JP2005284602A - Progress management system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a progress management system capable of collecting appropriate progress information at optional time corresponding to the instructions of a management server without lowering security on a project in communication environment where access from the outside is limited such as between enterprises via firewalls. <P>SOLUTION: This progress management system 100 is composed of a progress management server 101 and a result management server 102 for every project. Communication between the result management server 102 on the customer side 110C and the progress management server 101 is restricted to predetermined protocol. In this embodiment, data conversion means 101b, 102b are therefore provided for converting data into a data format transmittable/receivable between intermediate servers 122 provided in DMZ segments 120, and data conversion of progress value computing instructions and result progress value computing results is performed to carry out transmission and reception. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for collecting and aggregating progress information of fruits and vegetables created in each process such as design, development, and testing of a software development project (hereinafter simply referred to as “project”). The present invention relates to a configuration for collecting and aggregating progress information of projects carried out in an environment where access from the outside is restricted by packet filtering of a firewall, such as a resident project.

Conventionally, in software development, products produced by a developer are individually measured using a counter tool, and the measurement results are used for progress management and the like.
As a system for managing the progress of such a product, conventionally, a progress management server that manages progress information about the product and a product management server for each project that stores the product produced by the developer are provided. A configuration is known in which the product management server collects the progress of the deliverables in accordance with a progress collection command from the progress management server and enables the aggregation by the progress management server (for example, Patent Document 1). , 2 and 3)
JP H05-250155 A JP H11-345259 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-067188

However, the technology described in each of the above patent documents is based on a project of an internal network such as an in-house intranet, and considers a project in a communication environment where access from the internal network is restricted such as a customer site. It was not what I did.
In other words, communication between companies via a firewall is generally limited to a minimum data format such as an email format. Therefore, if a progress management server that performs progress management exists in the internal network, the management server It has been difficult to automatically collect progress information of deliverables from a deliverable management server that exists in a project of an external network.
In this case, it may be possible to directly send and receive data between the progress management server and the deliverable management server using an arbitrary protocol, but the security is reduced and there is a risk of unauthorized access from the outside. Since it will increase, it was not preferable. In addition, it is conceivable to use a virtual private network (VPN), etc. to virtually incorporate it into an internal network such as an in-house intranet. However, since extra work and costs are required, a VPN is constructed each time a project occurs. That is not realistic. In addition, it is possible to send a command email from the management server to the customer and create a progress report email by the project manager, etc., but it is necessary to collect progress information manually, etc. In addition to being lost, there is a problem that information cannot be collected at a necessary timing.

  The present invention is for solving the above-mentioned problem, and instructing the management server for a project in a communication environment in which access from outside is restricted, such as between companies via a firewall, without reducing security. An object of the present invention is to provide a progress management system that makes it possible to collect appropriate progress information at an arbitrary timing.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is provided in an internal network and includes a progress management server having a progress totaling unit for totalizing progress of deliverables for each project, and an external network, and a project in the external network. A deliverable management server comprising a deliverable management server having a progress value calculation means for calculating a progress value by a preset calculation method for a deliverable, wherein an intermediate server in a DMZ segment provided in each network And a data conversion means for converting the data into a data format that can be transmitted / received through and a data format that can be used by the progress totaling means or the progress value calculating means.

  With the above configuration, in the present invention, in the transmission / reception of progress information and the like between the project product management server and the progress management server existing in the external network, the data format that can be transmitted / received by the intermediate server, and each processing means Progress information on projects in a communication environment where access from the outside is restricted, such as between companies via firewalls, because it is equipped with data conversion means to convert to each available data format. Even in the case of acquiring the data, appropriate data can be transmitted and received without lowering the security in each network. Accordingly, it is possible to collect and analyze progress information based on appropriate progress data at an arbitrary timing desired by the administrator.

Hereinafter, a progress management system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a network configuration including a progress management system according to the present embodiment.
The progress management system 100 includes a progress management server 101 and a deliverable management server 102 for each project.
In the present embodiment, the projects 111A to 111C exist in the head office 110A, the branch office 110B, and the customer 110C, respectively. It is composed. In this case, in the in-house network, direct access between the progress management server 101 and the product management server 102 is possible by an arbitrary protocol. On the other hand, the in-house intranet and the external network of the customer 110C are connected by the Internet or the like, and for access via the Internet, the firewall 121 in the DMZ segment 120 uses a protocol permitted by the security policy of each company. Based on this, the data format is limited to only data that can be transmitted and received between the intermediate servers 122. In FIG. 1, data is transmitted and received between the head office 110A and the branch office 110B through the firewall 121 even within the in-house network. However, communication is performed using a protocol that is relatively free from access from an external network. In addition, the progress management server 101 and the product management server 102 can be directly accessed. As a protocol in this case, for example, SMB (Server Message Block) for sharing files is used in a network environment of Windows (registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation). The SMB is positioned on one of NetBEUI and TCP / IP in the network hierarchy, and realizes file sharing and printer sharing through the network.
In each project 111 </ b> A to 111 </ b> C, a plurality of development terminals 112 used for product development are connected to the product management server 102 for each project, and the development terminals 112,. The developed product is stored in a storage unit in the product management server 102. The deliverable management server 102 includes a progress value calculating unit 102a that calculates the progress of the stored deliverable using a predetermined counter tool, and transmits the calculation result of the progress value calculating unit 102a to the deliverable progress managing server 101. .
The progress management server 101 transmits a progress information calculation instruction to each deliverable management server 102 in response to a progress collection command from the management terminal 103, and totals the calculation results received from the deliverable management server 102, Progress information for each project is transmitted to the management terminal 103 and displayed.
In this case, since communication is possible between the product management servers 102A and 102B of the head office 110A and the branch office 110B and the progress management server 101, the progress value calculation instruction and the product progress value calculation result can be directly compared. Transmission and reception are possible.
Since communication between the product management server 102 and the progress management server 101 in the customer 110C is limited to a predetermined protocol (such as SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)), DMZ (DMZ ( DeMilitarized Zone) includes data conversion means 101b and 102b for converting data into a data format that can be transmitted and received between the intermediate servers 122 provided in the segment 120, and converts the progress value calculation instruction and the product progress value calculation result into data. We are going to send and receive. The protocol in this case includes HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) in addition to SMTP, and the corresponding intermediate server includes a mail server and a WWW server (World Wide Web Server).
Existing equipment may be used for the DMZ segment or intermediate server. For example, by using a mail server or WWW server as an intermediate server, it exists in an external network without creating a new environment for each project. It is possible to realize a progress management system using a deliverable management server. As described above, by transmitting and receiving data via the intermediate server 122 in the DMZ segment 120, it is possible to appropriately prevent unauthorized access from the outside to the progress management server 101 or the product management server 102 or the like. It has become.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a progress information management processing procedure by the progress management system 100.
The management terminal 103 issues a product progress calculation instruction to the progress management server 101 in accordance with the operation of the administrator (step 201). The progress management server 101 activates the product progress analysis unit 101a (step 202), and transmits a calculation instruction to the product management server 102 of each project (step 203).
On the other hand, if the schedule is set in advance for the collection timing, the progress management server 101 periodically transmits a calculation instruction to the deliverable management server 102 of each project according to the setting (step 204).
In the deliverable management server 102 that has received the calculation instruction, the progress value calculating means 102a is activated (step 205), and for the deliverables stored in the deliverable storage means, a preset calculation index is set by a predetermined counter tool. The progress value is calculated based on (Step 206). The deliverable management server 102 transmits the progress value calculated by the progress value calculation means 102a to the progress management server 101 (step 207).
The progress analysis unit 101a of the progress management server 101 totals the progress values of the deliverables for each project (step 208), transmits the total result to the management terminal 103 (step 209), and displays it on the management terminal 103. (Step 210).
In this case, data transmission / reception processing between the progress management server 101 and the deliverable management server 102 differs depending on whether the project exists in the company intranet or at the customer site.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for transmitting data from the deliverable management server 102 to the progress management server 101 in the projects 111A and 111B in the company intranet, and FIG. 4 shows the deliverable management in the project 111C of the customer 110C. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for transmitting data from a server 102 to a progress management server 111.
The deliverable management server 102 in the in-house intranet calculates the progress value by the progress value calculating means 102a (step 301), and then transmits the progress data to the progress management server 101 using a predetermined protocol permitted in the in-house intranet. (Step 302).
The progress management server 101 receives the progress data by a predetermined protocol (step 303), the progress analysis unit 101a counts the progress value in a preset count unit (step 304), and the count result is sent to the management terminal 103. Transmit and display (step 305).
On the other hand, the product management server 102 of the customer 110C calculates the progress value by the progress value calculation means 102a (step 401), and then converts it into a data format that can be transmitted via the intermediate server 122 by the data conversion means 102b. Transmit (step 402).
The customer-side intermediate server 122 transmits the received progress data to the head office-side intermediate server 122 through the firewall 121 using the permitted protocol (step 403).
The intermediate server 122 on the head office side receives the progress data via the firewall 121 and transfers it to the progress management server 101 (step 404).
The progress management server 101 receives the progress data and converts it into a data format usable by the progress analysis means 101a by the data conversion means 101b (step 405). Aggregation and transmission are performed (steps 406 and 407).
Similarly, when the calculation instruction is transmitted from the progress management server 101 to the deliverable management server 102 of the customer 110C, data conversion by the data conversion units 101b and 102b is performed.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of progress data after the conversion process when the intermediate server 122 is a mail server.
The progress data 500 shown in this example is divided into a header part 510 and a body part 520 as mail format data.
The header part 510 includes data of a title 511, a transmission date 512, a mail address 513 of a customer product management server, and a mail address 514 of a head office product management server.
The body portion 520 includes items 521 included in the progress data and data 522 for each item.
In this example, the data conversion means 102b in the deliverable management server 102 of the customer 110C converts the data into progress data in a mail format with a header portion 510 added thereto, and the head office via the mail server as the intermediate server 122 by the SMTP protocol. 110A to the progress management server 101.
In the progress management server 101, the data conversion means 101b decomposes the data for each item 521 shown in the body part 520 for the progress data 500 in the mail format, and converts it into a data format usable by the progress analysis means 101a.
As described above, in the present embodiment, in the transmission and reception of data between the progress management server 101 of the internal network and the deliverable management server 102 of the project 111C existing in the external network, the intermediate server 122 in the DMZ segment 120 is transmitted. By performing a conversion process to a data format that can be transmitted and received between, appropriate data can be transmitted and received without lowering the security.

Hereinafter, progress data aggregation processing by the progress management system 100 according to the present embodiment will be specifically described.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a progress value calculation processing procedure performed by the progress value calculation means 102a in the product management server 102.
The deliverable management server 102 activates the progress value calculation means 102a in response to a calculation instruction from the progress management server 101 (step 601), and performs the following calculation processing for each deliverable stored on the deliverable management server 102. Repeat (step 602).
In the calculation process, a product information file is read (step 603), a calculation method definition file in which a calculation method corresponding to each product classification is defined in advance is read (step 604), and a calculation program corresponding to the product classification is read. Is acquired and executed (step 605), and an index is calculated (step 606).
After performing the calculation process for all the deliverables on the deliverable management server 102, the calculation result is transmitted to the progress management server 101 as progress value data (step 607).

The above progress value calculation processing will be described using a specific example.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of a product information file stored on the product management server 102.
The deliverable information file 700 is a table structure of a database existing in the deliverable management server 102, and is used to create a deliverable name 701, a function to which the deliverable belongs or a subsystem 702, a module 703 to which the deliverable belongs, and a deliverable. The data items of the template file name 704 and the storage location 705 of the deliverables used in FIG. Here, the item of the function or subsystem 702 and the item of the module 703 are units for totalizing the progress of the product. In this case, at the time of project planning, the system developed in the project is appropriately divided into subsystems, functions, and modules, and the product management server gives subsystem, function, and module identification information to the products. Will be stored.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a template file designation screen used when a developer generates a product.
The designation screen 800 includes a drop-down list 801 for designating a template file, a text box 802, an OK button 803, and a cancel button 804.
In the designation screen 800, when a template file is designated by the developer and the product name to be created is entered in the text box 802, when the OK button 803 is pressed, a copy of the designated template file is created. To do. Let the developer create a deliverable by editing a copy of the template file created here. As described above, since a product is created in a predetermined format by creating a product using a template file created in advance, a calculation program corresponding to the format of the template file is prepared in advance. This makes it easy to calculate the progress value for each index. In this case, the copy of the template file is created to prevent the template file itself from being edited by the developer.
Here, for the copy, the used template file name and folder are set as property information, and the property information is stored in the product information file 700 when the product is stored in the product management server 102.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a template file registration screen used for creating a product, and FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of template file registration information.
In the registration screen 900, a text box 901 for inputting an arbitrary classification for a template, a drop-down list 902 for designating a template file created in advance, a drop-down list 903 for designating a storage location of the template file, and a template file It has a drop-down list 904 for specifying a calculation program associated in advance, a display unit 905 for displaying an index that can be calculated by the index calculation program, an OK button 906, and a cancel button 907.
In the registration screen 900, when an administrator or a product format standardization person inputs an arbitrary classification in the text box 901 and the OK button is pressed in a state where each drop-down list 902 to 904 is specified, a template file is displayed. Registration information is generated. The display unit 805 displays an index corresponding to the designated calculation program.
The template file registration information 1000 is a table structure of a database existing in the deliverable management server 102, and data items corresponding to the text box 901 and the drop-down lists 902 to 904 on the registration screen 900 are classified as 1001, template file names. 1002, a calculation index 1003, and a calculation program 1004. The template file registration information is used as a calculation method definition file in the progress value calculation process.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a registration screen for causing the product management server 102 to register a product.
In the registration screen 1100, a text box 1101 for inputting an arbitrary product name, drop-down lists 1102 and 1103 for designating the file name and folder name of the product, and display of the template file name included in the property information of the product A section 1104, a drop-down list 1105 for designating a storage destination folder in the deliverable management server, an OK button 1106, and a cancel button 1107. Here, the file name and folder name of the deliverable indicate a folder or the like in the development terminal 112.
When the OK button 1106 is pressed in the registration screen 1100 in a state where the developer name, file name, folder name, and storage folder name to be stored are input and specified by the developer, the deliverable is a deliverable management server. 102 in the deliverable information storage means 102.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of the data structure of the progress value data calculated by the progress value calculation unit 102 a for the deliverable stored in the deliverable management server 102.
The progress value data 1200 includes data items of a product name 1201, a function or subsystem 1202, a module 1203, an index 1204, and a progress value 1205 for each index.
The progress value data 1200 shown in this example has a progress value for each index calculated by the calculation program.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a data structure of total unit definition information used by the progress analysis unit 101a in the progress management server 101.
Aggregation unit definition information 1300 includes data items of index name 1301, unit 1302, aggregation unit 1303, and target product classification 1304.
The product progress analysis unit 101a of the progress management server 101 totals the product progress values transmitted from the product management server based on the total unit 1303 defined in the total unit definition information 1300.

FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 are diagrams illustrating an example of a result display screen that displays the result of the aggregation processing performed by the product progress analysis unit of the progress management server.
The result table screen 1400 shows an example of displaying the total result for each department in charge, and the result display screen 1500 shows an example of displaying the total result for each subsystem in each project.
In the present embodiment, the results totalized by the progress analysis unit 101a of the progress management server 101 are transmitted to the management terminal 103 and displayed according to the totaling unit designated by the administrator.

  As described above, the progress management system according to the present embodiment is provided in the DMZ segment for transmission / reception of progress information and the like between the project management server and the progress management server in the external network. About the project under the communication environment where access from the outside is restricted by the firewall etc., such as the project residing in the customer, etc. Even when the progress information is acquired, appropriate data can be transmitted and received without reducing the security in each network. Accordingly, it is possible to collect and analyze progress information based on appropriate progress data at an arbitrary timing desired by the administrator.

Note that the configuration of the present invention is not limited to that shown in the above embodiment, and the processing means or information storage means constituting each server may be divided into a plurality of terminals. For example, in the above embodiment, the progress management server and the product management server are provided with data conversion means. However, the data conversion means may be provided in an intermediate server, or the data conversion means may be provided in addition to each server. Good.
Further, the data format to be converted by the data converting means is not limited to the mail format, and any other data format may be used as long as the data format conforms to the protocol allowed with the external network.

It is a block diagram which shows an example of the network structure containing the progress management system which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the progress information management process sequence by the progress management system which concerns on the position embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the process sequence which transmits data to the progress management server from the product management server in the project in an internal network. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence which transmits data to the progress management server from the product management server in the project in an external network. It is a figure which shows an example of the progress data after the conversion process in case an intermediate server is a mail server. It is a figure which shows the progress value calculation process procedure which the progress value calculation means in a deliverables management server performs. It is a figure which shows an example of the data structure of the product information file stored on the product management server. It is a figure which shows an example of the designation | designated screen of the template file used when a developer produces | generates a deliverable. It is a figure which shows an example of the registration screen of the template file used for creation of a deliverable. It is a figure which shows an example of the data structure of template file registration information. It is a figure which shows an example of the registration screen which makes a product management server register a product. It is a figure which shows an example of the data structure of the progress value data calculated by the deliverable progress value calculation means about the deliverable stored in the deliverable management server. It is a figure which shows the data structure of the total unit definition information which the product progress analysis means of a progress management server uses. It is a figure which shows an example of the result display screen which displays the result of the total process which the product progress analysis means of the progress management server performed. It is a figure which shows the other example of the result display screen which displays the result of the total process which the product progress analysis means of the progress management server performed.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Progress management system, 101 Progress management server, 101a Progress analysis means, 101b Data conversion means, 102 Product management server, 102a Progress value calculation means, 102b Data conversion means, 103 Management terminal, 110A Head office, 110B Branch office, 110, 110C customer, 111A to 111C project, 112 development terminal, 120 DMZ segment, 121 firewall, 122 intermediate server.

Claims (1)

A progress management server provided in the internal network and having a progress counting means for counting the progress of the deliverables for each project, and an external network provided for the project deliverables in the external network by a preset calculation method A progress management system comprising a deliverable management server having a progress value calculation means for calculating a progress value,
Data conversion means for converting each of the data format that can be transmitted / received via an intermediate server in the DMZ segment provided in each network and the data format that can be used by the progress aggregation means or the progress value calculation means A progress management system characterized by that.

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