Reliably transferring queued application messages

• US 20060168023A1
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Srinivasan, Krishnan, Geller, Alan S., Limprecht, Rodney Thomas, Hegde, Uday Shanker, Driver, David Owen, Critchley, Craig Andrew, Hill, Richard Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 7,613,830 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for reliably and securely transferring queued application messages. Application messages are (e.g.,. binary or text) encoded and then encapsulated in transfer messages, enqueue messages, and dequeue responses such that composable protocol elements used in application messages can be reused in the transfer messages, enqueue messages, and dequeue responses. Transfer message headers are encoded and then encapsulated along with encoded application messages such that composable protocol elements used in transfer headers and application messages can be reused in the store and forward messages. Application messages, transfer messages, enqueue messages, dequeue responses, and store and forward messages can all be configured in accordance with the same messaging protocol, such as, for example, Simple Object Access Protocol. Since encapsulated elements are encoded, the encapsulated elements do not interfere with configuration of wrapping messages.

Claims

1. At a computer system that is network connectable along with one or more other computer systems to a network, a method of reliably enqueing a message, the method comprising:

an act of receiving an application message configured in accordance with a messaging protocol;

an act of encoding the application message into a corresponding encoded application message;

an act of configuring an enqueue message in accordance with the messaging protocol, the enqueue message identifying a message queue that is to queue the application message;

an act of encapsulating the encoded application message in the enqueue message; and

an act of sending the enqueue message to a queue manager that controls the identified queue such that the application message can be queued for delivery to a receiving computer system.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of receiving an application message configured in accordance with a messaging protocol comprises an act of a queue channel receiving a subroutine call including the application message.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of receiving an application message configured in accordance with a messaging protocol comprises an act of receiving a SOAP envelope.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of encoding the application message into a corresponding encoded application message_comprises an act of binary encoding the application message.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the act of binary encoding the application message comprises an act of base64 encoding the application message.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of encoding the application message into a corresponding encoded application message comprises an act of text encoding the application message.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of encoding the application message into a corresponding encoded application message comprises:

an act of providing the received application message, an encoding type, and a content type as input to a wrapping algorithm; and

an act of receiving an encoded application message as output from the wrapping algorithm.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an act of encoding a session identifier along with the application message.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of configuring an enqueue message in accordance with the messaging protocol comprises an act of configuring a SOAP envelope.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of configuring an enqueue message in accordance with the messaging protocol comprises an act of configuring the enqueue message to identify a message session corresponding to the application message.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of configuring an enqueue message in accordance with the messaging protocol comprises an act of reusing at least one composable protocol element from a SOAP application message.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of encapsulating the encoded application message in the enqueue message comprises an act of encapsulating an encoded SOAP application message in a SOAP enqueue message.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the act of encapsulating an encoded SOAP application message in a SOAP enqueue message comprises an act of including decoding information for decoding the encoded SOAP application message within the SOAP enqueue message.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of sending the enqueue message to a queue manager that controls the identified queue comprises an act of using an atomic transaction context to coordinate enqueueing the application message with other application state changes.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of sending the enqueue message to a queue manager that controls the identified queue comprises an act of participating in a two-phase commit.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of sending the enqueue message to a queue manager that controls the identified queue comprises an act of using a reliable messaging protocol to send the enqueue message.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising an act of performing at least one of encrypting and digitally signing the encoded application message prior to encapsulating the application message.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising an act of performing at least one of encrypting and digitally signing the enqueue message prior to sending the enqueue message.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an act of receiving an enqueue response from the queue manager.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the act of receiving an enqueue response comprises an act of using a reliable messaging protocol to receive the enqueue response.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the act of receiving an enqueue response comprises an act of using an atomic transaction context to coordinate enqueueing the application message with other application state changes.

22. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the act of receiving an enqueue response comprises an act of participating in a two-phase commit.

23. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the act of receiving an enqueue response comprises an cat of receiving an enqueue response that is at least one of encrypted and digitally signed.

24. At a computer system that is network connectable along with one or more other computer systems to a network, a method of reliably transferring a message, the method comprising:

an act of receiving a message available message indicating that an application message, configured in accordance with a messaging protocol, is available for delivery to an application;

an act of sending a dequeue message in response to the message available message, the dequeue message indicating that the application message is to be dequeued for delivery to the application;

an act of receiving a dequeue response, the dequeue response configured in accordance with the messaging protocol, the dequeue response encapsulating an encoded application message;

an act of decoding the encoded application message into the application message;

an act of sending the application message to the application.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the act of receiving a message available message indicating that an application message is available for delivery comprises an act of a queue listener receiving a message available message.

26. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the act of receiving a message available message indicating that an application message is available for delivery comprises an act of receiving a SOAP message available message indicating that a SOAP application message is available for delivery.

27. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the act of sending a dequeue message in response to the message available message comprises an act of sending a dequeue message that identifies a message queue and the application message.

28. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the act of sending a dequeue message in response to the message available message comprises an act of using an atomic transaction context to coordinate dequeueing the application message with other application state changes.

29. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the act of sending a dequeue message in response to the message available message comprises an act of participating in a two-phase commit.

30. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the act of sending a dequeue message in response to the message available message comprises an act of using a reliable messaging protocol to send the dequeue message.

31. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the act of receiving a dequeue response comprises an act of receiving a SOAP dequeue response that encapsulates an encoded SOAP application message.

32. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the act of receiving a dequeue response comprises an act of receiving a dequeue response that includes information for decoding an encoded application message encapsulated within the dequeue response.

33. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the act of receiving a dequeue response comprises an act of receiving a SOAP dequeue response that reuses at least one composable protocol element from an encoded SOAP application message encapsulated within the dequeue response.

34. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the act of receiving a dequeue response comprises an act of using an atomic transaction context to coordinate dequeueing the application message with other application state changes.

35. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the act of receiving a dequeue response comprises an act of participating in a two-phase commit.

36. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the act of receiving a dequeue response comprises an act of using a reliable messaging protocol to receive the dequeue response.

37. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the act of decoding the encoded application message into the application message comprises an act of decoding a text encoded application message.

38. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the act of decoding the encoded application message into the application message comprises an act of decoding a binary encoded application message.

39. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein the act of decoding a binary encoded application message comprises an act of decoding a base64 encoded application message.

40. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the act of decoding the encoded application message into the application message comprises:

an act of providing the encoded application message, an encoding type, and a content type as input to an unwrapping algorithm; and

an act of receiving the application message as output from the unwrapping algorithm.

41. The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising an act of performing at least one of decrypting and verifying the integrity of the dequeue response.

42. The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising an act of performing at least one of decrypting and verifying the integrity of the encoded application message prior to decoding the encoded application message.

43. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the act of sending the application message to the application comprises an act of sending a SOAP message to the application.

44. The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising:

an act of sending a wake-up notification to the application prior to delivering the application message to the application.

45. The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising:

an act of receiving a session available message prior to receiving the message available message, the session available message indicating that message is part of an application session;

an act of sending a session accept message in response to the session available message; and

an act of receiving a session accept response subsequent to sending the session accept message.

46. The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising:

an act of sending a registration message indicating an interest in messages corresponding to the application, prior to receiving the message available message; and

an act of receiving a registration response indicating that the registration was successful.

47. A computer program product for use at a computer system that is network connectable along with one or more other computer systems to a network, the computer program product for implementing a method of reliably enqueing a message, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the computer system to perform the following:

receive an application message configured in accordance with a messaging protocol;

encode the application message into a corresponding encoded application message;

configure an enqueue message in accordance with the messaging protocol, the enqueue message identifying a message queue that is to queue the application message;

encapsulate the encoded application message in the enqueue message; and

send the enqueue message to a queue manager that controls the identified queue such that the application message can be queued for delivery to a receiving computer system.

48. A computer program product for use at a computer system that is network connectable along with one or more other computer systems to a network, the computer program product for implementing a method of reliably transferring a message, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon computer-executables instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the computer system to perform the following:

receive a message available message indicating that an application message, configured in accordance with a messaging protocol, is available for delivery to an application;

send a dequeue message in response to the message available message, the dequeue message indicating that the application message is to be dequeued for delivery to the application;

receive a dequeue response, the dequeue response configured in accordance with the messaging protocol, the dequeue response encapsulating an encoded application message;

decode the encoded application message into the application message;

send the application message to the application.