Information security and resource optimization for workflows

• US 20050125269A1
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Nanavati, Amit Anil, Srivastava, Biplav, Batra, Vishal Singh
• Application Number:
  US10/729,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20050125269A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Workflows are constructed to minimize a cost function that can be representative of information exposure risk and resource overhead. Given a workflow specification that defines a predetermined input and a required output, a set of possible workflows that meet this workflow specification can be constructed. The possible workflows are constructed using components that have defined inputs and outputs. A set of possible workflows results, and an exposure measure is calculated for each of these possible workflows. A workflow that has a minimum calculated exposure measure is selected and returned.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a workflow, said method comprising the steps of:

constructing a set of possible workflows meeting a workflow specification having a predetermined input aid a required output, using components having defined inputs and outputs;

calculating a predetermined exposure measure for each of the possible workflows in the set of possible workflows; and

selecting the constructed set of possible workflows for which the predetermined exposure measure is calculated to be a minimum.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of storing a library of components from which possible workflows can be constructed.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of defining an exposure measure to be representative of an amount of information that a constructed workflow exposes.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of defining an exposure measure to be representative of a duration for which a constructed workflow exposes information.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of defining an exposure measure to be representative of an amount of information that a constructed workflow exposes, and a duration for which information is exposed.

6. A computer system for selecting a work low comprising computer software recorded on a computer-readable medium, said computer system comprising:

means for constructing a set of possible workflows meeting a workflow specification having a predetermined input and a required output, using components having defined inputs and outputs;

means for calculating a predetermined exposure measure for each of the possible workflows in the set of possible workflows; and

means for selecting the constructed set of possible workflows for which the predetermined exposure measure is calculated to be a minimum.

8. The computer system in claim 6, further comprising means for storing a library of components from which possible workflows can be constructed.

9. The computer system in claim 6, further comprising means for defining an exposure measure to be representative of an amount of information that a constructed workflow exposes.

10. The computer system in claim 6, further comprising means for defining an exposure measure to be representative of a duration for which a constructed workflow exposes information.

11. The computer system in claim 6, further comprising means for defining an exposure measure to be representative of an amount of information that a constructed workflow exposes, and a duration for which information is exposed.

7. A computer program product for selecting a workflow comprising computer software recorded on a computer-readable medium for performing the steps of:

constructing a set of possible workflows meeting a workflow specification having a predetermined input and a required output, using components having defined inputs and outputs;

calculating a predetermined exposure measure for each of the possible workflows in the set of possible workflows; and

selecting the constructed set of possible workflows for which the predetermined exposure measure is calculated to be a minimum.

12. The computer program product in claim 7, further comprising the step of storing a library of components from which possible workflows can be constructed.

13. The computer program product in claim 7, further comprising the step of defining an exposure measure to be representative of an amount of information that a constructed workflow exposes.

14. The computer program product in claim 7, further comprising the step of defining an exposure measure to be representative of a duration for which a constructed workflow exposes information.

15. The computer program product in claim 7, further comprising the step of defining an exposure measure to be representative of an amount of information that a constructed workflow exposes, and a duration for which information is exposed.