Universal State Manager for Disparate Workflow Orchestration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques struggle to accurately manage and automate workflows across disparate computer systems and software applications due to lack of standardized data paradigms and communication protocols, making it difficult to track and report the status of workflows in real time, especially when dependencies between tasks are involved.
Innovation Solution
A universal state manager is used to generate a unique job identifier for a workflow, retrieve a workflow template with phases and tasks, associate reference IDs with system components, aggregate and correlate status reports, and provide a centralized status of the workflow, allowing for accurate tracking and reporting regardless of the software framework or platform.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If disparate downstream software applications are used to perform workflow tasks, then workflow versatility and adaptability are improved, but workflow status tracking and coordination become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A universal state manager is introduced as an intermediary component that mediates between disparate downstream software applications and the workflow orchestration system. The state manager maintains a centralized workflow state that all applications can query and update, enabling coordinated execution across heterogeneous systems without requiring complex point-to-point integration between each application pair.
Solution Approach 2:
The workflow state manager serves multiple functions: it tracks workflow status, manages task dependencies, coordinates execution across different applications, and provides a unified interface for status reporting. This multi-functional component handles diverse workflow scenarios across various software applications through a single universal mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If each downstream software application maintains its own context and data paradigms, then application independence and adaptability are improved, but centralized status tracking becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The universal state manager acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between independent applications with different data paradigms and the centralized workflow orchestration system. Each application can maintain its own context while the state manager translates and aggregates status information into a unified workflow state that can be tracked centrally.
3Reliability
If accurate real-time workflow status information is required, then workflow automation reliability is improved, but system complexity increases due to the need for centralized tracking
Solution Approach 1:
Downstream software applications self-report their status to the universal state manager through standardized interfaces. Each application autonomously updates the workflow state based on its own execution progress, eliminating the need for complex polling or monitoring mechanisms in the central system while ensuring accurate real-time status information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where downstream applications continuously report their execution status back to the universal state manager. This feedback loop enables the orchestration system to maintain accurate real-time workflow status information and make informed decisions about task coordination and dependency management.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention sets forth a technique for performing workflow orchestration in disparate computer systems and software applications using a universal state manager. This technique includes generating a unique job identifier for a requested automation workflow. The technique also includes retrieving a workflow template specifying phases and tasks associated with the requested automation workflow. The technique further includes associating one or more reference IDs generated by one or more system components to the unique job identifier, wherein each of the one or more system components performs at least a subset of tasks specified in the one or more phases. The technique further includes aggregating status reports generated by the one or more system components, correlating each status report with a corresponding reference ID associated with the system component that generated the status report, and generating a status of the requested automation workflow based on the status reports.