Extensible distributed enterprise application integration system

• US 6,738,975 B1
• Filed: 10/05/1999
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Saga Software, Inc. (Software AG)
• Original Assignee: Software AG Incorporated (Software AG)
• Inventors: Taylor, John Timothy, Yee, Hon-Siew
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cao, Diem
• Application Number:
  US09/412,596
• Time in Patent Office: 1,687 Days
• Field of Search: 709/310
• US Class Current: 719/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues

Abstract

In general, in one aspect, the invention provides a modular application collaborator for providing inter-operability between applications including a plurality of connectors for communicating with a like plurality of applications and an interchange server. The interchange server includes an application collaboration module and service module. The service module transfers messages between connectors and the application collaboration module. The application collaboration defines the inter-operability between two or more applications. The interchange server service module includes a transaction service and an error service. Transactions are executed in the application collaboration module and the transaction service records each action and a compensating action for undoing an associated action. An error service monitors for errors in the interchange server, and, upon detection of an error, stops the execution of a transaction and initiates the execution of any required compensating actions to undo the interrupted transaction. The compensating transactions may be executed at the connectors and are not required to be overseen by the interchange server.

Claims

1. A system for integrating a plurality of computer applications, comprising:

an enterprise messaging system, said enterprise messaging system passing messages between said computer applications;

a database storage system coupled to said enterprise messaging system, said database storage system storing a plurality of data transformation configurations and a plurality of rules;

an integration service coupled to said enterprise messaging system, said integration service comprising a data transformation engine using the data transformation configurations stored in said database storage system and a rules evaluation engine using the rules stored in said database storage system;

a plurality of agent-adapters coupled to said enterprise messaging system, each agent-adapter coupled to a respective one of said computer applications, each agent-adapter passing messages between said enterprise messaging system and said respective computer application, wherein each said agent-adapter comprises an adapter portion including an object and an agent portion encapsulating said object and each said adapter is selected from the group consisting of a source adapter, a target adapter, and a reply adapter; and

a message schema operating in conjunction with said agent-adapters to parse individual message elements from the computer applications.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said enterprise messaging system passes messages between said computer applications in a publish and subscribe mode.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said enterprise messaging system passes messages between said computer applications in a request and reply mode.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said integration service system splits and combines messages received from said enterprise messaging system and performs content-based routing of messages to said computer applications.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein each said agent-adapter translates messages being passed from said enterprise messaging system to said respective computer application from a system format to a respective computer application format, and translates messages being passed from said respective computer application to said enterprise messaging system from the respective computer application format to the system format.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein each said agent-adapter further passes messages between other said agent-adapters and said respective computer application.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a graphic user interface coupled to said enterprise messaging system, said graphic user interface providing an interface to add additional data transformation configurations and additional rules to said database storage system.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a node management service coupled to said enterprise messaging system, said node management service providing start, stop, and update functionality to said system.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said computer applications are geographically distributed.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein each said agent-adapter comprises an adapter portion and an agent portion encapsulating said adapter portion.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein each said agent-adapter comprises one or more adapter portions and an agent portion encapsulating all of said one or more adapter portions.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said computer applications comprise one or more source applications and one or more target applications.

13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising a plurality of source adapters, each of which correspond to a respective one of said source applications, and a plurality of target adapters, each of which correspond to a respective one of said source applications.

14. The system according to claim 12, further comprising a plurality of reply adapters, each of which correspond to a respective one of said computer applications.

15. An improved enterprise application integration system including an agent-adapter for use therein, the improvement comprising:

an adapter configured for a selected one of the enterprise applications, wherein said adapter is selected from the group consisting of a source adapter, a target adapter, and a reply adapter;

an agent service hosting said adapter;

a message definition for each of a plurality of messages said adapter will produce, receive, or reply to;

means for connecting said adapter to said selected enterprise application; and

means for implementing said adapter through said connecting means.

16. The improvement according to claim 15, wherein said adapter comprises a source adapter and further comprising means for designating selected ones of a plurality of target said source adapter is adapted to send one or more messages.

17. The improvement according to claim 15, wherein said adapter comprises a target adapter and further comprising means for designating selected ones of a plurality of sources from which said target adapter is adapted to receive one or more messages.

18. The improvement according to claim 15, wherein said adapter comprises a reply adapter and further comprising means for designating selected ones of a plurality of requesters to which said reply adapter is adapted to send one or more reply messages.

19. The improvement according to claim 18, wherein each said requester comprises a transformer.

20. The improvement according to claim 15, wherein said implementation means further comprises means for extracting said message definition of said adapter.

21. The improvement according to claim 15, further comprising means for designating selected ones of a plurality of delivery options for messages associated with said adapter.

22. The improvement according to claim 21, wherein said plurality of delivery options includes a parameter indicative of a lifetime for each said associated message.

23. A method for passing messages between a first computer application and a second computer application, comprising the steps of:

providing a first message having a first data from said first computer application;

publishing said first message to obtain a first published message;

converting said first data of said first published message to a second data to obtain a second message;

publishing said second message to obtain a second published message;

providing said second published message to said second computer application,

providing an adapter configured for a selected one of said computer applications, wherein said adapter is selected from the group consisting of a source adapter, a target adapter, and a reply adapter;

providing an agent service to host said adapter;

defining a message definition for each of a plurality of messages said adapter will produce, receive, or reply to; and

connecting said adapter to selected computer application.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

translating said first message from a first computer application format to a system format prior to publishing said first message; and

translating said second published message from said system format to a second computer application format prior to providing said second published message to said second computer application.

25. The method according to 23, wherein said step of converting said first data comprises:

requesting said second data from a database; and

receiving said second data from said database.

26. A system for integrating a plurality of computer applications, comprising;

means for routing a plurality of messages within the system;

means for storing a plurality of data transformation configurations and plurality of rules;

means for applying said data transformation configurations to said plurality of messages;

means for applying said rules to said plurality of messages; and

means for routing said plurality of messages between said means for routing messages within the system and the plurality of computer applications;

wherein said routing means includes dedicated means for routing selected ones of said plurality of messages for respective ones of the plurality of computer applications, including;

an adapter configured for each of the plurality of computer applications wherein said adapter is selected from the group consisting of a source adapter, a target adapter, and a reply adapter;

an agent service hosting said adapter;

a message definition for each of said plurality of messages said adapter will produce, receive, or reply to;

means for connecting said adapter to its respective computer application; and

means for implementing said adapter through said connecting means.