System for error checking of process definitions for batch processes

• US 8,924,974 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2011
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Workday Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Workday Incorporated
• Inventors: Ruggiero, Jonathan, Quiroga, Salvador Maiorano, Chan, Kevin, Speer, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Puente, Emerson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kamran, Mehran
• Application Number:
  US13/156,276
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 718/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/466 Transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4881 Scheduling strategies for dispatcher, e.g. round robin, multi-level priority queues

Abstract

A system for processing a batch job comprises a processor and a memory. The processor is configured to receive a batch job comprising a sequential or parallel flow of operations, wherein each operation has a defined input type and a defined output type. The processor is further configured to verify that the batch job can run successfully, wherein verifying includes checking that a first operation output defined type is compatible with a second operation input defined type when a first operation output is connected to a second operation input, and wherein verifying includes checking that a parameter used by a calculation in an operation is input to the operation. The memory is coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

Claims

1. A system for processing a batch job, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a batch job comprising a sequential or parallel flow of operations, wherein each operation has a defined input type and a defined output type, wherein an operation of the sequential or parallel flow of operations is performed on a set of data objects, wherein the set of data objects comprises one of the following;

a set of employees, a set of organizations, or a set of pay values, and wherein the batch job has a time bound;

for each operation in the received batch job;

determine that a defined output type associated with a first operation is compatible with a defined input type associated with a second operation in the event that an output of the first operation is directly connected to an input of the second operation; and

determine that each input parameter used by one or more calculations associated with the first operation is defined;

verify, prior to running the received batch job, that the received batch job can run successfully based at least in part on;

(1) a first determination that, for each operation in the received job, the defined output type is compatible with the defined input type, and (2) a second determination that each input parameter to each operation in the received batch job is defined; and

determine, prior to running the received batch job, that each operation in the received batch job does not operate on a simple data type, and a verification that the batch job can run successfully is further based at least in part on a third determination that no operation in the received batch job operates on the simple data type; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the simple data type comprises one of the following:

an integer, a string, or a real number.

3. A system as in claim 1, further comprising executing the batch job.

4. A method for processing a batch job, comprising:

receiving a batch job comprising a sequential or parallel flow of operations, wherein each operation has a defined input type and a defined output type, wherein an operation of the sequential or parallel flow of operations is performed on a set of data objects, wherein the set of data objects comprises one of the following;

a set of employees, a set of organizations, or a set of pay values, and wherein the batch job has a time bound;

for each operation in the received batch job;

determining that a defined output type associated with a first operation is compatible with a defined input type associated with a second operation in the event that an output of the first operation is directly connected to an input of the second operation; and

determining that each input parameter used by one or more calculations associated with the first operation is defined; and

verifying, prior to running the received batch job, that the received batch job can run successfully based at least in part on;

(1) a first determination that, for each operation in the received job, the defined output type is compatible with the defined input type, and (2) a second determination that each input parameter to each operation in the received batch job is defined; and

determining, prior to running the received batch job, that each operation in the received batch job does not operate on a simple data type, and a verification that the batch job can run successfully is further based at least in part on a third determination that no operation in the received batch job operates on the simple data type.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein the simple data type comprises one of the following:

an integer, a string, or a real number.

6. A method as in claim 4, further comprising executing the batch job.

7. A computer program product for processing a batch job, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving a batch job comprising a sequential or parallel flow of operations, wherein each operation has a defined input type and a defined output type, wherein an operation of the sequential or parallel flow of operations is performed on a set of data objects, wherein the set of data objects comprises one of the following;

a set of employees, a set of organizations, or a set of pay values, and wherein the batch job has a time bound;

for each operation in the received batch job;

determining that a defined output type associated with a first operation is compatible with a defined input type associated with a second operation in the event that an output of the first operation is directly connected to an input of the second operation; and

determining that each input parameter used by one or more calculations associated with the first operation is defined; and

verifying, prior to running the received batch job, that the received batch job can run successfully based at least in part on;

(1) a first determination that, for each operation in the received job, the defined output type is compatible with the defined input type, and (2) a second determination that each input parameter to each operation in the received batch job is defined; and

determining, prior to running the received batch job, that each operation in the received batch job does not operate on a simple data type, and a verification that the batch job can run successfully is further based at least in part on a third determination that no operation in the received batch job operates on the simple data type.

8. The computer program product recited in claim 7, wherein the simple data type comprises one of the following:

an integer, a string, or a real number.

9. The computer program product recited in claim 7, further comprising executing the batch job.