Event Processing

• US 20110125825A1
• Filed: 11/23/2009
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Iyer, Sreekanth R., Jayaseelan, Gowdhaman, Joseph, Jojo
• Granted Patent: US 8,234,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

A method, a system and a computer program for parallel event processing in an event processing network (EPN) are disclosed. The EPN has at least one event processing agent (EPA). The method includes assigning an execution mode for the at least one EPA, the execution mode including a concurrent mode and a sequential mode. The execution mode for the at least one EPA is stored in the EPN metadata. The method also includes loading and initializing the EPN. The method further includes routing the event in the EPN and, when an EPA is encountered, depending on the execution mode of the encountered EPA, further processing of the event. Also disclosed are a system and a computer program for parallel event processing in an event processing network (EPN).

Claims

1. A method for processing an event in an event processing network, the method comprising:

assigning an execution mode for at least one event processing agent (EPA) in an event processing network (EPN); and

storing the execution mode for the at least one EPA in EPN metadata.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the execution mode includes a concurrent mode and a sequential mode.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving an event, in response to an event occurrence at an event source, wherein the EPN includes the event source;

loading the EPN, wherein loading the EPN comprises creating a structure representing the EPN using the EPN metadata; and

initializing the at least one EPA in the EPN.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

routing the event in the EPN until encountering the EPA; and

identifying an input event, wherein the input event corresponds to the encountered EPA.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining the execution mode of the encountered EPA; and

if the execution mode is determined to be the sequential mode, routing the input event to a subsequent EPA.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining the execution mode of the encountered EPA; and

if the execution mode is determined to be the concurrent mode,

creating a replica of the input event;

identifying each child EPA of the encountered EPA; and

allocating the replica of the input event to each child EPA of the encountered EPA.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

creating a change summary corresponding to each child EPA, wherein the change summary is associated with the input event;

modifying the change summary corresponding to each child EPA in response to a modification performed by each child EPA on the replica of the input event; and

synchronizing the change summaries.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein synchronizing further comprises:

comparing the change summaries; and

merging the modifications performed by each child EPA on the replica of the input event.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying if there is a conflict in the modifications between at least two of the change summaries;

upon identification of a conflict, resolving the conflict; and

generating a modified input event using the synchronized change summary of each child EPA of the encountered EPA.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

propagating the modified input event in the EPN.

11. A system for processing an event in an event processing network, the system comprising:

a processor configured to;

assign an execution mode for at least one event processing agent (EPA) in an event processing network (EPN), wherein the execution mode includes a concurrent mode and a sequential mode; and

store the execution mode for the at least one EPA in EPN metadata.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive an event, in response to an event occurrence at an event source, wherein the EPN includes the event source;

load the EPN, wherein loading the EPN comprises creating a structure representing the EPN using the EPN metadata; and

initialize the at least one EPA in the EPN.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

route the event in the EPN until encountering the EPA; and

identify an input event, wherein the input event corresponds to the encountered EPA.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine the execution mode of the encountered EPA; and

if the execution mode is determined to be the sequential mode, route the input event to a subsequent EPA.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine the execution mode of the encountered EPA;

if the execution mode is determined to be the concurrent mode;

create a replica of the input event;

identify each child EPA of the encountered EPA; and

allocate the replica of the input event to each child EPA of the encountered EPA.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

create a change summary corresponding to each child EPA, wherein the change summary is associated with the input event;

modify the change summary corresponding to each child EPA in response to a modification performed by each child EPA on the replica of the input event;

synchronize the change summaries;

compare the change summaries;

merge the modifications performed by each child EPA on the replica of the input event;

identify if there is a conflict in the modifications between at least two of the change summaries;

upon identification of said conflict, resolve the conflict;

generate a modified input event using the synchronized change summary of each child EPA of the encountered EPA; and

propagate the modified input event in the EPN.

17. A storage medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to carry out a method of processing an event in an event processing network, the storage medium configured to:

assign an execution mode for at least one event processing agent (EPA) in an event processing network (EPN), wherein the execution mode includes a concurrent mode and a sequential mode;

store the execution mode for the at least one EPA in EPN metadata;

receive an event, in response to an event occurrence, at an event source, wherein the EPN includes the event source;

load the EPN, wherein loading the EPN comprises creating a structure representing the EPN using the EPN metadata;

initialize the at least one EPA in the EPN;

route the event in the EPN until encountering the EPA; and

identify an input event, wherein the input event corresponds to the encountered EPA.

18. The storage medium of claim 17, is further configured to:

determine the execution mode of the encountered EPA; and

if the execution mode is determined to be the sequential mode,

route the input event to a subsequent EPA.

19. The storage medium of claim 17, is further configured to:

determine the execution mode of the encountered EPA;

if the execution mode is determined to be the concurrent mode,

create a replica of the input event;

identify each child EPA of the encountered EPA; and

allocate the replica of the input event to each of the child EPAs of the encountered EPA.

20. The storage medium of claim 19, is further configured to:

create a change summary corresponding to each of the child EPAs, wherein the change summary is associated with the input event;

modify the change summary in response to a modification performed by each of the child EPAs on the replica of the input event;

synchronize the change summaries corresponding to each of the child EPAs of the encountered EPA;

compare the change summary of each of the child EPAs;

merge the modifications performed by each of the child EPAs on the replica of the input event;

resolve a conflict in the modifications, if the conflict is identified between at least two of the change summaries;

generate a modified input event using the synchronized change summaries of each of the child EPAs of the encountered EPA; and

propagate the modified input event in the EPN.