Web Services Framework Reversion Message Persistence

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing web services reliable message protocols fail to support tentative updates for reliable messaging transactions, which can lead to disruptions such as message loss, corruption, duplication, or out-of-order receipt, and do not provide mechanisms for reverting to a previous state in case of triggering events.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that utilize the WS-ReliableMessaging protocol to persist a reversion message in a persistent storage unit, allowing the web services framework to revert to a previous state if a triggering event occurs, and to confirm receipt of tentative updates by forwarding a confirmation message, ensuring data integrity and consistency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If WS-ReliableMessaging protocol is used for reliable message delivery, then message delivery reliability is improved, but the ability to support tentative updates and state reversion is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage delivery reliabilityVSAvoidsupport for tentative updates and state reversion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The message is segmented into two distinct parts: a tentative update message that proposes a state change, and a confirmation message that finalizes the update. This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliable messaging while supporting tentative updates, as the recipient can choose to accept or reject the tentative update before confirmation is sent.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sender performs a preliminary action by sending a tentative update message before the actual state change is committed. This preliminary message allows the recipient to prepare for the update and enables the sender to revert to the previous state if the update is not confirmed, thus supporting state reversion while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If message persistence and state reversion capability are added, then adaptability for handling disruptions is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecapability to handle disruptions and revert stateVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A state management intermediary component is introduced that sits between the messaging protocol and the application logic. This intermediary handles the complexity of state persistence, message correlation, and reversion operations, while presenting a simple interface to both the sender and recipient. It maintains a state database and manages the lifecycle of tentative updates without requiring changes to the core WS-ReliableMessaging protocol.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of modifying the original message structure or adding complex metadata, the system creates a copy of the previous state and stores it in the state database. When reversion is needed, the system restores this copy rather than attempting to reverse the original change. This copying approach simplifies the reversion mechanism while maintaining data integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If confirmation messages are sent for every tentative update, then data integrity is improved, but communication overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata integrityVSAvoidnumber of messages exchanged

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses partial confirmation action where confirmation messages are sent only for tentative updates that require acknowledgment, rather than for all messages. The state management intermediary intelligently determines which updates need confirmation based on their impact on data integrity, reducing the number of confirmation messages while maintaining reliability for critical updates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS8631425B2Method for processing of application transaction in a web services framework

Publication Date: 2014.01.14 SAP SE

AI summary

A system and method are provided to perform tentative updating for transactions using the Web Services Reliable Messaging protocol. From a protocol layer of a client side web services framework persists a message from an application transaction (a reversion message) in a persistent storage unit. The web services framework forwards the reversion message as a reliable message to a transport layer to cause a recipient to revert to a state prior to the application transaction, if a triggering event occurs in the web services framework. If no triggering event occurs a confirmation message is forwarded as a reliable message to confirm receipt of the tentative update at the transport layer. Concurrently with the confirmation persisted reversion message is deleted from the persistent storage unit.