Cross-Enterprise Workflow Adaptation via Emulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current content management systems lack efficient techniques for sharing workflows across different execution environments, leading to execution failures due to differences in file system locations, group names, and permissions between enterprises.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of techniques for cross-enterprise workflow adaptation, which involves analyzing and emulating workflows to configure them for execution in target environments by identifying and modifying environment-specific parameters, such as file system locations and permissions, to ensure compatibility across various computing settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If workflows are shared across different enterprises without modification, then workflow portability is improved, but execution reliability deteriorates due to differences in file system locations, group names, and permissions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary emulation of workflow execution in the target enterprise environment before actual deployment. This emulation phase identifies all environment-specific parameters (file system locations, group names, permissions) that need to be adapted, allowing the workflow to be configured correctly before real execution, thus ensuring both portability and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary adaptation layer that sits between the shared workflow and the target enterprise environment. This intermediary translates and adapts environment-specific parameters, acting as a mediator that allows workflows to port across enterprises while maintaining execution reliability by resolving environment differences
2Reliability
If multiple versions of workflows are created for different enterprises, then execution reliability is improved, but device complexity and maintenance burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal workflow adaptation mechanism that can handle multiple enterprise environments through a single shared workflow definition. The system automatically adapts the workflow to different target environments by resolving environment-specific parameters during emulation, eliminating the need to create and maintain multiple enterprise-specific workflow versions while preserving execution reliability
3Reliability
If workflows are extensively customized for each target enterprise, then execution reliability is improved, but productivity and scalability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs automated emulation and adaptation processes that self-configure workflows for target enterprises without requiring extensive manual customization. The emulation phase automatically identifies environment-specific parameters and the system generates appropriate configurations, enabling rapid deployment across multiple enterprises while maintaining execution reliability through automated rather than manual adaptation
Data Source
AI summary
A shared workflow operates over a plurality of execution environments associated with a content management system. A shared workflow is created in a first execution environment. The workflow is posted to a shared location. A particular workflow is selected from an exchange or other shared location and is thereafter configured to execute in a second execution environment. A computing module analyzes the workflow to identify environment-specific parameters. Based on a computer-generated recommendation emerging from the analysis, a user or a computing agent modifies the environment-specific parameter so as to configure the workflow prior to execution in the second execution environment. The first execution environment may correspond to a first department of an enterprise and the second execution environment may correspond to a second department of the same enterprise. Alternatively, the first execution environment may correspond to a first enterprise and the second execution environment may correspond to a second enterprise.