Xml-based Database Workflow Systems Research And Applications

Workflow technology is a core technology for modeling, analysis, optimization and management of business process, valid use of which may adjust timely enterprise business process, standardize management, reduce cost and enhance competition. But because business process in different enterprises has various differences in complexity, running environment, running platform and using applications, how to exactly, tersely and completely build workflow model of business process and effectively control its running in heterogeneous, span-platform and distributed environment is always an important research content of workflow technology.This paper builds the workflow model based on XML by comparing different modeling methods. The model is made of some basic elements which are abstracted from enterprise business process. The relationships of these basic elements are described by XML. Workflow engine is the kernel of workflow management system, which executes and controlls workflow model. The workflow engine designed uses modularization concept, which is beneficial to extend or reduce functions.Business process is abstracted as some basic elements such as package, workflow process, activity, transition information, participant, application and data field, which makes up of workflow model of this paper. The content of each element is described by XML Schema. Different workflow models are built by changing contents and relationships of these basic elements. Workflow engine obtains information of workflow model by parsing XML fi.es. This information is transported in heterogeneous, multi-platform and distributed environment and used by different workflow engines. XML information is stored and managed by XML Database. XML data stored in Relation Database not only improves running speed of system but also makes the best of resources of enterprise. Workflow modeling and invoking external applications are simplified by the introduction of application agent.Business process is described effectively by workflow model based on XML. Message transmission mechanism based on XML excellently solves communication among workflow engines in distributed environment. Workflow management system based on Java can easily run in many platforms. With the development of XML Database, the introduction of XML Database technology and Java technology in workflow must accelerate the development of workflow technology.