Process Broker and Adapter Integration Logic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current process integration systems face challenges such as high total cost of ownership and development due to limitations in programming models, infrastructure for remote and peer-to-peer communication, and the interweaving of business and integration logic, leading to complex and costly modifications and support for multiple communication standards.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for process integration that decouples business logic from integration logic using process brokers and adapters, allowing dynamic determination of integration routines and message transformations, with a lightweight framework that instantiates adapters and brokers as needed, supporting various communication channels and formats without requiring modifications to the business logic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a hub-based application server is used for process integration, then message routing and mapping between systems can be achieved, but the system complexity and total cost of ownership increase due to severe limitations in programming models and infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monolithic hub-based application server into separate, independent components: process brokers that handle business logic and integration logic that handles communication protocols. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining support for multiple communication standards through specialized adapters for each protocol.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces process brokers as intermediary components between business logic and communication infrastructure. These brokers act as mediators that translate between business processes and various communication standards (SOAP, RPC, etc.), eliminating the need for a complex hub-based server while maintaining adaptability to multiple protocols through standardized interface patterns.
2Productivity
If business logic and integration logic are interwoven in the application server, then process integration can be achieved, but modification and support costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts integration logic from business logic by introducing dedicated process broker components that handle integration tasks separately. This extraction allows business logic to remain pure and unchanged while integration logic is implemented independently in brokers, significantly reducing modification costs when integration requirements change without affecting core business processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments logic into distinct layers: business logic layer containing domain-specific processes, integration logic layer containing process brokers, and communication layer containing protocol adapters. This segmentation enables independent modification of integration logic without impacting business logic, reducing support and modification costs while maintaining integration capabilities.
3Ease of operation
If a central application server routes all messages between systems, then message exchange can be achieved, but the total cost of development and operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having a central server actively route messages between all systems, the patent inverts the approach by having systems publish messages to event streams and having process brokers subscribe to relevant streams. This passive routing approach eliminates the need for complex central message routing logic while maintaining ease of operation through event-driven architecture patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates universal process broker components that can handle multiple communication protocols and integration scenarios through standardized interfaces. These brokers can subscribe to multiple event streams and publish to multiple targets, providing universal message exchange capability without requiring a complex central routing infrastructure for each specific case.
4Productivity
If current application servers are used for process integration, then basic message exchange can be achieved, but programming model limitations increase development costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables process brokers to self-configure by subscribing to event streams and publishing to targets based on configurable criteria rather than hard-coded routing logic. This self-service capability allows brokers to adapt to changing integration requirements without requiring complex programming model extensions or manual reconfiguration of the entire system, reducing development costs while maintaining message exchange productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for process integration may comprise providing a business logic layer that hosts business object(s), providing process broker(s), providing adapter(s) and providing a process broker handler. Each process broker may perform process integration tasks by dynamically determining whether, when and/or how routines of the business logic layer need to be integrated with routines of a second application. Each adapter may be part of a first application and implement methods to perform communication protocol specific logic. Each adapter may also be interoperable with at least one of the process brokers and one of the business objects to transform a message exchanged between the process broker and the second application from an internal format to an external format or vice versa. The process broker handler may be operable to instantiate the process broker and to instantiate an adapter stored in association with the instantiated process broker.