Semi-dynamic workflow interoperation using remote process proxy

Abstract

Workflow technology and its applications have been developing during recent years, as the Internet has spread rapidly along with related technologies such as HTTP, IIOP, and XML etc. While workflow was used/managed within a single organization in the beginning of its birth, it has been used for cross organization application like EAI and B2B e-commerce in recent years. As requirements of workflow interoperation between heterogeneous systems increase, a standard for interoperability is needed much more than in the beginning of its development. WfMC has played an important role in establishing a standard for such requirement. Besides WfMC, much research has been undertaken on workflow interoperability across multiple organizations. Our research belongs to the workflow interoperability related area. We, however, have a different viewpoint from previous research. We have focused on a single workflow system rather than that of a virtual community that is integrated using workflow. There is a lack of specifications on partner``s process in WPDL and an autonomy issue in common inter-organizational process definition tools. In order to solve the above problems, we analyzed requirements of workflow interoperability based on the WfMC standard, and concluded that there are three aspects. They are build-time considerations, runtime considerations and administrative considerations. Consequently, we propose new components of workflow engines, an external component of workflow adapter and a mechanism for interoperability contracts. The proposed components and mechanism provide an easy way to specify partner``s process and runtime environments. Newly introduced components can be added into a legacy workflow system, and the interoperability contracts that we propose protect an organization``s autonomy. We always have taken WfMC standard into consideration, so the result of our research has supported it. Therefore, the proposed workflow architecture can interoperate with...