SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WORKFLOW-DRIVEN DATA STORAGE

• US 20090125884A1
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mbogo, Lesley W., Hsu, Windsor
• Granted Patent: US 8,201,145 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

Abstract

Programs, systems and methods are described for efficiently storing data as used under a workflow-driven model. A workflow process is defined to control the processing of data objects through different states, e.g., such as an insurance claim document passing through different stages of processing. The workflow process is modeled and employed to manage the storage system based upon predicted state changes derived from state statistics that can be applied to enhance efficiency. For example, copies of the data object may be automatically made when the data object is expected to change state. Some anticipated states implicating high access may direct a storage location with low access time. Hints or requirements for the data object may be applied upon occurrence of an expected state change. Storage management of expected state changes may be further enhanced through dynamic adjustment of the state statistics using collected historical state information to further enhance efficiency.

Claims

1. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, comprising:

program instructions for receiving an data object in a data storage system to be managed in a workflow process;

program instructions for determining an expected change to the state of the workflow process corresponding to the received data object based upon one or more state statistics; and

program instructions for managing storage of the received data object within the data storage system based on the expected change to the state of the workflow process corresponding to the received data object.

2. The computer program of claim 1, wherein managing storage of the received data object comprises determining a storage location for the data object within the data storage system based on the expected change to the state of the workflow process corresponding to the received data object.

3. The computer program of claim 1, wherein managing storage of the received data object comprises determining a number of data object copies of the data object to be stored within the data storage system based on the expected change to the state of the workflow process corresponding to the received data object.

4. The computer program of claim 1, wherein managing storage of the received data object comprises determining a priority for the data object to be retrieved from the data storage system based on the expected change to the state of the workflow process corresponding to the received data object.

5. The computer program of claim 1, further comprising program instructions for collecting information about historical state changes of the workflow process;

and

program instructions for applying the collected information about historical state changes of the workflow process to adjust the one or more state statistics.

6. The computer program of claim 5, wherein applying the collected information about historical state changes of the workflow process to adjust the one or more state statistics comprises applying a weighting parameter to determine a new state statistic by combining of a recent state statistic and a past state statistic and the recent state statistic and the past state statistic are each measured over an epoch interval.

7. The computer program of claim 1, wherein managing storage of the received data object is based upon defined requirements for management of the data object in the storage system that must be made effective upon occurrence of the expected change to the state.

8. The computer program of claim 1, wherein managing storage of the received data object is based upon defined hints for management of the data object in the storage system that may be optionally applied to enhance efficiency of the storage upon occurrence of the expected change to the state.

9. A method, comprising the steps of:

receiving an data object in a data storage system to be managed in a workflow process;

determining an expected change to the state of the workflow process corresponding to the received data object based upon one or more state statistics; and

managing storage of the received data object within the data storage system based on the expected change to the state of the workflow process corresponding to the received data object.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein managing storage of the received data object comprises determining a storage location for the data object within the data storage system based on the expected change to the state of the workflow process corresponding to the received data object.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein managing storage of the received data object comprises determining a number of data object copies of the data object to be stored within the data storage system based on the expected change to the state of the workflow process corresponding to the received data object.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein managing storage of the received data object comprises determining a priority for the data object to be retrieved from the data storage system based on the expected change to the state of the workflow process corresponding to the received data object.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of collecting information about historical state changes of the workflow process;

and

applying the collected information about historical state changes of the workflow process to adjust the one or more state statistics.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein applying the collected information about historical state changes of the workflow process to adjust the one or more state statistics comprises applying a weighting parameter to determine a new state statistic by combining of a recent state statistic and a past state statistic and the recent state statistic and the past state statistic are each measured over an epoch interval.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein managing storage of the received data object is based upon defined requirements for management of the data object in the storage system that must be made effective upon occurrence of the expected change to the state.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein managing storage of the received data object is based upon defined hints for management of the data object in the storage system that may be optionally applied to enhance efficiency of the storage upon occurrence of the expected change to the state.

17. A system, comprising:

a workflow engine for defining a workflow process for one or more data objects;

a workflow monitor for tracking activity associated with the one or more data objects and updating state information associated with the one or more data objects;

an information manager for maintaining the state information received from the workflow monitor;

a phase change detector for detecting a change in the state information associated with each of the one or more data objects maintained by the information manager; and

a storage manager for determining an expected change to the state of the workflow process corresponding to the received data object based upon one or more state statistics and managing storage of the one or more data objects within the data storage system based on the expected change to the state of the workflow process corresponding to the one or more data objects.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the storage manager determines storage locations for the one or more data objects within the data storage system based on the expected change to the state of the workflow process corresponding to the one or more data objects.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the information monitor collects information about historical state changes of the workflow process and applies the collected information about historical state changes of the workflow process to adjust the one or more state statistics used by the storage manager.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein applying the collected information about historical state changes of the workflow process to adjust the one or more state statistics comprises applying a weighting parameter to determine a new state statistic by combining of a recent state statistic and a past state statistic and the recent state statistic and the past state statistic are each measured over an epoch interval.