System and method for enterprise workflow resource management

• US 6,308,163 B1
• Filed: 03/16/1999
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Shan, Ming-Chien, Davis, James W., Du, Weimin
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBERTSON, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US09/270,885
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 705/8, 707/10, 707/103, 707/104, 709/201, 709/203, 709/226, 709/316, 714/100
• US Class Current: 705/7.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method and a system for providing resource management in workflow processing of an enterprise include a multi-level resource manager hierarchy. An upper level includes at least one resource manager having data that represents an enterprise-wide view of resource capabilities. A subordinate second level of resource managers provides partial views of the resource capabilities of the enterprise. These partial views may be based upon organizational or physical boundaries. At a lowermost level of resource managers are local resource managers (LRMs) that include data to track individual resources. Above this lowermost level, the resource managers in the hierarchy track the resources based upon types of resources. Thus, a second level resource manager is configured to be aware of availability of a resource type, but not the availability of an individual resource. Also above the lowermost level, the resource managers are configured to exchange requests for the resources using a number of different messages. A Plead message is used to send a request to a higher level manager. On the other hand, a Delegate message is used to send a request to a lower level manager. A Refer message allows a request to be sent horizontally. Report messages are sent among resource managers to allow updates of cache entries regarding capabilities of other resource managers.

Claims

1. An automated method of managing distributed resources for a workflow process of executing a coordinated set of process activities requiring said distributed resources, said automated method comprising steps of:

forming a hierarchy of resource managers that are operatively associated to provide multi-level control of said resources, at least one level of said hierarchy having more than one resource manager; and

enabling communication among said resource managers in response to requests for said resources, said communication that is responsive to a specific request for said resources including;

(1) sending a Delegate message to a resource manager at a lower level of said hierarchy if a resource manager that receives said request is authoritative with regard to a lower level resource manager that can invoke a requested resource, said Delegate message being specific to and including said request;

(2) sending a Refer message to a resource manager at a same level if said resource manager that receives said request is not authoritative and is configured to include an identification of a same level resource manager that is authoritative with regard to said request, said Refer message being specific to and including said request; and

(3) sending a Plead message to a resource manager at a higher level if said resource manager that receives said request is not authoritative and is not configured to send said Refer message to said same level resource manager, said Plead message being specific to and including said request.

2. The automated method of claim 1 wherein said communications further include:

sending a Report message to said resource manager that receives said request following a Plead message, said Report message including an identification of a same level resource manager that is authoritative with regard to said request.

3. The automated method of claim 2 further comprising a step of storing resource data at each resource manager such that each said resource manager includes at least a portion of an enterprise-wide view of accessible resource capabilities, each said resource capability of which a specific resource manager is configured to identify having stored resource data indicative of:

(a) ability of said specific resource manager to satisfy a request for said resource capability;

(b) a Delegate address of a lower level resource manager which can satisfy a request for said resource capability;

(c) a Refer address of a same level resource manager which can satisfy a request for said resource capability; and

(d) a Plead address of a higher level resource manager to which a Plead message can be sent.

4. The automated method of claim 1 wherein said communications further include:

sending a Do message if said resource manager that receives said request is enabled to satisfy said request.

5. The automated method of claim 1 further comprising a step of storing policy data at each said resource manager, said policy data being indicative of selecting particular resources in response to said requests, said policy data being specific to said resource manager at which said policy data is stored.

6. A system for managing distributed resources for workflow processing within an enterprise of interest comprising:

an upper level resource manager having stored data indicative of an enterprise-wide representation of resource capabilities to perform process activities for workflow processes of said enterprise;

a plurality of middle level resource managers that are subordinate to said upper level resource manager with respect to invoking said resource capabilities, said middle level resource managers having stored data indicative of portions of said enterprise-wide representation, each said middle level resource manager being related to a different portion of said enterprise-wide representation; and

a plurality of base level resource managers that are subordinate to said middle level resource managers with respect to invoking said resource capabilities, said base level resource managers having stored data indicative of specific resource instances for providing said resource capabilities, said resource instances being divided and assigned to said base level resource managers at least partially based on types of said resource capabilities, said base level resource managers being assigned to said middle level resource managers in an arrangement which defines said different portions.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said stored data of said middle level resource managers in indicative of said types of resource capabilities and is not indicative of said specific resource instances.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said stored data of said middle level resource managers is indicative of current availability of said types of resource capabilities and wherein said stored data of said base level resource managers is indicative of current availability of said resource instances, said current availabilities being specific to present ability to perform process activities.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein each middle level resource manager includes data that identifies policies regarding invoking said base level resource managers to invoke a resource instance of a particular type.

10. The system of claim 6 further comprising a plurality of intermediate level resource managers that are subordinate to said upper level resource manager and authoritative to said middle level resource managers, thereby providing at least four distinct levels of resource managers, each said intermediate level resource manager being authoritative to selected middle level resource managers and having stored data indicative of an integration of said portions related to said selected middle level resource managers.

11. An automated method of managing distributed resources for a workflow process of executing a coordinated set of process activities requiring said distributed resources, said automated method comprising steps of:

assigning said resources into a plurality of groups;

forming a base level of resource managers having a plurality of local resource managers (LRMs), including associating each said LRM with at least one of said groups such that each said LRM is authoritative over at least one but not all of said groups with respect to invoking said resources within said groups, including storing data at each said LRM relating to availability status and capability of each said resource in said group over which said LRM has authority;

forming a middle level of resource managers having a plurality of site global resource managers (SRMs), including associating each SRM with at least one but not all of said LRMs such that said SRMs are authoritative over said LRMs with respect to invoking said LRMs, including storing data at each said SRM relating to availability and capability of each said group associated with an LRM over which said SRM has authority; and

forming an upper level of resource managers having at least one enterprise global resource manager (ERM), including associating each said ERM with each said SRM such that said ERM is authoritative over said SRMs with respect to invoking said SRMs, including storing data at each said ERM relating to capabilities of said SRMs to invoke said LRMs.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising a step of forming an intermediate level of more than one first SRM that is subordinate to each said ERM, including associating each first SRM with at least one but not all of said SRMs of said middle level such that said first SRMs are authoritative with respect to invoking said SRMs of said middle level.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said steps of forming said middle, intermediate and upper levels include providing each said ERM and SRM with information regarding capabilities of SRMs and LRMs over which said ERM and SRM are authoritative, each said ERM thereby having said information relating to all said SRMs and LRMs.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said steps of forming said middle, intermediate and upper levels further include leaving said SRMs and ERMs without information regarding said availability status of individual resources in said groups, said information regarding said availability of individual resources thereby being limited to storage at said base level.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said steps of forming said resource managers of said middle and upper levels include storing policies at each SRM and ERM relevant to executing said process activities, wherein said policies are specific to each said SRM and ERM.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of storing said policies further includes storing substitution policies at each said SRM, said substitution policies of a specific SRM being indicative of selection of a second group of said resources upon determination that a resource for executing a particular process activity is not accessible to said specific SRM at which a request is processed, said request being specific to execution of said particular process activity.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising a step of exchanging requests for resources among said resource managers, said requests being exchanged as messages, including exchanging (1) Delegate request messages to lower level resource managers, (2) Refer request messages to same level resource managers, and (3) Plead request messages to higher level resource managers.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of exchanging requests includes enabling Report messages having information regarding which groups of said resources are accessible via which SRMs, each said message including an address of a resource manager to which said message is directed.