RainMaker: Workflow execution Using Distributed, Interoperable Components

摘要

As individuals and enterprises interconnect via wide area networks, workflows that span them seamlessly will become increasingly valuable. It is likely that heterogeneous participants - humans, applications, orgnaizations - that are physically dispersed over such networks will share workflows that cut across organizational and geographic boundarie.s We address the problem of designing a distributed workflow infrastructure that supports such networks will share workflows that cut across organizational and geographic boundaries. We address the problem of designing a distributed workflow infrastructure that supprots such scenarios in the presence of heterogeneous workflow systmes and components. We present RainMaker, a workflow framework based on a service requestor/service provider execution model. RainMaker defines a core set of abstract interfaces that can be implemented by distributed workflow components. Together, the RainMaker executio nmodel and itnerfaces provide a foundation for the itneroperability of workflow systems and components.