Factorization of concerns to build a SDP (service delivery platform)

• US 9,245,236 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2006
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Maes, Stephane H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ashraf, Waseem
• Application Number:
  US11/357,653
• Publication Number:
  US 20070204017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,631 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/227, 709/230, 709/250
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A service layer is provided that is concerned with providing a service. Also, a network layer is provided that is concerned with communicating with devices. The concerns of each layer are separate. For example, the service layer performs the service without worrying about any network dependencies. Also, the network layer is concerned with communicating with devices without worrying about the services that are being performed. These layers, however, are configured to work together such that a result of the service layer is used by the network layer. For example, a service may be performed by the service layer and then the result of the service is communicated to a device using the network layer.

Claims

1. A service delivery platform (SDP) comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with and readable by the processor and having stored therein a sequence of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to execute;

a network layer within the SDP, the network layer comprising a plurality of network resources and performing a first set of functions concerned with communicating with the plurality of network resources, and wherein the network layer performs the first set of functions independently and without concern about functions of other layers of the SDP;

a network adapter layer within the SDP comprising a plurality of adapters for the plurality of network resources, the adapters providing an abstraction of the network resources, and wherein the network adapter layer performs functions independently and without concern about functions of other layers of the SDP;

a service layer within the SDP performing a second set of functions concerned with a service, the service layer comprising one or more enablers and an abstract interface layer, wherein the enablers expose the second set of functions to the abstract interface layer and the abstract interface layer provides interfaces for the one or more enablers, wherein the service layer performs the second set of functions independently and without concern about functions of other layers of the SDP, wherein the first set of functions of the network layer is factored out of the second set of functions of the service layer, and wherein the second set of functions performs a service in the service layer using the first set of functions of the network layer through the abstract interface layer, enablers, and network adapter layer;

a lifecycle management layer within the service layer and providing through the abstract interface layer a set of lifecycle management functions factored out from the second set of functions of the service layer and the first set of functions of the network layer, wherein the lifecycle management layer performs the lifecycle management functions independently and without concern about functions of other layers of the SDP and wherein the lifecycle management functions include one or more of development functions, deployment functions, monitoring functions, debugging functions, upgrade functions, or removal functions for one or more services of the service layer or one or more of the network resources; and

a business rules layer within the SDP separate from the service layer performing a third set of functions concerned with applying business rules to a service request from a user, wherein the business rules layer performs the third set of functions independently and without concern about functions of other layers of the SDP, wherein the second set of functions and lifecycle management functions of the service layer are factored out of the third set of functions of the business rules layer, and wherein enforcing the business rules on the second set of functions and lifecycle management functions includes composing the second set of functions and lifecycle management functions of the service layer through the abstract interface layer to provide the service based on the rules applied to the service request by the business rules layer.

2. The SDP of claim 1, wherein the policies are exposed to third parties.

3. The SDP of claim 1, wherein the service layer is configured to perform a plurality of services and the network layer is configured to communicate through a plurality of communication methods wherein the service layer is configured to determine a service in the plurality of services, wherein the network layer is configured to determine a communication method in the plurality of communication methods, wherein services in the plurality of services can be performed using the network resources through the network adapter layer without being concerned with which communication method in the plurality of communication methods is determined, and wherein the business rules layer is configured to perform one or more of composition of the plurality of service, orchestration of the plurality of services or delegation to one or more of the plurality of service.

4. The SDP of claim 1, wherein the service layer further comprises an interface and bindings layer configured to apply the one or more policies for the service and perform service composition and orchestration and transformation of interfaces of the abstract interface layer as specified by the policies.

5. The SDP of claim 4, wherein the business rules layer comprises a business rules enforcement layer configured to enforce business rules based on the service requested and the user making the request without being concerned with the interface and bindings layer and the one or more enablers, the business rules comprising rules for authorizing the request, charging for the service, and enforcing a quality of service.

6. The SDP of claim 1, wherein the service layer comprises a bindings layer configured to isolate the business rules layer from different technologies used by different enabler instances of the one or more enablers.

7. The SDP of claim 6, wherein the service layer comprises an interface to the enabler instances for the different technologies.

8. The SDP of claim 7, wherein the service layer comprises a service oriented layer comprising service modules, each service module configured to perform a service without being concerned with the enablers and bindings being used for the service.

9. The SDP of claim 1, wherein the network adapter layer comprises drivers for different networks.

10. The SDP of claim 9, wherein the network layer comprises a network resource layer comprising network infrastructure configured to communication with different networks without being concerned with the drivers used.

11. The SDP of claim 8, wherein the service layer comprises an execution environment layer.

12. The SDP of claim 11, wherein the execution environment layer comprises a J2EE environment.

13. A method for providing services by a service delivery platform (SDP), the method comprising:

executing, by a server of the SDP, a network layer comprising a plurality of network resources and performing a first set of functions concerned with communicating with the plurality of network resources, and wherein the network layer performs the first set of functions independently and without concern about functions of other layers of the SDP;

executing, by the server of the SDP, a network adapter comprising a plurality of adapters for the plurality of network resources, the adapters providing an abstraction of the network resources, and wherein the network adapter layer performs functions independently and without concern about functions of other layers of the SDP;

executing, by the server of the SDP, a service layer performing a second set of functions concerned with a service, the service layer comprising one or more enablers and an abstract interface layer, wherein the enablers expose the second set of functions to the abstract interface layer and the abstract interface layer provides interfaces for the one or more enablers, wherein the service layer performs the second set of functions independently and without concern about functions of other layers of the SDP, wherein the first set of functions of the network layer is factored out of the second set of functions of the service layer, and wherein the second set of functions performs a service in the service layer using the first set of functions of the network layer through the abstract interface layer, enablers, and network adapter layer;

executing, by the server of the SDP, a lifecycle management layer within the service layer and providing through the abstract interface layer a set of lifecycle management functions factored out from the second set of functions of the service layer and the first set of functions of the network layer, wherein the lifecycle management layer performs the lifecycle management functions independently and without concern about functions of other layers of the SDP and wherein the lifecycle management functions include one or more of development functions, deployment functions, monitoring functions, debugging functions, upgrade functions, or removal functions for one or more services of the service layer or one or more of the network resources; and

executing, by the server of the SDP, a business rules layer within the SDP separate from the service layer performing a third set of functions concerned with applying business rules to a service request from a user, wherein the business rules layer performs the third set of functions independently and without concern about functions of other layers of the SDP, wherein the second set of functions and lifecycle management functions of the service layer are factored out of the third set of functions of the business rules layer, and wherein enforcing the business rules on the second set of functions and lifecycle management functions includes composing the second set of functions and lifecycle management functions of the service layer through the abstract interface layer to provide the service based on the rules applied to the service request by the business rules layer.

14. A computer-readable memory comprising a set of instructions stored therein which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to provide services by a service delivery platform (SDP) by:

executing a network layer within the SDP, the network layer comprising a plurality of network resources and performing a first set of functions concerned with communicating with the plurality of network resources, and wherein the network layer performs the first set of functions independently and without concern about functions of other layers of the SDP;

executing a network adapter layer within the SDP comprising a plurality of adapters for the plurality of network resources, the adapters providing an abstraction of the network resources, and wherein the network adapter layer performs functions independently and without concern about functions of other layers of the SDP;

executing a service layer within the SDP performing a second set of functions concerned with a service, the service layer comprising one or more enablers and an abstract interface layer, wherein the enablers expose the second set of functions to the abstract interface layer and the abstract interface layer provides interfaces for the one or more enablers, wherein the service layer performs the second set of functions independently and without concern about functions of other layers of the SDP, wherein the first set of functions of the network layer is factored out of the second set of functions of the service layer, and wherein the second set of functions performs a service in the service layer using the first set of functions of the network layer through the abstract interface layer, enablers, and network adapter layer;

executing a lifecycle management layer within the service layer and providing through the abstract interface layer a set of lifecycle management functions factored out from the second set of functions of the service layer and the first set of functions of the network layer, wherein the lifecycle management layer performs the lifecycle management functions independently and without concern about functions of other layers of the SDP and wherein the lifecycle management functions include one or more of development functions, deployment functions, monitoring functions, debugging functions, upgrade functions, or removal functions for one or more services of the service layer or one or more of the network resources; and

executing a business rules layer within the SDP separate from the service layer performing a third set of functions concerned with applying business rules to a service request from a user, wherein the business rules layer performs the third set of functions independently and without concern about functions of other layers of the SDP, wherein the second set of functions and lifecycle management functions of the service layer are factored out of the third set of functions of the business rules layer, and wherein enforcing the business rules on the second set of functions and lifecycle management functions includes composing the second set of functions and lifecycle management functions of the service layer through the abstract interface layer to provide the service based on the rules applied to the service request by the business rules layer.