© c3b consulting limited 1987-2001; 12/4/2015 hpts 2001 workflow has moved on … charles brett

© C3B Consulting Limited 1987-2001; 04/18/23

HPTS 2001

Workflow has moved on …

Charles Brett


HPTS 2001

Objective and structure

Look at background to work flow messaging application broking process flow automation (PFA) work flow automation (WFA)

Unresolved issues Other thoughts/dimensions Introduce Kevin Hudson and Dale Skeen – to explore

work flow and B2B developments in more detail


HPTS 2001

Messaging

First there was ‘internal messaging’ Next TCAM and IMS (DC)

Then there was little (except S.W.I.F.T./EDIFact, etc.)

Then MQSeries, TIB, etc. Then AQ

Now JMS


HPTS 2001

Application brokers (aka message brokers, integration brokers, etc.)

Broking between existing (and new) applications (minimally invasive)

Primarily Intra-business (Intra-B) Usually based on messaging

added ‘intelligence on top of messaging (primarily queuing)

added cottage industry: ‘transformation’, ‘routing’, etc. added ‘external engine’ as convergence mechanisms

Limited transaction and database awareness


HPTS 2001

Rise of …

Then the following arrived: need for co-ordination above transformation/routing

(process to process) XML/RosettaNet (and PIPs), as agreed ‘media’ Inter-business opportunities (Inter-B or B2B) re-awakening of transaction interest, especially in context

of long running activities within and between businesses Re-awakening of database involvement


HPTS 2001

Process flow automation (PFA) and work flow automation (WFA)

PFA a means to manage/co-ordinate processes

(not people) built as super-set on/over application brokers/messaging;

implemented as external engine events (and Event/Action/Condition processing) to the fore

– allegedly business oriented WFA

added people component, especially for actions/decisions/confirmation

Increasingly implemented as external engine, co-ordinating across multiple existing applications

Divergent from traditional ‘workflow’ – which was an application; WFA is an engine working to manage other applications


HPTS 2001

Unresolved issues (all variants on 2 Generals problem)

Security Trust Acknowledgement Non-repudiation Audit/Audit tracking

Ownership/Responsibility

Legality

Long running activities

Business activity analysis


HPTS 2001

Other thoughts/dimensions

Queues were flat files, not tables in databases Messages carried data payload; now carry XML as well Transaction awareness forgotten/omitted Development/Operations awareness divergence The mythical ‘Business Analyst’ The implacable growth of external - to application -

‘ancillary’ systems (applications brokers, PFA, WFA and even applications servers)

‘Business event’ handling re-appears yet again (last time was OO-led (retarded)


HPTS 2001

Net position

Traditional work flow has moved on, and bifurcated Messaging and queuing taken as read (no longer

interesting – although poor variety of choice) Transaction and database importance is on the rise (yet

again); but poorly understood Intermediate ‘mechanism engines’ on the increase PFA is where IT interest lies: ‘about systems not people’ WFA not an application, more of a manager; but people

dimension is a complication Workflow still exists (primarily paper trail oriented) Operational implications have had little thought


HPTS 2001

For the real insights into the technologies have advnced

Kevin Hudson (Senior Product Manager, Oracle) advances in WFA

Dale Skeen (CTO, Vitria plus a co-founder of TIBCO) work flow and the B2B dimension

© c3b consulting limited 1987-2001; 12/4/2015 hpts 2001 workflow has moved on … charles brett

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