CONSISTENT MODELING AND EXECUTION OF TIME CONSTRUCTS IN BUSINESS PROCESSES

摘要

Embodiments are directed to executing a workflow using a virtualized clock and to ensuring idempotency and correctness among workflow processes. In one scenario, a computer system a computer system determines that a workflow session has been initialized. The workflow session runs as a set of episodes, where each episode includes one or more pulses of work that are performed when triggered by an event. Each workflow session is processed according to a virtualized clock that keeps a virtual session time for the workflow session. The computer system receives an event that includes an indication of the time the event was generated, and then accesses the received event to determine which pulses of work are to be performed as part of a workflow session episode. The computer system then executes the determined pulses of work according to the virtual session time indicated by the virtualized clock.

主权项

1. A computer system comprising the following:
one or more processors; system memory; one or more computer-readable storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the computing system to perform a method for executing a workflow using a virtualized clock, the method comprising the following:
an act of determining that a workflow session has been initialized, the workflow session including one or more episodes, each episode comprising a pulse of work that is performed when triggered by an event, each workflow session being processed according to a virtualized clock that keeps a virtual session time for the workflow session;an act of receiving an event, the event including an indication of the time the event was generated;an act of accessing the received event to determine which one or more pulses of work are to be performed as part of a workflow session episode; andan act of executing the one or more specified pulses of work according to the virtual session time indicated by the virtualized clock.