Message processing for distributed computing environments

• US 8,301,800 B1
• Filed: 07/01/2003
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aurea Software Incorporated (ESW Capital, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Actional Corp. (Progress Software Corporation)
• Inventors: Champion, Kerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Osman, Ramy M
• Application Number:
  US10/612,399
• Time in Patent Office: 3,409 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/203, 709/238, 709/227, 709/223, 709/229, 719/313, 719/330
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues

Abstract

Techniques for representation of data representations associated with message processing are disclosed. The techniques can be used to implement a message server operating in a distributed computing environment. The message server provides a flexible environment which is better suited for creation and maintenance of message processing representations used to exchange messages between various nodes in the distributed computing environment. In addition, the message server is also capable of generating pre-computed data suitable for runtime processing of messages. The pre-computed data can be used to improve runtime processing of messages. As result, many problems associated with message processing in conventional distributed computing environments can be addressed.

Claims

1. A system for processing messages between a plurality of nodes in a distributed computing environment, the system comprising a central processing unit and a computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer code, when executed the executable computer code causing the central processing unit to:

define a design time representation associated with processing of at least one message, wherein the at least one message is requesting services from a first node of the plurality of nodes and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes is capable of accessing services on a plurality of other nodes;

determine whether a runtime representation should be generated in order to enhance the runtime processing of the at least one message;

generate the runtime representation responsive to a determination that the runtime representation should be generated, the runtime representation configured to process the at least one message for the first node of the plurality of nodes; and

process the at least one message using the design time representation and the runtime representation, wherein the processing of the at least one message includes transforming the at least one message for requesting services from the first node of the plurality of nodes into one or more new messages for requesting the services from one of (1) the first node of the plurality of nodes and additional one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes and (2) one or more nodes other than the first node of the plurality of nodes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said design time representation is defined based on at least one policy consideration for processing messages between a server node and a client node in said distributed computing environment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said design time representation is defined with respect to at least one operation which can be performed on said at least one message.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said design time representation is stored in a database.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said processing unit generates a user interface that is used to access said design time representation.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said runtime representation is generated using one or more of the following techniques:

formatting to reduce the time required to create, load, reload, and/or transfer data;

aggregation of separate data;

separation of aggregate data;

pre-computation of higher-level data from more basic forms;

pre-computation of which message transformation technique will perform optimally given the range of transformations that are required at runtime;

pre-computation of which data items are required to process messages at runtime;

normalization of data; and

de-normalization of data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said runtime representation is represented as a sequence of instructions.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein, in order to optimize execution of instructions, one or more of the following techniques are used:

eliminating unnecessary or redundant instructions, delaying execution of an instruction until its results is actually needed, reusing the results of expensive instructions, and identifying instructions that can be performed in parallel.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein, in order to optimize execution of instructions, one or more of the following techniques are used:

executing instructions in a virtual machine stored on the computer-readable medium and implemented by the central processing unit;

caching instructions corresponding to frequently used messages;

executing instructions in parallel; and

making use of special-purpose hardware for cryptographic functions.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said design time representation is a rule, a policy, a service request role, a service definition, or an operation definition.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one message is an XML message.

12. A system for facilitating communication between a plurality of nodes in a distributed computing environment, each of the nodes in the plurality of nodes having a primary interface associated therewith, said system comprising a central processing unit which is operable to generate and publish a plurality of intermediate interfaces, each of which correspond to one of the primary interfaces, each of said intermediate interfaces being generated according to at least one policy:

wherein the system comprises at least one design time component and at least one runtime component, and wherein each of said nodes in the plurality of nodes is capable of accessing services on the plurality of other nodes; and

wherein said design time component is configured to;

facilitate generation of or access to a first data representation associated with the at least one policy;

determine whether a second data representation should be generated in order to enhance runtime processing of a message associated with the first data representation, wherein the message is requesting a service from a first node of the plurality of nodes;

generate the second data representation responsive to a determination that the second data representation should be generated; and

provide said at least one runtime component with said second data representation,

wherein the processing of the message includes transforming said message for requesting a service from the first node of the plurality of nodes into a new message for requesting the service from one of (1) the first node of the plurality of nodes and additional one or more of the plurality of nodes and (2) one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes other than the first node of the plurality of nodes.

13. A system for facilitating communication between a client node and a plurality of server nodes in a distributed computing environment, each of said server nodes having a first interface associated therewith, said system comprising a central processing unit configured to:

communicate with said plurality of server nodes via the plurality of first interfaces;

generate and publish a second interface according to at least one policy; and

communicate with said client node via said second interface, thereby allowing said client node to access services on said plurality of server nodes in accordance with said at least one policy;

facilitate generation of or access to a first data representation associated with the at least one policy;

determine whether a second data representation should be generated in order to enhance runtime processing of a message associated with the first data representation, wherein the message is requesting a service from a first node of the plurality of nodes;

generate said second data representation responsive to a determination that said second data representation should be generated; and

provide at least one of the plurality of first interfaces and the second interface with said second data representation,

wherein the processing of the message includes transforming said message for requesting a service from the first node of the plurality of nodes into a new message for requesting the service from one of (1) the first node of the plurality of nodes and additional one or more of the plurality of nodes and (2) one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes other than the first node of the plurality of nodes.

14. A method of processing messages exchanged between a plurality of nodes in a distributed computing environment, the method comprising:

defining a design time representation for processing a message, wherein said message is requesting a service from a first node of the plurality of nodes, wherein said design time representation is based on at least one policy consideration with respect to processing said message and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes is capable of exchanging messages with a plurality of other nodes;

determining whether a runtime representation should be generated to enhance runtime processing of the message;

generating the runtime representation responsive to a determination that said runtime representation should be generated; and

processing said message at runtime using said runtime representation, wherein the processing of said message includes transforming said message for requesting a service from the first node of the plurality of nodes into a new message for requesting said service from one of (1) the first node of the plurality of nodes and additional one or more of the plurality of nodes and (2) one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes other than the first node of the plurality of nodes.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said generating of said runtime representation comprises:

identifying at least one operation to be performed at runtime;

identifying at least one message format or schema to be used at runtime;

identifying at least one message processing representation to apply to said at least one message format or said at least one operation; and

identifying at least one service request or rule associated with said at least one message or said at least one operation.

16. A XML message system for processing XML messages between a plurality of nodes in a distributed computing environment, wherein said XML message system is configured to:

define a first data representation associated with processing of at least one XML message, wherein the at least one XML message is requesting services from a first node of the plurality of nodes;

allow each node in the plurality of nodes to exchange XML messages with a plurality of other nodes;

determine whether a second data representation should be generated in order to enhance the runtime processing of the at least one XML message;

generate the second data representation responsive to a determination that the second data representation should be generated; and

process the at least one XML message at runtime using the second data representation, wherein the processing of the at least one XML message includes transforming the at least one XML message for requesting services from the first node of the plurality of nodes into one or more new XML messages for requesting the services from one of (1) the first node of the plurality of nodes and additional one or more of the plurality of nodes and (2) one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes other than the first node of the plurality of nodes.

17. The XML message system of claim 16, wherein said second representation is generated using one or more of the following techniques:

formatting to reduce the time required to create, load, reload, and/or transfer data;

aggregation of separate data;

separation of aggregate data;

pre-computation of higher-level data from more basic forms;

pre-computation of which message transformation technique will perform optimally given the range of transformations that are required at runtime;

pre-computation of which data items which are required to process XML messages at runtime;

normalization of data; and

de-normalization of data.

18. The XML message system of claim 16, wherein said first data representation is a rule, a policy, a service request role, a service definition, or an operation definition.

19. The XML message system of claim 16, wherein said first data representation is stored in a database.

20. The XML message system of claim 16, wherein said first data representation is defined with respect to at least one operation which can be performed on said at least one message.

21. The XML message system of claim 16, wherein said XML message server provides a user interface that is used to access said first representation.

22. The XML message system of claim 16, wherein said second data representation is represented as a sequence of instructions.

23. The XML message system of claim 22, wherein one or more of the following techniques are used:

eliminating unnecessary or redundant instructions, delaying execution of an instruction until its result is actually needed, reusing the results of expensive instructions, and identifying instructions that can be performed in parallel, in order to optimize execution of said sequence of instructions.

24. The XML message system of claim 22, wherein one or more of the following techniques are used:

executing instructions in a virtual that is stored on a computer-readable medium and implemented by a central processing unit;

caching instructions corresponding to frequently used messages;

executing instructions in parallel; and

making use of special-purpose hardware for cryptographic functions, in order to optimize execution.