Inventory data access layer

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory that contains instructions that are readable by said processor to cause said processor to performs actions of:
• receiving a request for access to data, wherein said request does not identify a data store that stores said data and wherein said request is a read request;
• obtaining from a referential store (a) an identifier of said data store that stores said data, wherein said data store is one of a plurality of data stores, and (b) a protocol to access said data store;
• communicating with said data store through an interface, by way of an electronic communication, to access said data, wherein said interface is communicatively coupled to said plurality of data stores and utilizes said identifier and said protocol to establish a connection to said data store, and wherein said communicating comprises reading said data from said data store;
• receiving a response from said data store via said interface;
• receiving from said referential data store, rules for data formatting to produce a response to said request;
• transforming said response from said data store in accordance with said rules, thus yielding a formatted response which includes said data;
• and
• transmitting said formatted response in a response to said request.

A non-transitory storage medium comprising instructions that are readable by a processor to cause said processor to perform actions of:

• receiving a request for access to data, wherein said request does not identify a data store that stores said data and wherein said request is a read request;
• obtaining from a referential store (a) an identifier of said data store that stores said data, wherein said data store is one of a plurality of data stores, and (b) a protocol to access said data store;
• communicating with said data store through an interface, by way of an electronic communication, to access said data, wherein said interface is communicatively coupled to said plurality of data stores and utilizes said identifier and said protocol to establish a connection to said data store, and wherein said communicating comprises reading said data from said data store;
• receiving a response from said data store via said interface;
• receiving from said referential data store, rules for data formatting to produce a response to said request;
• transforming said response from said data store in accordance with said rules, thus yielding a formatted response which includes said data;
• and
• transmitting said formatted response in a response to said request.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of applications;
• a plurality of services communicatively coupled to said plurality of applications;
• and
• a plurality of data stores,
• wherein said data stores are in communication with said services via an inventory data access layer that includes a processor and a memory that contains instructions that are readable by said processor so that said processor:
• receives, from a service in said plurality of service, a request for access to data, wherein said request does not identify a data store that stores said data;
• obtains from a referential store (a) an identifier of said data store that stores said data, wherein said data store is one of said plurality of data stores and wherein the request is a read request, and (b) a protocol to access said data store;
• communicates with said data store through an interface, by way of an electronic communication, to access said data, wherein said interface is communicatively coupled to said plurality of data stores and utilizes said identifier and said protocol to establish a connection to said data store, and wherein said communicating comprises reading said data from said data store;
• receives a response from said data store via said interface;
• receives from said referential data store, rules for data formatting to produce a response to said request;
• transforms said response from said data store in accordance with said rules, thus yielding a formatted response which includes said data;
• and
• transmits said formatted response to said service in a response to said request,
• wherein a change to data in any of said data stores does not require a corresponding change to any of said services or said applications.