Patent ID: 7516122

Claim:
A method for providing access to a first data resource through a management module operating in various computing environments, comprising: receiving information that classifies the first data resource as a first data resource type, wherein the first data resource type is among a plurality of data resource types, wherein the plurality of data resource types are described by respective one or more predefined attributes, wherein the respective one or more predefined attributes are different from one another based on the respective plurality of data resource types that the respective one or more predefined attributes describe; associating one or more first predefined attributes that describe the first data resource type with one or more properties that describe the one or more first predefined attributes; storing the first data resource type, the one or more first predefined attributes, and the one or more properties in at least one descriptor file; in response to a first request to identify data resources managed by the management module, wherein the management module uses the at least one descriptor file to manage the first data resource: identifying the first data resource managed by the management module and the first data resource type based at least in part on the at least one descriptor file; and in response to a second request to access the one or more first predefined attributes for the identified first data resource: exposing, by the management module, the one or more first predefined attributes and the one or more properties, whereby inversion of control between the management module and the data resource in exposing the one or more first predefined attributes enables management of the data resource in various computing environments.