Handling queues associated with web services of business processes

• US 20090070764A1
• Filed: 09/12/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Guizar, Alejandro
• Granted Patent: US 8,914,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/508 Monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5083 Techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/544 Buffers; Shared memory; Pipes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements

Abstract

A method and apparatus for handling queues associated with web services of a business process. The method may include automatically generating deployment descriptors for executing a business process as a web application, and determining a default queue for the business process using a business process management (BPM) configuration file. During execution of the business process, users are allowed to monitor the message load associated with the default queue. If a user decides to re-distribute the message load, the user is allowed to specify a new set of queues for the business process to improve performance of the business process at runtime.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

automatically generating deployment descriptors for executing a business process as a web application;

determining a default queue for the business process using a business process management (BPM) configuration file;

allowing a user to monitor a message load associated with the default queue during an execution of the business process; and

allowing the user to specify a new set of queues for the business process to modify a performance of the business process at runtime.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the business process is defined using a business process execution language (BPEL); and

the deployment descriptors comprise a web component deployment descriptor, a web services deployment descriptor, a BPEL application deployment descriptor, and an application server deployment descriptor.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein allowing the user to monitor the message load associated with the default queue comprises:

providing a BPM user interface indicating a number of inbound message activities currently enabled at the queue; and

providing an application server user interface presenting message load information pertaining to the queue.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the message load information comprises a number of consumers waiting for messages at the queue, and a number of messages expecting delivery at the queue.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein allowing the user to specify the new set of queues for the business process comprises:

receiving an updated BPEL application deployment descriptor specifying the new set of queues for partner links defined in the business process;

receiving an updated web component deployment descriptor defining destination and connection factory references for each queue in the new set; and

receiving an updated application server deployment descriptor binding the destination and connection factory references for each queue in the new set to resources in an operational environment.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving a user command to rebuild an application package for the business process;

building a new application package for the business process using the updated BPEL application deployment descriptor, the updated web component deployment descriptor and the updated application server deployment descriptor; and

deploying the new application package to an application server.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the updated BPEL application descriptor assigns distinct queues to individual partner links within the business process.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the new set of queues comprises at least one queue that is shared between two or more of the partner links within the business process.

9. A system comprising:

a deployment server to automatically generate deployment descriptors for executing a business process as a web application;

a business process management (BPM) process engine, coupled to the deployment server, to determine a default queue for the business process using a BPM configuration file, and to allow a user to monitor a message load associated with the default queue during an execution of the business process; and

a process definition tool, coupled to the deployment server, to allow the user to specify a new set of queues for the business process to modify a performance of the business process at runtime.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein:

the business process is defined using a business process execution language (BPEL); and

the deployment descriptors comprise a web component deployment descriptor, a web services deployment descriptor, a BPEL application deployment descriptor, and an application server deployment descriptor.

11. The system of claim 9 further comprising an application server to provide user interface presenting message load information pertaining to the queue, the message load information comprising a number of consumers waiting for messages at the queue, and a number of messages expecting delivery at the queue.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the BPM process engine is to provide a user interface indicating a number of inbound message activities currently enabled at the queue.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the deployment server is further to receive an updated BPEL application deployment descriptor specifying the new set of queues for partner links defined in the business process, to receive an updated web component deployment descriptor defining destination and connection factory references for each queue in the new set, to receive an updated application server deployment descriptor binding the destination and connection factory references for each queue in the new set to resources in an operational environment, to receive a user command to rebuild an application package for the business process, to build a new application package for the business process using the updated BPEL application deployment descriptor, the updated web component deployment descriptor and the updated application server deployment descriptor, and to deploy the new application package to an application server.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the updated BPEL application descriptor assigns distinct queues to individual partner links within the business process.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the new set of queues comprises at least one queue that is shared between two or more of the partner links within the business process.

16. A machine-accessible medium including data that, when accessed by a machine, cause the machine to perform a method comprising:

automatically generating deployment descriptors for executing a business process as a web application;

determining a default queue for the business process using a business process management (BPM) configuration file;

allowing a user to monitor a message load associated with the default queue during an execution of the business process; and

allowing the user to specify a new set of queues for the business process to modify a performance of the business process at runtime.

17. The machine-accessible medium of claim 16 wherein:

the business process is defined using a business process execution language (BPEL); and

the deployment descriptors a web component deployment descriptor, a web services deployment descriptor, a BPEL application deployment descriptor, and an application server deployment descriptor.

18. The machine-accessible medium of claim 17 wherein allowing the user to monitor the message load associated with the default queue comprises:

providing a business process management (BPM) user interface indicating a number of inbound message activities currently enabled at the queue; and

providing an application server user interface presenting message load information pertaining to the queue, the message load information comprising a number of consumers waiting for messages at the queue, and a number of messages expecting delivery at the queue.

19. The machine-accessible medium of claim 17 wherein allowing the user to specify the new set of queues for the business process comprises:

receiving an updated BPEL application deployment descriptor specifying the new set of queues for partner links defined in the business process;

receiving an updated web component deployment descriptor defining destination and connection factory references for each queue in the new set;

receiving an updated application server deployment descriptor binding the destination and connection factory references for each queue in the new set to resources in an operational environment;

receiving a user command to rebuild an application package for the business process;

building a new application package for the business process using the updated BPEL application deployment descriptor, the updated web component deployment descriptor and the updated application server deployment descriptor; and

deploying the new application package to an application server.

20. The machine-accessible medium of claim 19 wherein the updated BPEL application descriptor assigns distinct queues to individual partner links within the business process.

21. The machine-accessible medium of claim 19 wherein the new set of queues comprises at least one queue that is shared between two or more of the partner links within the business process.