Architectural design for embedded support application software

• US 8,380,549 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2008
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Haeberle, Tilmann, Wocher, Berthold
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARIKH, HARSHAD R
• Application Number:
  US12/233,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20100070289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.11, 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for implementing a software architecture design for a software application implementing embedded support. The application is structured as multiple process components interacting with each other through service interfaces, and multiple service operations, each being implemented for a respective process component. The process components include, for example, a Support Request Processing process component that handles a request reflecting the initial inquiry to clarify and solve an incident during the operations of an IT system and a Software Problem Reporting process component that handles the collection and reporting of context data in the IT system.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising instructions encoded on a non-transitory, computer-readable medium, the instructions being structured as process components interacting with each other through service interfaces, the instructions operable when executed by at least one processor to:

define a plurality of process components, each of the process components comprising a modular and application-independent package of reusable, granular software implementing a respective and distinct business process, the business process comprising functionality exposed by the process component via a corresponding service interface, the plurality of process components including;

a support request processing process component for handling processing of requests to clarify and solve incidents;

a software problem reporting process component for handling collection and reporting of context data;

a service request processing at requester process component for handling logging and resolving of service requests concerning customer issues at an external customer site; and

a service request processing at provider process component for handling logging and resolving of service requests concerning customer issues at an external provider site; and

define a plurality of service interfaces, each service interface associated with exactly one process component and comprising at least one operation, each operation being implemented for exactly one process component, the operations comprising inbound and outbound operations, the outbound operation for a first process component being operable to send a message to a second process component of the plurality of process components, the second process component having an inbound operation for receiving the message, the sending and receiving of messages between an inbound and an outbound operation defining a message-based pair-wise interaction between the respective process components of the respective operations, the pair-wise interactions between pairs of the process components including interactions between;

the support request processing process component and the software problem reporting process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the support request processing process component and the software problem reporting process component includes the transmission of;

a first type of service request message from the software problem reporting process component to the support request processing process component, the first type of service request message comprising a request for service based on information from a software problem report; and

a first type of service request confirmation message from the support request processing process component to the software problem reporting process component, the first type of service request confirmation message comprising a confirmation of a service request from a service desk;

the software problem reporting process component and the service request processing at provider process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the software problem reporting process component and the service request processing at provider process component includes the transmission of;

a second type of service request message from the software problem reporting process component to the service request processing at provider process component, the second type of service request message comprising a request for creating or changing a service request document in an external service desk; and

a second type of service request confirmation message from the support request at provider processing process component to the service request processing at requester process component, the second type of service request confirmation message comprising a confirmation associated with a request for creating or changing a service request in an external service desk;

the service request processing at requester process component and the support request processing process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the service request processing at requester process component and the support request processing process component includes the transmission of;

a third type of service request message from the service request processing at requester process component to the support request processing process component, the third type of service request message comprising a request for creation or modification to a service request based on information from a software problem report identified by the external requester; and

a third type of service request confirmation message from the support request processing process component to the service request processing at requester process component, the third type of service request confirmation message comprising a confirmation of a requested creation or modification to the identified service request and the confirmation including information on processing progress of the service request to an external service desk of the requester associated with the identified service request; and

the support request processing process component and the service request processing at provider process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the software problem reporting process component and the service request processing at provider process component includes the transmission of;

a fourth type of service request message from the support request processing process component to the service request processing at provider process component, the fourth type of service request message comprising a request that a service document be processed in an external provider system; and

a fourth type of service request confirmation message from the service request processing at provider process component to the support request processing process component, the fourth type of service request confirmation message comprising a confirmation of the fourth type of service request and an update associated with the processed service document based on data from the corresponding external provider system.

2. The product of claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of process components is assigned to exactly one deployment unit among multiple deployment units, and each deployment unit is deployable on a separate computer hardware platform independent of every other deployment unit; and

all interaction between a process component in one deployment unit and any other process component in any other deployment unit takes place through the respective service interfaces of the two process components.

3. The product of claim 2, wherein the deployment units comprise:

a customer relationship management deployment unit that includes the support request processing process component.

4. The product of claim 1, wherein:

each of the process components includes one or more business objects; and

none of the business objects of any one of the process components interacts directly with any of the business objects included in any of the other process components.

5. The product of claim 4, wherein the business objects comprise a business process object.

6. The product of claim 4, wherein none of the business objects included in any one of the process components is included in any of the other process components.

7. The product of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of process agents, each process agent being either an inbound process agent or an outbound process agent, each inbound process agent being operable to receive a message from a corresponding inbound operation, each outbound process agent being operable to cause a corresponding outbound operation to send a message, each process agent being associated with exactly one process component.

8. The product of claim 7, wherein each inbound process agent comprises a first inbound process agent operable to start an execution of a business process step requested in a first inbound message by creating or updating at least one business object instance.

9. The product of claim 7, wherein the outbound process agents comprise a first asynchronous outbound process agent that is called after a business object that is associated with the first outbound process agent changes.

10. The product of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise synchronous and asynchronous operations.

11. A system, comprising:

a computer system comprising at least one hardware platform for executing computer instructions, the computer instructions structured as a plurality of process components interacting with each other through service interfaces, each hardware platform including at least one processor for executing the computer instructions;

at least one memory storing a plurality of process components executable by the respective processor of the particular hardware platform, each of the process components comprising a modular and application-independent package of reusable granular software implementing a respective and distinct business process, the business process comprising functionality exposed by the process component via at least one service interface, the plurality of process components including;

a support request processing process component for handling processing of requests to clarify and solve incidents;

a software problem reporting process component for handling collection and reporting of context data;

a service request processing at requester process component for handling logging and resolving of service requests concerning customer issues at an external customer site; and

a service request processing at provider process component for handling logging and resolving of service requests concerning customer issues at an external provider site; and

the memory further storing a plurality of service interfaces, each service interface associated with exactly one process component and comprising at least one operation, each operation being implemented for exactly one process component, the operations comprising inbound and outbound operations, the outbound operation for a first process component being operable to send a message to a second process component of the plurality of process components, the second process component having an inbound operation for receiving the message, the sending and receiving of messages between an inbound and an outbound operation defining a message-based pair-wise interaction between the respective process components of the respective operations, the pair-wise interactions between pairs of the process components including interactions between;

the support request processing process component and the software problem reporting process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the support request processing process component and the software problem reporting process component includes the transmission of;

a first type of service request message from the software problem reporting process component to the support request processing process component, the first type of service request message comprising a request for service based on information from a software problem report; and

a first type of service request confirmation message from the support request processing process component to the software problem reporting process component, the first type of service request confirmation message comprising a confirmation of a service request from a service desk;

the software problem reporting process component and the service request processing at provider process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the software problem reporting process component and the service request processing at provider process component includes the transmission of;

a second type of service request message from the software problem reporting process component to the service request processing at provider process component, the second type of service request message comprising a request for creating or changing a service request document in an external service desk; and

a second type of service request confirmation message from the support request at provider processing process component to the service request processing at requester process component, the second type of service request confirmation message comprising a confirmation associated with a request for creating or changing a service request in an external service desk;

the service request processing at requester process component and the support request processing process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the service request processing at requester process component and the support request processing process component includes the transmission of;

a third type of service request message from the service request processing at requester process component to the support request processing process component, the third type of service request message comprising a request for creation or modification to a service request based on information from a software problem report identified by the external requester; and

a third type of service request confirmation message from the support request processing process component to the service request processing at requester process component, the third type of service request confirmation message comprising a confirmation of a requested creation or modification to the identified service request and the confirmation including information on processing progress of the service request to an external service desk of the requester associated with the identified service request; and

the support request processing process component and the service request processing at provider process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the software problem reporting process component and the service request processing at provider process component includes the transmission of;

a fourth type of service request message from the support request processing process component to the service request processing at provider process component, the fourth type of service request message comprising a request that a service document be processed in an external provider system; and

a fourth type of service request confirmation message from the service request processing at provider process component to the support request processing process component, the fourth type of service request confirmation message comprising a confirmation of the fourth type of service request and an update associated with the processed service document based on data from the corresponding external provider system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

each of the process components includes one or more business objects; and

none of the business objects of any one of the process components interacts directly with any of the business objects included in any of the other process components.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein none of the business objects included in any one of the process components is included in any of the other process components.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of process agents, each process agent being either an inbound process agent or an outbound process agent, each inbound process agent being operable to receive a message from a corresponding inbound operation, each outbound process agent being operable to cause a corresponding outbound operation to send a message, each process agent being associated with exactly one process component.

15. The system of claim 11, the system comprising one hardware platform, wherein:

the support request processing process component is deployed on one hardware platform.

16. A method for developing a computer software application, comprising:

obtaining, in a programmable computer system having at least one processor, a storage medium, and an interface, digital data representing an architectural design for a set of processes implementing an end-to-end application process, the design specifying a process component for each process in the set of processes, each of the process components comprising a modular and application-independent package of reusable granular software implementing a respective and distinct business process, the business process comprising functionality exposed by the process component, and the design further specifying a set of process component interactions based on messages transmitted between two or more of the process components, wherein;

the specified process components include;

a support request processing process component for handling processing of requests to clarify and solve incidents;

a software problem reporting process component for handling collection and reporting of context data;

a service request processing at requester process component for handling logging and resolving of service requests concerning customer issues at an external customer site; and

a service request processing at provider process component for handling logging and resolving of service requests concerning customer issues at an external provider site; and

the process component interactions include interactions between;

the support request processing process component and the software problem reporting process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the support request processing process component and the software problem reporting process component includes the transmission of;

a first type of service request message from the software problem reporting process component to the support request processing process component, the first type of service request message comprising a request for service based on information from a software problem report; and

a first type of service request confirmation message from the support request processing process component to the software problem reporting process component, the first type of service request confirmation message comprising a confirmation of a service request from a service desk;

the software problem reporting process component and the service request processing at provider process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the software problem reporting process component and the service request processing at provider process component includes the transmission of;

a second type of service request message from the software problem reporting process component to the service request processing at provider process component, the second type of service request message comprising a request for creating or changing a service request document in an external service desk; and

a second type of service request confirmation message from the support request at provider processing process component to the service request processing at requester process component, the second type of service request confirmation message comprising a confirmation associated with a request for creating or changing a service request in an external service desk;

the service request processing at requester process component and the support request processing process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the service request processing at requester process component and the support request processing process component includes the transmission of;

a third type of service request message from the service request processing at requester process component to the support request processing process component, the third type of service request message comprising a request for creation or modification to a service request based on information from a software problem report identified by the external requester; and

a third type of service request confirmation message from the support request processing process component to the service request processing at requester process component, the third type of service request confirmation message comprising a confirmation of a requested creation or modification to the identified service request and the confirmation including information on processing progress of the service request to an external service desk of the requester associated with the identified service request; and

the support request processing process component and the service request processing at provider process component, where the pair-wise interaction between the software problem reporting process component and the service request processing at provider process component includes the transmission of;

a fourth type of service request message from the support request processing process component to the service request processing at provider process component, the fourth type of service request message comprising a request that a service document be processed in an external provider system; and

a fourth type of service request confirmation message from the service request processing at provider process component to the support request processing process component, the fourth type of service request confirmation message comprising a confirmation of the fourth type of service request and an update associated with the processed service document based on data from the corresponding external provider system; and

generating, using the at least one processor on the computer system, a computer software application to perform the set of processes based on the obtained design including the specified process components and the specified process component interactions.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each process in the set of processes is a business process transforming a defined business input into a defined business outcome.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein obtaining digital data representing the architectural design further comprises editing the design before using the design.