Aggregation-based management of a distributed business process application

• US 20060265231A1
• Filed: 05/18/2005
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Pogrebinsky, Vladimir, Xiao, Wei, Thatte, Satish R., Fusaro, Eddie, Saari, Neilton J., Sivakumar, Arunachallam S., Mittur Venkataramanappa, Girish
• Granted Patent: US 7,757,213 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system for managing an application set is disclosed. The system includes a wrapper that designates a component as belonging to the application set and an interface that provides access to the component. The system also includes a control module that uses the interface to manage the component. Methods of using the system are also provided.

Claims

1. A system for managing an application set, comprising:

a wrapper that designates each of a plurality of components as a member of the application set, such that the application set includes at least one stand-alone executable application and each member of the application set cooperates with at least one other member such that the application set functions as a single integrated unit; and

a control module that uses an interface to manage at least one of the plurality of components.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wrapper is an abstract wrapper such that the abstract wrapper comprises identifying information that is associated with each member of the application set.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the abstract wrapper is one of a tag that is applied to the component, an entry in a data store that identifies the component, a data structure that includes a reference to the component, and an object that includes a reference to the component.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the wrapper is a container for the component.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the container is one of a data structure that includes the component and an object that encapsulates the component.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the component is one of an executable that directly performs at least part of a task to be performed by the application set, a schema, a map, an adapter, a pipeline, a communication module, a rule, a set of rules, a certificate, a set of certificates, a data store, and a configuration component.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a security module that selectively permits use of the application set.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an information segregation module that controls access to messages associated with the component.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising an application health module that monitors behavior of the application set.

10. A method for managing a set of cooperating computing components as a single entity, comprising:

designating each of a plurality of cooperating computing components as a member of an application set that functions as an single unit; and

using an application set control module to affect operation of at least one member of the application set.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein designating each of a plurality of cooperating computing components as a member of an application set includes tagging each of the plurality of cooperating computing components with an identifier.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein using an application set control module to affect operation of at least one member of the application set includes starting execution of the application set.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein using an application set control module to affect operation of at least one member of the application set includes configuring the at least one member of the application set.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising selectively limiting access by a user.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising monitoring operation of the application set.

16. A system for managing a set of cooperating computing components as a single entity, comprising:

means for designating each of a plurality of cooperating computing components as a member of an application set that functions as a single unit; and

using an application set control module to affect operation of at least one member of the application set.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein designating each of a plurality of cooperating computing components as a member of an application set includes tagging each of the plurality of cooperating computing components with an identifier.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein using an application set control module to affect operation of at least one member of the application set includes starting execution of the application set.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein using an application set control module to affect operation of at least one member of the application set includes configuring the at least one member of the application set.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising selectively limiting access by a user.