Identity-to-account correlation and synchronization

Abstract

A method, program product, and apparatus for managing profiles in an access management domain. In an embodiment, attribute field mapping rules are generated for an identity profile schema applied to a plurality of identity profiles and an account profile schema applied to a plurality of account profiles. Each of the identity profiles includes one or more identity attribute fields and each of the plurality of account profiles includes one or more account attribute fields. As part of generating attribute field mapping rules, a synchronization manager iteratively compares, using an edit distance function, data in each of the identity attribute fields with data in one or more of each of the account attribute fields. In response to detecting a match between data in a given identity attribute field and data in a given account attribute field, the synchronization manager increments an attribute correlation value that is associated with the given identity attribute field and the given account attribute field. The synchronization manager compares attribute correlation values that are each associated with a same identity attribute field and identifies a dominant attribute correlation value based on said comparing attribute correlation values.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for managing profiles in an access management domain, said method comprising:
 generating attribute field mapping rules for an identity profile schema applied to a plurality of identity profiles and an account profile schema applied to a plurality of account profiles, wherein each of the identity profiles includes one or more identity attribute fields and each of the plurality of account profiles includes one or more account attribute fields, wherein said generating attribute field mapping rules includes,
 comparing, using an edit distance function, data in each of the identity attribute fields with data in one or more of each of the account attribute fields; 
 in response to detecting a match between data in a given identity attribute field and data in a given account attribute field, incrementing an attribute correlation value that is uniquely logically associated with the given identity attribute field and the given account attribute field; 
 comparing attribute correlation values that are each associated with a same identity attribute field; and 
 identifying a dominant attribute correlation value based on said comparing attribute correlation values. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said comparing data in each of the identity attribute fields with data in one or more of each of the account attribute fields comprises determining, for each pair of identity attribute and account attribute field data, a minimum number of operations required to generate a match between the identity attribute and account attribute field data. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said comparing data in each of the identity attribute fields with data in one or more of each of the account attribute fields comprises comparing an edit distance equal to the minimum number of operations to generate a match between the identity attribute and account attribute field data with a threshold value to determine whether a match exists, said method further comprising in response to determining that the edit distance is equal to or less than the threshold value, determining a match and incrementing an attribute correlation value. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 identifying, based on said comparing using the edit distance function, the dominant correlation value as a full or a partial correlation value; and   in response to identifying the dominant correlation value as a partial correlation value based on the correlation value not exceeding the threshold value,
 identifying the identity and account attribute fields based on the field values specified in the attribute mapping rule; and 
 performing a multiple sequence alignment on the identity and account attribute field data. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said identifying a dominant attribute correlation value comprises, for multiple attribute correlation values that are each logically associated with a different account attribute field and are all associated with a same identity attribute field, determining a largest attribute correlation value. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said identifying a dominant attribute correlation value further comprises determining whether the largest attribute correlation value meets a specified threshold value. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said generating attribute field mapping rules further includes logically associating multiple identity attribute field identifiers with respective account attribute field identifiers in accordance with identified dominant attribute correlation values that are each uniquely logically associated with respective pairs of identity attribute fields and account attribute fields. 
     
     
         8 . One or more machine-readable storage media having program code for managing profiles in an access management domain, the program code to:
 generate attribute field mapping rules for an identity profile schema applied to a plurality of identity profiles and an account profile schema applied to a plurality of account profiles, wherein each of the identity profiles includes one or more identity attribute fields and each of the plurality of account profiles includes one or more account attribute fields, wherein said generating attribute field mapping rules includes,
 comparing, using an edit distance function, data in each of the identity attribute fields with data in one or more of each of the account attribute fields; 
 in response to detecting a match between data in a given identity attribute field and data in a given account attribute field, incrementing an attribute correlation value that is uniquely logically associated with the given identity attribute field and the given account attribute field; 
 comparing attribute correlation values that are each associated with a same identity attribute field; and 
 identifying a dominant attribute correlation value based on said comparing attribute correlation values. 
   
     
     
         9 . The machine-readable storage media of  claim 8 , wherein said comparing data in each of the identity attribute fields with data in one or more of each of the account attribute fields comprises determining, for each pair of identity attribute and account attribute field data, a minimum number of operations required to generate a match between the identity attribute and account attribute field data. 
     
     
         10 . The machine-readable storage media of  claim 9 , wherein said comparing data in each of the identity attribute fields with data in one or more of each of the account attribute fields comprises comparing an edit distance equal to the minimum number of operations to generate a match between the identity attribute and account attribute field data with a threshold value to determine whether a match exists, said machine-readable storage media further comprising program code to, in response to determining that the edit distance is equal to or less than the threshold value, determine a match and incrementing an attribute correlation value. 
     
     
         11 . The machine-readable storage media of  claim 10 , wherein the program code further includes program code to:
 identify, based on said comparing using the edit distance function, the dominant correlation value as a full or a partial correlation value; and   in response to identifying the dominant correlation value as a partial correlation value based on the correlation value not exceeding the threshold value,
 identify the identity and account attribute fields based on the field values specified in the attribute mapping rule; and 
 perform a multiple sequence alignment on the identity and account attribute field data. 
   
     
     
         12 . The machine-readable storage media of  claim 8 , wherein said identifying a dominant attribute correlation value comprises, for multiple attribute correlation values that are each logically associated with a different account attribute field and are all associated with a same identity attribute field, determining a largest attribute correlation value. 
     
     
         13 . The machine-readable storage media of  claim 12 , wherein said identifying a dominant attribute correlation value further comprises determining whether the largest attribute correlation value meets a specified threshold value. 
     
     
         14 . The machine-readable storage media of  claim 13 , wherein said generating attribute field mapping rules further includes logically associating multiple identity attribute field identifiers with respective account attribute field identifiers in accordance with identified dominant attribute correlation values that are each uniquely logically associated with respective pairs of identity attribute fields and account attribute fields. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a machine-readable medium having program code executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to,
 generate attribute field mapping rules for an identity profile schema applied to a plurality of identity profiles and an account profile schema applied to a plurality of account profiles, wherein each of the identity profiles includes one or more identity attribute fields and each of the plurality of account profiles includes one or more account attribute fields, wherein said generating attribute field mapping rules includes,
 comparing, using an edit distance function, data in each of the identity attribute fields with data in one or more of each of the account attribute fields; 
 in response to detecting a match between data in a given identity attribute field and data in a given account attribute field, incrementing an attribute correlation value that is uniquely logically associated with the given identity attribute field and the given account attribute field; 
 comparing attribute correlation values that are each associated with a same identity attribute field; and 
 identifying a dominant attribute correlation value based on said comparing attribute correlation values. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said comparing data in each of the identity attribute fields with data in one or more of each of the account attribute fields comprises determining, for each pair of identity attribute and account attribute field data, a minimum number of operations required to generate a match between the identity attribute and account attribute field data. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said comparing data in each of the identity attribute fields with data in one or more of each of the account attribute fields comprises comparing an edit distance equal to the minimum number of operations to generate a match between the identity attribute and account attribute field data with a threshold value to determine whether a match exists, said machine-readable storage media further comprising program code to, in response to determining that the edit distance is equal to or less than the threshold value, determine a match and incrementing an attribute correlation value. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the program code further includes program code executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
 identify, based on said comparing using the edit distance function, the dominant correlation value as a full or a partial correlation value; and   in response to identifying the dominant correlation value as a partial correlation value based on the correlation value not exceeding the threshold value,
 identify the identity and account attribute fields based on the field values specified in the attribute mapping rule; and 
 perform a multiple sequence alignment on the identity and account attribute field data. 
   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said identifying a dominant attribute correlation value comprises, for multiple attribute correlation values that are each logically associated with a different account attribute field and are all associated with a same identity attribute field, determining a largest attribute correlation value. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said identifying a dominant attribute correlation value further comprises determining whether the largest attribute correlation value meets a specified threshold value, and wherein said generating attribute field mapping rules further includes logically associating multiple identity attribute field identifiers with respective account attribute field identifiers in accordance with identified dominant attribute correlation values that are each uniquely logically associated with respective pairs of identity attribute fields and account attribute fields.