Network Service Composition Using Distance-Based Topology
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current service composition approaches lack the ability to identify and efficiently utilize relevant services or workflows that span multiple services, due to unawareness of existing services and workflows, and a lack of knowledge on how to use them considering best practices.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that receives workflow definitions, builds a network topology, and determines a shortest path between services using distance measurements, allowing for the construction of new workflows by retrieving workflow snippets from existing definitions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If current service composition approaches are used, then service composition can be performed, but the system is unaware of existing services and workflows, leading to inability to identify and efficiently use relevant services
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by building a network topology from workflow definitions before actual service composition is needed. This topology includes nodes representing services and edges representing relationships, enabling the system to be aware of existing services and workflows in advance. When service composition is required, the pre-built topology allows efficient identification of relevant services without needing to discover them at composition time.
2Reliability
If current service composition approaches are used, then service composition can be performed, but the system lacks knowledge of best practices associated with services, leading to suboptimal workflow construction
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms by using distance measurements that reflect best practices in service composition. The network topology includes edges weighted by distance measurements derived from analyzing existing workflows and their effectiveness. When composing new services, the system uses this feedback information to guide selection and ordering of services, ensuring that compositions align with established best practices and achieve reliable results.
3Productivity
If workflow definitions are stored and analyzed, then relevant services can be identified, but the system complexity increases due to network topology construction and distance measurement calculations
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the complex task of service composition into distinct manageable components: (1) building network topology from workflow definitions, (2) calculating distance measurements between services, (3) finding shortest paths based on these measurements, and (4) retrieving and constructing workflow snippets. Each segment can be processed independently and reused, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high productivity in service identification.
4Measurement precision
If distance measurements are calculated based on selected metrics, then shortest paths can be determined, but the computational requirements and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculation of distance measurements between all pairs of services and stores them in the network topology. These pre-computed distance values can be retrieved quickly during service composition without needing to recalculate them. This preliminary action significantly reduces the time required for path determination while maintaining measurement precision, as the distance metrics are already computed and stored for rapid access.
Data Source
AI summary
Network based service composition with variable distance conditions may be provided. A workflow definition may be received and a network topology may be built based on the workflow definition. Relational data may be received and a network instance may be built based on the network topology and the distance measurement. A plurality of network instances may be built, for example, for different distance conditions. One or more paths may be determined for a pair of services based on one or more of the network instances.