Patent ID: 8689243

Claim:
A method for managing contacts of a different service that are stored with a primary contact service using an Application Programming Interface (API), comprising: determining when to migrate contacts from the different service to the primary contact service; storing a copy of a contact list at the different service that is obtained from the primary contact service; receiving a call at the primary service from the different service through the API that includes functions comprising at least a majority of: a function for adding a new Instant Messaging (IM) contact to a group; a function for adding a new IM group; a function for removing an IM contact from a group; a function for adding a distribution group to an IM list; a function for getting an IM item list; and a function for tagging an IM contact; parsing the call to determine a context parameter that specifies authentication information that is used to authenticate a user and associate the user with the primary contact service and a request parameter; performing an operation at the primary service as determined by the received call that affects at least one contact stored with the primary service and used by the different service; and providing information to the different service in response to the received call.