Information aggregation, processing and distribution system

A method for use in managing access to and release of information in a collaborative environment, comprising the steps of:

• establishing a collaborative environment for collaboration among said multiple network users, said collaborative environment including network structure for use in enabling a collaboration with respect to collaboration subject matter including sensitive information subject to a policy regarding handling thereof relative to particular ones of said network users, said collaborative environment further including a computer-based tool for monitoring activities involving said collaboration subject matter;
• first operating said computer-based tool to identify an activity involving said sensitive information;
• and
• second operating said computer-based tool to establish a log entry for said activity identifying a user associated with said activity and a nature of said activity.

A method for use in managing access to and release of information in a collaborative environment, comprising the steps of:

• establishing a network structure for handling information relative to multiple users of the network structure, said information including sensitive information subject to a policy regarding handling thereof;
• storing rules defining said policy;
• first operating a computer-based tool to monitor operation of said network structure to identify an activity concerning an item of said sensitive information involving a particular user;
• in response to said monitoring, second operating said computer-based tool to access at least one of said rules associated with said particular user;
• and
• third operating said computer-based tool to control operation of said network structure based on said at least one rule so as to automatically handle said activity concerning said item of sensitive information in accordance with said policies.

A method for securely sharing information among multiple information systems, comprising the steps of:

• first establishing a community of multiple information systems to be included within a secure context for sharing of information;
• second establishing a collaboration system for facilitating sharing of information among said community of multiple information systems, said collaboration system being configured to communicate with each of said multiple information systems using a defined network interface;
• third establishing, in connection with said collaboration system, a set of rules governing distribution of information between said multiple information systems on a recipient specific basis;
• and
• operating said collaborative system to control a transmission from a first one of said multiple information systems to a second one of said information systems based on said set of rules and an identity of said second one of said multiple information systems.

A method for use in securely sharing information among multiple information systems, comprising the steps of:

• first establishing a community of multiple information systems to be included within a secure context for sharing of information;
• second establishing a collaboration system for facilitating sharing of information among said community of multiple information systems, said collaboration system being configured to communicate with each of said multiple information systems using a defined network interface;
• said collaboration system being configured to process information transmitted between first and second systems of said community on a system dependent basis with regard to one of a form and a content of said information so as to facilitate sharing of information;
• performing an audit of transmissions of information between said multiple information systems of said community;
• and
• generating a report based on said audit.

A method for use in sharing information between at least one source system and multiple recipient systems, comprising the steps of:

• providing a collaboration system interposed between said source system and said recipient systems for facilitating sharing of information between said source system and said recipient systems, said collaboration system configured for communication with each of said source system and said recipient system using a defined network interface;
• first accessing, using said collaboration system, first input information from said source system;
• second accessing, using said collaboration system, a first instruction set related to a first recipient system;
• third accessing, using said collaboration system, a second instruction set related to a second recipient system;
• first operating said collaboration system to provide a first output to said first recipient system based on said first input information and said first instruction set;
• and
• second operating said collaboration system to provide a second output to said second recipient system based on said first input information and said second instruction set, where said second output has a content different than said first output.

An apparatus for use in facilitating sharing of information among multiple information systems, comprising:

• storage for storing at least one rule set governing sharing of information between said multiple information systems on a system dependent basis;
• a processing platform for accessing said rule set and using said rule set to control information addressed to one of said multiple information systems, relative to one of a form and a content of said information, based on an identity of said one of said multiple information systems and said rule set;
• and
• interface logic for enabling communication between said processing platform and each of said multiple information systems in accordance with a defined network interface.