Archiving in workflow management systems

摘要

A method of optimizing a workflow management system (WFMS), the method being executable by the WFMS on at least one computer system. The WFMS accesses a database comprising of at least one process model and instantiations of the process model (process instances). The method contemplates transferring objects of the database to an archive database (archive function). This transfer is preferably carried out in case that a predetermined event occurs or if these objects are not currently used by the WFMS. Preferably the objects to be transferred to the archive database are process instances. These process instances are preferably selected among all instances of a certain process model depending on the value of certain properties of this process model. The objects of the database which are transferred to the archive database can also be process models. Additionally the data that is managed by the applications that implement the various activities of the process model can be transferred too by having user programs moving the data from the regular application store to an application archive store. Furthermore the method contemplates transferring the WFMS objects back to the WFMS database as well as transferring the data in the application archive store back to the application store when the archived WFMS objects are needed again (restore function).