Message conductors in a distributed computing environment

• US 6,950,875 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2000
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Slaughter, Gregory L., Pouyoul, Eric, Saulpaugh, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAZARO, DAVID R
• Application Number:
  US09/693,682
• Time in Patent Office: 1,804 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/203, 709/206, 709/227, 709/230, 709/237, 709/202, 709/204
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/547 Messaging middleware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/548 Queue
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues

Abstract

Embodiments of a message conductor in a distributed computing environment are described. A message conductor may accept a data representation language schema that describes the ordering for messages that may be sent between a client and a service. This schema may specify user interface information. The schema may be parsed into an internal form and used to enforce message ordering. The conductor may prevent messages from being sent out of order. In some embodiments, a conductor may be linked to multiple gates. The message conductor may also provide a service interface that may interact with clients of the service to obtain all information to run a service, and then either display results of running the service or return information regarding the location of results. The service interface may be part of a message conductor or may be in addition to and work with the message conductor.

Claims

1. A method for communicating in a distributed computing environment, comprising:

receiving a first message in a data representation language from a first source to be sent to a destination, wherein the first message is one of an ordered set of messages receivable by the destination and described in a data representation language schema, wherein the data representation language schema indicates a sequence for the ordered set of messages;

verifying a sequence of the first message in the ordered set of messages receivable by the destination according to the data representation language schema, wherein said verifying comprises accessing the data representation language schema to determine if the sequence of the first message complies with the sequence for the ordered set of messages as indicated by the data representation language schema;

sending the first message to the destination if the first message is in the sequence indicated by the data representation language schema; and

not sending the first message to the destination if the first message is not in the sequence indicated by the data representation language schema.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising notifying the first source if the first message is not in sequence.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising the first source resending the first message in sequence in response to said notifying.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving a first message, said verifying a sequence, and said sending the first message are performed by a message conductor configured to send messages in sequence to the destination according to the data representation language schema.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the source is a client in the distributed computing environment and the destination is a service accessible through the distributed computing environment.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein a client device comprises the message conductor and the client.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising the service providing the message conductor to the client device.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein a service device comprises the message conductor and the service.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving a first message and said verifying a sequence are performed by a message conductor configured to verify the sequence of messages according to the data representation language schema, and wherein said sending the first message is performed by a message endpoint configured to send messages to the destination.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising the message conductor sending the first message to the message endpoint if the first message is in sequence.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the source is a client in the distributed computing environment and the destination is a service accessible through the distributed computing environment.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the service providing the message conductor to the client.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the destination is a service accessible through the distributed computing environment and configured to provide resources to clients in the distributed computing environment in response to data representation language messages received from the clients, and wherein the first source is a first client of the service in the distributed computing environment.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of messages in the data representation language from a plurality of sources to be sent to the destination, wherein the plurality of messages are each from the ordered set of messages receivable by the destination and described in the data representation language schema;

verifying a sequence of the plurality of messages in the ordered set of messages receivable by the destination according to the data representation language schema, wherein said verifying a sequence of the plurality of messages comprises accessing the data representation language schema to determine if the sequence of the plurality of messages complies with the sequence for the ordered set of messages as indicated by the data representation language schema;

sending a second message of the plurality of message to the destination if the second message is in sequence; and

not sending the second message to the destination if the second message is not in sequence.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the source is a client in the distributed computing environment and the destination is a service accessible through the distributed computing environment, the method further comprising:

receiving the data representation language schema, wherein the data representation language schema defines a message sequence interface for accessing the service; and

generating a message conductor for the client according to the data representation language schema, wherein said receiving a first message and said verifying a sequence are performed by the message conductor for the client.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising receiving the data representation language schema of the service in a service advertisement of the service.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data representation language is Extensible Markup Language (XML).

18. A method for communicating in a distributed computing environment, comprising:

receiving a plurality of request messages in a data representation language from a first source to be sent to a destination, wherein the plurality of request messages are an ordered set of messages receivable by the destination and described in a data representation language schema, wherein the data representation language schema indicates a sequence for the ordered set of messages;

verifying a sequence of the plurality of request messages receivable by the destination according to the data representation language schema, wherein said verifying comprises accessing the data representation language schema to determine if the sequence of the plurality of request messages complies with the sequence for the ordered set of messages as indicated by the data representation language schema; and

sending the plurality of request messages in the sequence indicated by the data representation language schema to the destination.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the source is a client in the distributed computing environment and the destination is a service accessible through the distributed computing environment, wherein the plurality of request messages include information requesting the service to perform one or more functions on behalf of the client.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising the service performing the one or more functions as specified by the plurality of request messages, wherein said performing the one or more functions generates results data.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising sending the results data to the client in one or more response messages in the data representation language.

22. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

storing the results data; and

sending a reference to the stored results data to the client in a response message in the data representation language.

23. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising displaying the results data for the client in accordance with the data representation language schema, wherein the data representation language schema further includes information describing display characteristics of the results data.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein said receiving a plurality of request messages, said verifying a sequence of the plurality of request messages, said sending the plurality of request messages, and said displaying the results data are performed by a service interface for the client.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein a client device comprises the service interface and the client.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, further comprising the service providing the service interface to the client device.

27. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein a service device comprises the service interface and the service.

28. The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising:

receiving the data representation language schema; and

generating the service interface for the client according to the data representation language schema.

29. The method as recited in claim 28, further comprising receiving the data representation language schema of the service in a service advertisement of the service.

30. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the data representation language is Extensible Markup Language (XML).

31. A device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to said processor;

a message conductor unit configured to;

receive a first message in a data representation language from a first source to be sent to a destination, wherein the first message is one of an ordered set of messages receivable by the destination and described in a data representation language schema, wherein the data representation language schema indicates a sequence for the ordered set of messages;

verify a sequence of the first message in the ordered set of messages receivable by the destination according to the data representation language schema, wherein in said verifying the message conductor unit is configured to access the data representation language schema to determine if the sequence of the first message complies with the sequence for the ordered set of messages as indicated by the data representation language schema;

send the first message to the destination if the first message is in the sequence indicated by the data representation language schema; and

not send the first message to the destination if the first message is not in the sequence indicated by the data representation language schema.

32. The device as recited in claim 31, wherein the message conductor unit is further configured to notify the first source if the first message is not in sequence.

33. The device as recited in claim 32, wherein the first source is configured to resend the first message in sequence in response to said notifying.

34. The device as recited in claim 31, wherein the source is a client process in the distributed computing environment and the destination is a service accessible through the distributed computing environment.

35. The device as recited in claim 34, wherein the device comprises the message conductor and the client process.

36. The device as recited in claim 35, wherein the service is configured to provide the message conductor to the device.

37. The device as recited in claim 34, wherein the device comprises the message conductor and the service.

38. The device as recited in claim 31, further comprising a message endpoint, wherein in said sending the first message to the destination, the message conductor is further configured to send the first message to the message endpoint, wherein the message endpoint is configured to send the first message to the destination for the message conductor.

39. The device as recited in claim 38, wherein the source is a client process in the distributed computing environment and the destination is a service accessible through the distributed computing environment, and wherein the device comprises the message conductor, message endpoint, and client process.

40. The device as recited in claim 39, wherein the service is configured to provide the message conductor to the device.

41. The device as recited in claim 31, wherein the destination is a service accessible through the distributed computing environment and configured to provide resources to clients in the distributed computing environment in response to data representation language messages received from the clients, and wherein the first source is a first client of the service in the distributed computing environment.

42. The device as recited in claim 31, wherein the message conductor is further configured to:

receive a plurality of messages in the data representation language from a plurality of sources to be sent to the destination, wherein the plurality of messages are each from the ordered set of messages receivable by the destination and described in the data representation language schema;

verify a sequence of the plurality of messages in the ordered set of messages receivable by the destination according to the data representation language schema;

send a second message of the plurality of message to the destination if the second message is in sequence; and

not send the second message to the destination if the second message is not in sequence.

43. The device as recited in claim 31, wherein the source is a client process in the distributed computing environment and the destination is a service accessible through the distributed computing environment, wherein the device is configured to:

receive the data representation language schema, wherein the data representation language schema defines a message sequence interface for accessing the service; and

generate the message conductor for the client process according to the data representation language schema.

44. The device as recited in claim 43, wherein the device is further configured to receive the data representation language schema of the service in a service advertisement of the service.

45. The device as recited in claim 31, wherein the data representation language is Extensible Markup Language (XML).

46. A device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to said processor;

a service interface unit configured to;

receive a plurality of request messages in a data representation language from a first source to be sent to a destination, wherein the plurality of request messages are an ordered set of messages receivable by the destination and described in a data representation language schema, wherein the data representation language schema indicates a sequence for the ordered set of messages;

verify a sequence of the plurality of request messages receivable by the destination according to the data representation language schema, wherein in said verifying the service interface unit is further configured to access the data representation language schema to determine if the sequence of the plurality of request messages complies with the sequence for the ordered set of messages as indicated by the data representation language schema; and

send the plurality of request messages in the sequence indicated by the data representation language schema to the destination.

47. The device as recited in claim 46, wherein the source is a client process in the distributed computing environment and the destination is a service accessible through the distributed computing environment, wherein the plurality of request messages include information requesting the service to perform one or more functions on behalf of the client process.

48. The device as recited in claim 47, wherein the service is configured to:

perform the one or more functions as specified by the plurality of request messages; and

generate results data from said performing the one or more functions.

49. The device as recited in claim 48, wherein the service is further configured to send the results data to the client process in one or more response messages in the data representation language.

50. The device as recited in claim 48, wherein the service is further configured to:

store the results data; and

send a reference to the stored results data to the client process in a response message in the data representation language.

51. The device as recited in claim 48, wherein the service interface unit is further configured to display the results data for the client process in accordance with the data representation language schema, wherein the data representation language schema further includes information describing display characteristics of the results data.

52. The device as recited in claim 47, wherein the device comprises the service interface and the client process.

53. The device as recited in claim 52, wherein the service is further configured to provide the service interface to the device.

54. The device as recited in claim 47, wherein the device comprises the service interface and the service.

55. The device as recited in claim 46, wherein the device is further configured to:

receive the data representation language schema; and

generate the service interface for the client according to the data representation language schema.

56. The device as recited in claim 55, wherein the device is further configured to receive the data representation language schema of the service in a service advertisement of the service.

57. The device as recited in claim 46, wherein the data representation language is eXtensible Markup Language (XML).

58. A carrier medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement:

receiving a first message in a data representation language from a first source to be sent to a destination, wherein the first message is one of an ordered set of messages receivable by the destination and described in a data representation language schema, wherein the data representation language schema indicates a sequence for the ordered set of messages;

verifying a sequence of the first message in the ordered set of messages receivable by the destination according to the data representation language schema, wherein in said verifying the program instructions are computer-executable to implement accessing the data representation language schema to determine if the sequence of the first message complies with the sequence for the ordered set of messages as indicated by the data representation language schema;

sending the first message to the destination if the first message is in the sequence indicated by the data representation language schema; and

not sending the first message to the destination if the first message is not in the sequence indicated by the data representation language schema.

59. The carrier medium as recited in claim 58, wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement notifying the first source if the first message is not in sequence.

60. The carrier medium as recited in claim 58, wherein said receiving a first message, said verifying a sequence, and said sending the first message are performed by a message conductor configured to send messages in sequence to the destination according to the data representation language schema.

61. The carrier medium as recited in claim 60, wherein the source is a client in the distributed computing environment and the destination is a service accessible through the distributed computing environment, and wherein a client device comprises the message conductor and the client.

62. The carrier medium as recited in claim 60, wherein the source is a client in the distributed computing environment and the destination is a service accessible through the distributed computing environment, and wherein a service device comprises the message conductor and the service.

63. The carrier medium as recited in claim 58, wherein the source is a client in the distributed computing environment and the destination is a service accessible through the distributed computing environment, wherein said receiving a first message and said verifying a sequence are performed by a message conductor configured to verify the sequence of messages according to the data representation language schema, and wherein said sending the first message is performed by a message endpoint configured to send messages to the service.

64. The carrier medium as recited in claim 58, wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement:

receiving a plurality of messages in the data representation language from a plurality of sources to be sent to the destination, wherein the plurality of messages are each from the ordered set of messages receivable by the destination and described in the data representation language schema;

verifying a sequence of the plurality of messages in the ordered set of messages receivable by the destination according to the data representation language schema;

sending a second message of the plurality of message to the destination if the second message is in sequence; and

not sending the second message to the destination if the second message is not in sequence.

65. The carrier medium as recited in claim 58, wherein the source is a client in the distributed computing environment and the destination is a service accessible through the distributed computing environment, wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement:

receiving the data representation language schema, wherein the data representation language schema defines a message sequence interface for accessing the service; and

generating a message conductor for the client according to the data representation language schema, wherein said receiving a first message and said verifying a sequence are performed by the message conductor for the client.

66. The carrier medium as recited in claim 58, wherein the data representation language is eXtensible Markup Language (XML).

67. A carrier medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement:

receiving a plurality of request messages in a data representation language from a first source to be sent to a destination, wherein the plurality of request messages are an ordered set of messages receivable by the destination and described in a data representation language schema, wherein the data representation language schema indicates a sequence for the ordered set of messages;

verifying a sequence of the plurality of request messages receivable by the destination according to the data representation language schema, wherein in said verifying the program instructions are computer-executable to implement accessing the data representation language schema to determine if the sequence of the plurality of request messages compiles with the sequence for the ordered set of messages as indicated by the data representation language schema; and

sending the plurality of request messages in the sequence indicated by the data representation language schema to the destination.

68. The carrier medium as recited in claim 67, wherein the source is a client in the distributed computing environment and the destination is a service accessible through the distributed computing environment, wherein the plurality of request messages include information requesting the service to perform one or more functions on behalf of the client.

69. The carrier medium as recited in claim 68, wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement the service performing the one or more functions as specified by the plurality of request messages, wherein said performing the one or more functions generates results data.

70. The carrier medium as recited in claim 69, wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement displaying the results data for the client in accordance with the data representation language schema, wherein the data representation language schema further includes information describing display characteristics of the results data.

71. The carrier medium as recited in claim 70, wherein said receiving a plurality of request messages, said verifying a sequence of the plurality of request messages, said sending the plurality of request messages, and said displaying the results data are performed by a service interface for the client.

72. The carrier medium as recited in claim 71, wherein a client device comprises the service interface and the client.

73. The carrier medium as recited in claim 71, wherein a service device comprises the service interface and the service.

74. The carrier medium as recited in claim 71, wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement:

receiving the data representation language schema; and

generating the service interface for the client according to the data representation language schema.

75. The carrier medium as recited in claim 67, wherein the data representation language is Extensible Markup Language (XML).