JP4010749B2 - Electronic file management system with shared database - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electronic file management system using the Internet, and more specifically to an electronic file management system in which a company and a plurality of users can share electronic files.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As communication over the Internet becomes widespread, many companies provide home pages and communicate with users interactively. An interactive web page is created as a dynamic HTML document using a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) program, and a page on which a user can write is called a form. The user who browses the web page with the browser can send the written data and the attached file to the web server by writing in a predetermined part of the form, or by attaching the attached file and clicking the send button.
[0003]
It is proposed that such interactive Internet communication be used for business, and that companies receive information on parts and other materials, information on business progress, etc. from multiple companies that have a cooperative relationship with the company. Yes. In that case, from the viewpoint of security of the internal system of the company, a public web server connected to the Internet is installed outside the company so that the user cannot access the internal system.
[0004]
In this case, since the information provided to the company that is the orderer by a plurality of partner companies that are users is confidential information of each partner company, a system that protects confidentiality and an internal server in the company are provided. The consistency between the information stored in the web server and the information stored in the database of the web server needs to be maintained.
[0005]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-219326 discloses a master electronic file management on an intranet in a file management system that transmits and receives electronic files using an intranet protected by a firewall and the Internet that can communicate with the intranet. Place the device, place the slave electronic file management device on the Internet, send and receive electronic file and electronic file classification management information to and from the master electronic file management device in response to the user accessing the slave electronic file management device To start.
[0006]
However, this prior art specifically relates to management of electronic mail, and does not exchange information between companies by communication using the HTTP protocol of the Internet.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
There is a need for a system for exchanging information between companies using the Internet and maintaining convenience while maintaining security.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A system according to the present invention is an electronic file management system including an internal installation server that communicates with an external installation server installed outside via a firewall, and is provided on the external installation server and connected to the Internet. A shared database provided in the externally installed server, which can be accessed by the user through authentication via the Internet, and an internal database corresponding to the shared database provided in the internally installed server. The shared database and the internal database are configured to be matched based on the change information.
[0009]
Since the external server that the user accesses and the internal server inside the company are connected via a firewall, the security of the internal server can be maintained. Since consistency with the internal database related to the installation server is maintained, the user can easily access the shared database having the same contents as the internal database via the Internet.
[0010]
According to one aspect of the present invention, the externally installed server and the internally installed server are connected by a dedicated line, and access to the shared database by the user is restricted by authentication using a user ID and a user password. Server security is further strengthened.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The in-company system 30 includes an internal installation server 33 connected to an internal network 31 such as an intranet. Many internal users can access the internal installation server with the personal computer 32. The system 30 is connected via a firewall 35 to the public web server 22 of the server 21 installed outside the company. In this embodiment, the external installation server 21 and the internal system 30 are connected by a dedicated line.
[0012]
A plurality of users' personal computers 1 to n can access a public web server 22 via the Internet 20 and access a corporate homepage. A user can enter a business page by inputting a user ID and a password from a company homepage. In one embodiment, this business page is designed specifically for each user. A box 24 dedicated to each user is provided in the database of the public web server. For example, when a user accesses a home page in a public web server using the personal computer 1, writes data in a form, attaches a foul, and clicks a send button, the data and the attached file are dedicated to that user. Stored in the box 24. The data and the attached file stored in the box 24 are transferred to the internal installation server 33 in the company through the firewall 35, and stored in the corresponding box among the boxes 34 prepared for each user in the internal installation server 33. Is done.
[0013]
FIG. 2 shows a more detailed configuration of the externally installed server 21 and the internal system 30 in one embodiment of the present invention. The web server 22 provided in the externally installed server 21 includes an HTTP protocol communication unit 26, and communication between the user and the public web server 22 is performed via the Internet 20 by the HTTP protocol. The communication unit 26 also supports the HTTPS protocol that performs encrypted communication by SSL. In one embodiment, the communication after the transmission of the user ID and user password is performed by the HTTPS protocol. A company homepage provided on the public web server 22 is managed by a CGI (Common Gateway Interface) program 28.
[0014]
The externally installed server 21 includes a shared database 10 and a log file 13 that records a log of access to the database. The shared database 10 is provided with a box dedicated to each user for users who use this electronic file management system for business purposes. Specifically, this box is a storage area allocated for each user ID in the storage device.
[0015]
The user activates the browser on the personal computer and inputs the URL of the company home page or clicks a preset icon to display the top page of the company home page on the browser. This top page has fields for inputting a user ID and a user password. When a user ID issued in advance by a company and a pre-registered password are input in these fields and the transmission button is clicked, these user ID and password are transmitted to the public web server 22 and are authenticated by the CGI program 28. 15 is passed.
[0016]
In response to the authentication of the user ID and the user password being OK, the CGI program 28 forms a business page corresponding to this user in the form of an HTML document by the dynamic menu formation method and returns it to the user. Thus, the business page for the user is displayed on the user's browser. By inputting the electronic file name in the input field of the business page, the user can take out the electronic file provided by the user in the shared database and perform arbitrary editing work (data update, deletion, etc.). Also, a new file can be registered in the shared database by attaching a new file to the attachment file field of the business page.
[0017]
In one embodiment, an electronic file ID is used instead of an electronic file name to identify an electronic file in the shared database. This electronic file ID is given by the public web server 22 when the user sends a new file to the public web server and is stored in the shared database 10, and is notified to the user.
[0018]
When a user accesses the shared database, a record of the access is recorded in the log file 13. The log file includes a user ID field indicating the accessed user, a file ID field indicating the electronic file ID of the accessed electronic file, a file name field indicating the name of the accessed file, and an operation type (read, write, overwrite, delete) Etc.), a file size, and a date / time field indicating the access date / time. This is shown in the table below.
[0019]
[Table 1]
Log file fields
User ID file ID File name Operation size Date and time [0020]
One record is recorded per operation. One operation refers to each operation of reading, writing, overwriting, and deleting, and operations for reading out, modifying, and replacing an electronic file are recorded as two records as two operations of reading and overwriting.
[0021]
Records in the log file 13 move with the associated electronic file. That is, when an electronic file is copied from the shared database 10 to the internal database 40 of the internal installation server 33, a log record regarding the electronic file is copied to the log file 43 of the internal installation server 33. Conversely, when an electronic file is copied from the internal database 40 of the internal installation server 33 to the shared database 10 of the external installation server 33, a log record relating to this electronic file is copied from the log file 43 to the log file 13.
[0022]
The internal installation server 33 includes an internal database 40 corresponding to the shared database 10 of the external installation server 21 and a log file 43 that records access to the internal database 40. The log file 43 has the same file structure as the log file 13 of the external server 21. The contents of the internal database 40 are maintained so as to coincide with the contents of the shared database 10 of the external server 21 as will be described later in detail as far as electronic files related to the user are concerned.
[0023]
A user 32 in the company can access the internal database 40 via the intranet 31 to retrieve an electronic file, or write an electronic file desired to be provided to the user to the internal database 40. All these operations are recorded in the log file 43. The data writing unit 38 controls writing of data to the internal database 40, and the data extracting unit 42 controls extraction (reading) of electronic files from the internal database 40. The communication control unit 45 controls communication between the internal installation server 33 and the external installation server 21. In this embodiment, communication between the internal installation server 33 and the external installation server 21 is performed by the Internet protocol (IP protocol).
[0024]
The log management unit 11 of the externally installed server 21 reads the log file 13 every predetermined time (for example, 15 minutes), and whether there is a log record newly generated during this fixed time, that is, the shared database 10 Examine information about change. This is done by searching the time field of the log file. If there is a corresponding log record, check the operation field of that log record. When the content of the operation field is “read”, in one embodiment, the log record is simply transferred to the internal server 33 and copied to the log file 43. As a result, the user 32 in the company checks the log file 43, and the electronic file uploaded to the internal database 40 for viewing by the user is copied to the shared database 10 and then viewed by the user. I can know.
[0025]
When the content of the operation field is “write” or “overwrite”, the electronic file related to this log record is read from the shared database 10, transferred to the internal server 33, and written or overwritten in the internal database 40. When the content of the operation field is “delete”, this log record is transferred to the internal server 33. In response to the transfer of the log record, the internal server logically deletes the corresponding electronic file in the internal database 40 and copies the log record to the log file 43. In this way, the contents of the internal database 40 and the log file 43 are matched with the contents of the shared database 10 and the log file 13.
[0026]
Similarly, the log management unit 41 of the internal server 33 examines the log file 43 at regular intervals, and changes the contents of the electronic file such as writing, overwriting, and deletion from the in-house user during the regular time. That is, whether or not there is, that is, information related to changes in the internal database 40 is detected. In this case, in one embodiment, the “read” operation does not need to be reflected in the log of the shared database 10 and thus is not a detection target. When a log record with “write” or “overwrite” is detected, the corresponding electronic file is read from the internal database 40, transferred to the external server 21 together with the log record, and written or overwritten on the shared database. The log record is copied to the log file 13. In the case of “delete”, the log record is simply transferred to the external server 21. In response to this log record, the external server 21 deletes the corresponding electronic file in the shared database 10 and copies this log record to the log file 13. In this way, the contents of the shared database 10 are matched with the contents of the internal database 40.
[0027]
The company can realize a state that can be browsed by the user by writing information to be transmitted to the user in the internal database 40. This is because, when a certain time has elapsed since writing, the log management unit 41 transfers the electronic file related to this information to the shared database 10 of the externally installed server 21 for writing. In this way, for example, the user can view a file for requesting a quote with a quote specification attached.
[0028]
FIG. 3 shows a process from accessing a home page to displaying a business menu. When a partner company of X company starts a browser on personal computer 1 set to dial-up to an Internet provider, enters the URL of company X and presses the enter key (301), this URL The public web browser 22 that transmits the HTTP document of the top page of the X company home page is transmitted to the browser 1. In this way, the top page of the homepage of Company X is displayed on the browser 1 (302). The top page includes a “business menu” button hyperlinked to a business menu page, in addition to a plurality of buttons hyperlinked to pages such as company information, product information, and store information. Below the business menu button, a field for inputting a user ID and a password is provided.
[0029]
When the user inputs the user ID and password and clicks the “business menu” button (303), the communication protocol is switched to the HTTPS protocol that performs encrypted communication by SSL (304), and the user ID and password are changed to the public web server 22. (305). The public web server 22 compares and authenticates the received user ID and password with those registered in advance (306). If the authentication is OK, the menu corresponding to the user is selected and the menu page is edited (307). This menu page is transmitted to the personal computer 1 in the form of an HTML document. In this way, the business menu page corresponding to the user is displayed on the personal computer 1 (308).
[0030]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process flow when a person in charge of company X issues a request for quotation to a partner company. The person in charge creates a document file for requesting an estimate to be sent to the cooperating company Y on the personal computer in the purchasing department (401). The user ID of company Y is added to this material file (403). The user ID can be obtained by searching the supplier management table.
[0031]
The person in charge uploads this material file to the internal database 40 of the internal installation server 33 (405). At this time, it is recorded in the log file 43 that this material file has been written in the database 40.
[0032]
In step 407, the log management unit 41 determines whether a certain time (for example, 15 minutes) has elapsed since the previous log check. When the predetermined time has elapsed, the log management unit 41 reads the log file 43, and determines whether there has been an operation of writing, overwriting, or deleting the internal database 40 by the in-house user during this fixed time (409, 411). ). In the case of the present example, since a new material file has been written by a person in charge in the company, the internal installation server 33 reads the material file and the log record related thereto from the internal database 40 and the log file 43. Then, it is transmitted to the external installation server 21 under the control of the communication control device 45 (413).
[0033]
In response to this, the externally installed server 21 writes the material file and the related log record in the shared database 10 and the log file 13, respectively. This material file is put in a box dedicated to the company Y in the shared database 10. In this way, the company Y can access the estimate request material file created by the person in charge of the company X.
[0034]
Here, the Y company dedicated box need not be assigned a physically fixed storage area in the shared database 10, and cannot be accessed from the outside without using the Y company user ID and user password. As long as it is programmed.
[0035]
Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a system for exchanging information between companies using the Internet and maintaining convenience while maintaining security.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing more details of the system of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process until a user displays a business menu page on a browser in an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing steps until a partner company Y can access a material file created by a person in charge of the company X;
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Shared Database 13, 43 Log File 20 Internet 21 External Server 22 Public Web Server 33 Internal Server 35 Firewall 40 Internal Database

Claims (2)

An electronic file management system comprising an internally installed server that communicates with an externally installed server via a firewall,
A public web server provided in the external server and connected to the Internet;
A shared database provided in the externally installed server, which a user can access via authentication via the Internet;
A shared database log file that records accesses including reads to the shared database; and
An internal database corresponding to the shared database provided in the internal installation server;
An internal database log file that records accesses including reads to the internal database, and
Electronic file management system when said shared database is a read has been performed, and configured to log records out readings are copied to a log file internal database. The electronic file management system according to claim 1, wherein the externally installed server and the internally installed server are connected by a dedicated line, and the user authentication is performed using a user ID and a user password.

Images