Dynamic Workflow Microservice Composition via Temporary Registry

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The composition of main workflows in microservices is delayed or halted due to the need for manual registration of sub-workflows in a service registry, leading to a waterfall development approach, where sub-workflows are not immediately available for consumption.

Innovation Solution

A temporary service registry is introduced to store workflow descriptors of sub-workflows, allowing them to be immediately consumed by main workflows, eliminating the need for manual registration and enabling immediate availability of new or updated sub-workflows.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual registration of sub-workflows in a service registry is required, then service registry consistency is maintained, but workflow composition speed deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice registry consistencyVSAvoidworkflow composition speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically generating workflow descriptors and registering them in the service registry before main workflows need to consume them. The build automation tool monitors the repository for changes, generates descriptors, and registers them proactively, eliminating the need for manual registration and enabling immediate availability of sub-workflows for composition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service by automating the entire workflow descriptor registration process. The build automation tool automatically detects changes, generates descriptors, and registers them in the service registry without human intervention. This self-service mechanism eliminates manual registration steps while maintaining registry consistency, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Stability of the object's composition

If sub-workflows are manually registered in a preestablished service registry, then service architecture stability is maintained, but development agility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice architecture stabilityVSAvoiddevelopment agility

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The build automation tool performs preliminary actions by automatically generating and registering workflow descriptors in the service registry before they are needed. This preliminary automation maintains architectural stability through consistent registration processes while enabling development agility by eliminating manual steps and providing immediate availability of new sub-workflows for consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces the mechanical manual registration process with an automated build automation tool that monitors repository changes, generates descriptors, and registers them programmatically. This substitution maintains service architecture stability through systematic registration while dramatically improving development agility by eliminating human intervention and providing immediate sub-workflow availability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If workflow descriptors are built and deployed to a preestablished service registry, then service discovery reliability is improved, but time to consume sub-workflows increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice discovery reliabilityVSAvoidtime to consume sub-workflows

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The build automation tool performs preliminary actions by automatically generating workflow descriptors and registering them in the service registry as soon as they are committed to the repository, before main workflows need to consume them. This preliminary automation maintains service discovery reliability through consistent registration while eliminating the time delay associated with manual build and deploy processes, enabling immediate sub-workflow consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service by automating the workflow descriptor build and registration process. The build automation tool automatically detects repository changes, generates descriptors, and registers them without human intervention. This self-service mechanism maintains service discovery reliability through systematic registration while eliminating the time loss associated with manual processes, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and time efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20240330044A1Dynamic composition of workflow microservices

Publication Date: 2024.10.03 RED HAT LLC

AI summary

The technology disclosed herein identifying a workflow file in a storage location associated with a trigger event responsive to detecting the trigger event, generating, using the identified workflow file, a new specification definition, storing, in a temporary service registry, the new specification definition, wherein the new specification definition is one of a plurality of temporary specification definitions in the temporary service registry, and identifying from the list of specification definitions the one or more specification definitions based on a parameter of a request responsive to receiving the request for one or more specification definitions of a list of specification definitions. The list of specification definitions including the plurality of temporary specification definitions in the temporary service registry and a plurality of predefined specification definitions in a remote service registry.