Communication And Coordination Between Web Services In A Cloud-Based Computing Environment

• US 20120102168A1
• Filed: 10/20/2010
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mercuri, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 8,510,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

Technologies are described herein for providing communication and coordination between web services in a cloud-based computing environment. A call to an available events operation is executed in a web service to request subscription event identifiers corresponding to available events at the web service. The subscription event identifiers are received. A subscribe operation is populated with a relevant subscription event identifier related to a subscribed event from the subscription event identifiers. A call to the subscribe operation is executed in the web service to establish a subscription to the web service. A subscription identifier corresponding to the subscription is received. Notifications related to the subscribed event at the web service are received while the subscription is active.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing communication and coordination between web services in a cloud-based computing environment, the method comprising computer-implemented operations for:

executing a call to an available events operation in a web service to request subscription event identifiers corresponding to available events at the web service;

upon executing the call to the available events operation, receiving the subscription event identifiers;

upon receiving the subscription identifiers, populating a subscribe operation with a relevant subscription event identifier related to a subscribed event from the subscription event identifiers;

upon populating the subscribe operation, executing a call to the subscribe operation in the web service to establish a subscription to the web service;

upon executing the call to the subscribe operation, receiving a subscription identifier corresponding to the subscription; and

receiving notifications related to the subscribed event at the web service while the subscription is active.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising computer-implemented operations for:

populating an unsubscribe operation with the subscription identifier; and

upon populating the unsubscribe operation, executing a call to the unsubscribe operation in the web service to terminate the subscription to the web service.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the subscribed event comprises maintenance of the web service causing the web service to be offline.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein receiving notifications related to the subscribed event at the web service while the subscription is active comprises receiving a notification to discard existing long-running service calls;

and

upon receiving the notification to discard existing long-running service calls, discarding existing long-running service calls.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein receiving notifications related to the subscribed event at the web service while the subscription is active comprises receiving a notification to proceed with existing long-running service calls and to queue any results of the existing long-running service calls until the web service is back online;

and

upon receiving the notification to proceed with existing long-running service calls, queuing the results of the existing long-running service calls until the web service is back online.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein receiving notifications related to the subscribed event at the web service while the subscription is active comprises receiving a request from the web service to go offline for maintenance.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein receiving notifications related to the subscribed event at the web service while the subscription is active comprises receiving a notification to vote whether the web service should go offline;

and

upon receiving the notification to vote whether the web service should go offline, sending the vote as to whether the web service should go offline to the web service.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising computer-implemented operations for:

populating the subscribe operation with a delivery address specifying a destination where the notifications should be delivered; and

populating the subscribe operation with a delivery type specifying a delivery method for delivering the notifications.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, the method further comprising computer-implemented operations for:

populating the subscribe operation with a subscriber location; and

populating the subscribe operation with a subscriber identifier.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, the method further comprising computer-implemented operations for:

populating the subscribe operation with a starting time and date for the subscription; and

populating the subscribe operation with an ending time and date for the subscription.

11. A computer system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor; and

a program module which executes in the processor from the memory and which, when executed by the processor, causes the computer system to provide communication and coordination between web services in a cloud-based computing environment by

executing, from a first web service, a call to an available events operation in a second web service to request subscription event identifiers corresponding to available events at the second web service,

upon executing the call to the available events operation, receiving, at the first web service, the subscription event identifiers,

upon receiving the subscription identifiers, populating, at the first web service, a subscribe operation with a relevant subscription event identifier related to a subscribed event from the subscription event identifiers,

upon populating the subscribe operation, executing, from the first web service, a call to the subscribe operation in the second web service to establish a subscription to the second web service,

upon executing the call to the subscribe operation, receiving, at the first web service, a subscription identifier corresponding to the subscription, and

receiving, at the first web service, notifications related to the subscribed event at the second web service while the subscription is active.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the program module further causes the computer system to provide communication and coordination between web services in a cloud-based computing environment by

populating, at the first web service, an unsubscribe operation with the subscription identifier;

and

upon populating the unsubscribe operation, executing, from the first web service, a call to the unsubscribe operation in the second web service to terminate the subscription to the second web service.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the first web service and the second web service are parts of a composite service.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the first web service consumes the second web service.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the second web service consumes the first web service.

16. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the subscribed event comprises updating of the second web service causing the second web service to be offline.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein receiving notifications related to the subscribed event at the second web service while the subscription is active comprises receiving, at the first web service, a notification to discard existing long-running service calls;

and

upon receiving the notification to discard existing long-running service calls, discarding, at the first web service, the existing long-running service calls.

18. The computer system of claim 16, wherein receiving notifications related to the subscribed event at the second web service while the subscription is active comprises receiving, at the first web service, a notification to proceed with existing long-running service calls and to queue any results of the existing long-running service calls until the second web service is back online;

and

upon receiving the notification to proceed with existing long-running service calls, queuing, at the first web service, the results of the existing long-running service calls until the second web service is back online.

19. The computer system of claim 16, wherein receiving notifications related to the subscribed event at the second web service while the subscription is active comprises receiving, at the first web service, a request from the second web service to go offline for updates;

wherein receiving notifications related to the subscribed event at the second web service while the subscription is active comprises receiving, at the first web service, a notification to vote whether the second web service should go offline; and

upon receiving the notification to vote whether the second web service should go offline, sending, at the first web service, the vote as to whether the second web service should go offline to the second web service.

20. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

execute, from a first web service, a call to an available events operation in a second web service to request subscription event identifiers corresponding to available events at the second web service;

upon executing the call to the available events operation, receive, at the first web service, the subscription event identifiers;

upon receiving the subscription identifiers, populate, at the first web service, a subscribe operation with a relevant subscription event identifier related to a subscribed event from the subscription event identifiers;

upon populating the subscribe operation, execute, from the first web service, a call to the subscribe operation in the second web service to establish a subscription to the second web service;

upon executing the call to the subscribe operation, receive, at the first web service, a subscription identifier corresponding to the subscription;

receive, at the first web service, notifications related to the subscribed event at the second web service while the subscription is active;

upon receiving the notifications, populate, at the first web service, an unsubscribe operation with the subscription identifier; and

upon populating the unsubscribe operation, execute, from the first web service, a call to the unsubscribe operation in the second web service to terminate the subscription to the second web service.