Database Reference
In-Depth Information
By providing an object data model and XML document structure, we also show how process
models and process statuses are represented and manipulated in each step.
First Step: Transformation of Local Process Models
The fi rst step of the federated process framework is to transform each of the local pro-
cess models represented by diverse process modeling methods into a semantically equivalent
one represented by a canonical standard method. Typically, the process modeling method
representing a participant's process model varies depending on the software toolkit or process
designer that has been employed to develop the participant's business process system. This
diversity of the process modeling methods makes it diffi cult to integrate different process
models (Dabke, 1999; Georgakopoulos, 1999). To address this problem and accommodate
seamless integration of different business process models, many standard organizations and
researchers have proposed the canonical standard methods for process modeling (Workfl ow
Management Coalition, 1998; Object Management Group, 2000; Bolcer, 1999). As a canoni-
cal standard method, this chapter uses concepts and notations (e.g., the graphical notations
in Figures 1 and 2) of the workfl ow reference model (Workfl ow Management Coalition,
1998) proposed by the Workfl ow Management Coalition because of its popularity among
commercial software vendors, and interoperability with other standards.
In Figure 3(a), using the class diagram of the Unifi ed Modeling Language (UML)
(Booch, 1999), we defi ne an object data model that acts as a dedicated database schema to
manage process models in the OODB. In the UML, a class is represented by a rectangle,
containing a class name on the upper side and attributes on the lower side. An association
between classes is represented by a line that has an association name and multiplicities on
Figure 3: Representation of a process model and process status using the UML and XML
