Privacy protection for regulated computing environments

Abstract

Managing data in a distributed computing environment, such as a cloud computing platform for healthcare. The platform selects a set of hierarchical resources deployed in the distributed computing environment, wherein the set of hierarchical resources comprises a resource member. The platform converts the set of selected hierarchical resources to a localized schema. The platform determines a score for the resource member based on the proximity of the resource member to the healthcare privacy dictionary, wherein the proximity is determined using the localized schema. The platform updates the set of hierarchical resources based on the determined score. The platform controls access to a resource member based on the score determined based on a proximity of a localized schema representation of the resource member to a healthcare privacy dictionary.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for managing data in a distributed computing environment, comprising:
 determining a score for a resource member based on proximity of a localized schema representation of the resource member to a healthcare privacy dictionary, the score representing a privacy metric; and   controlling access to a resource member based on the score.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the resource member comprises a data model having a schema format, or a schema-less data model in a common data format. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the data model comprises an extension. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the extension is added to the data model by an upstream application. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the data model is in JSON format, RDF format or XML format. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the resource member is a component of a set of hierarchical resources in the distributed computing environment. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting a set of hierarchical resources deployed in the distributed computing environment, wherein the set of hierarchical resources comprises the resource member.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 converting the set of selected hierarchical resources to a localized schema.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining the score for the resource member based on the proximity of the resource member to the healthcare privacy dictionary, wherein the proximity is determined using the localized schema.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 updating the set of hierarchical resources based on the determined score.   
     
     
         11 . A computer program product for managing data in a distributed computing environment, comprising one or more computer readable storage media, and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising instructions for:
 determining a score for a resource member based on proximity of a localized schema representation of the resource member to a healthcare privacy dictionary, the score representing a privacy metric; and   controlling access to a resource member based on the score.   
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the resource member comprises a data model having a schema format, or a schema-less data model in a common data format. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the data model comprises an extension. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the extension is added to the data model by an upstream application. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the data model is in JSON format, RDF format or XML format. 
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the resource member is a component of a set of hierarchical resources in the distributed computing environment. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 selecting a set of hierarchical resources deployed in the distributed computing environment, wherein the set of hierarchical resources comprises the resource member.   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 converting the set of selected hierarchical resources to a localized schema.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 determining the score for the resource member based on the proximity of the resource member to the healthcare privacy dictionary, wherein the proximity is determined using the localized schema.   
     
     
         20 . A computer system for managing data in a distributed computing environment, comprising:
 one or more processors and one or more programming instructions stored on one or more tangible storage media of the computer system, the programming instructions being executable by the one or more processors to perform a method, the programming instructions comprising instructions for:   determining a score for a resource member based on proximity of a localized schema representation of the resource member to a healthcare privacy dictionary, the score representing a privacy metric; and   controlling access to a resource member based on the score.   
     
     
         21 . The computer system of  claim 20 , wherein the resource member is a component of a set of hierarchical resources in the distributed computing environment, and comprises:
 a data model having a schema format, or a schema-less data model in a common data format, comprising an extension added to the data model by an upstream application.   
     
     
         22 . The computer system of  claim 20 , wherein the programming instructions further comprise instructions for:
 selecting a set of hierarchical resources deployed in the distributed computing environment, wherein the set of hierarchical resources comprises the resource member.