;   identifying a change to the data record on the first computer system instance;   generating first synchronization data indicative of the change to the data record;   sending the first synchronization data to the data synchronization system;   receiving second synchronization data from the data synchronization system, indicative of a change made to a corresponding data record in the second computer system instance;   identifying a conflict in the second synchronization data received from the data synchronization system;   accessing a conflict resolution rule;   automatically resolving the identified conflict based on the conflict resolution rule; and   based on the automatic resolution of the identified conflict in the second synchronization data, updating the data record in a data store associated with the first computer system instance.   
     
     
         35 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 34 , and further comprising:
 identifying a plurality of conflicts in the second synchronization data received from the data synchronization system, and wherein performing conflict resolution further comprises:
 generating a representation of a user interface display that indicates an unresolved conflict that is not automatically resolved and includes a conflict resolution user input mechanism; and 
 based on an indication of user actuation of the conflict resolution user input mechanism, resolving the unresolved conflict. 
   
     
     
         36 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 34  and further comprising:
 updating the data record, with the second synchronization data received from the data synchronization system. 
 
     
     
         37 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 36  wherein updating comprises:
 based on the second synchronization data received from the data synchronization system, updating a plurality of different tables in the data store, the plurality of different tables storing data corresponding to the data record. 
 
     
     
         38 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 35  and further comprising:
 generating a representation of a provisioning user interface display, the provisioning user interface display comprising a provisioning user input mechanism; and 
 based on an indication of user actuation of the provisioning user input mechanism, identifying the data synchronization system used by the first computer system instance. 
 
     
     
         39 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 35  and further comprising:
 generating a representation of a synchronization management user input display with a synchronization management user input mechanism; and 
 based on an indication of user actuation of the synchronization management user input mechanism, configuring a management parameter for synchronizing the identified data record. 
 
     
     
         40 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 39 , wherein configuring the management parameter comprises configuring whether synchronization is initiated manually or automatically, and, if automatically, start and end times for the synchronization and a recurrence pattern for the synchronization.