EventDriven

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OCOUG Presentation
Event-Driven Database Applications
Mike Rudolph Product Manager, Logical Apps July
27, 2004
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The Problem

• Develop a composite application
• A new application built by combining multiple
  applications or services
• Use existing functionality in multiple existing
  sources (an SOA)

New Application
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Why?

• Need new functionality
• Improve top or bottom line
• Reuse existing applications
• Complex or lacking documentation
• If its not broken
• Keep solutions and applications encapsulated
• Grid computing computing is a utility
• Business activity monitoring independent of
  activity

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Complicating Factors

• Multiple software applications to integrate
• Different vendors, technologies
• Spread out departments, vendors, networks
• Getting into the process flow
• The human flow spans multiple applications,
  spreadsheets, email, etc.

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Communication Problems

• Getting data out of applications
• If user signs in and requests information, this
  is an easy query
• at the right time
• Something (or multiple things) happen
• A new employee (prospective or hired)
• A new sales prospect
• A distressed customer
• An opportunity for anything

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Typical Messaging

• Polling query at an interval
• Crack open the backing database(s)
• Expose functionality as web services
• Pushing event subscription
• Crack open the database and use triggers
• Utilize functionality native to the application
• Utilize an aftermarket product
• EAI or ESB middleware

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A Quick Solution Overview

• Elements of a solution
• Events (business or technical)
• Services (data or functional)
• Rules (conditions, actions, etc)
• The new application
• User interfaces, reports, task lists, etcb

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Events
Event Something that happens can be anything
from a web page being displayed to a workflow
completing to a database row being inserted
Events have a context - the data related to
what is occurring
Example event Employee Hired
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Services
Service A group of functions or operations that
perform some work
An example service that manages employee
information
An example service that may manages benefits
enrollment
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Rules
Business Rules Statements that define some
behavior about the business
Business Rules If employee is full-time, then
receive certain benefits If employee is hired,
request appropriate benefits
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The New Application
Configure the elements of the new application
New Application
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Hammer Those Nails

• No ideal solution for all situations
• Some questions to ask
• How many different systems, vendors,
  technologies?
• How will the system be used?
• What is my future growth?
• What are my skill sets?

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A Little Help (and some acronyms)

• Application Servers
• 9ias/10g, Weblogic, Websphere, JBoss
• Messaging (ESB)
• TIBCO, SonicMQ, Oracle AQ
• Portals (EIP)
• Plum Tree, Bowstreet, Vignette
• Workflow (BPM / BPEL)
• Oracle/Collaxa, IBM, BEA, Versata
• Rules (BRE / BRMS)
• ILOG, Fair Isaac/Blaze, Pegasystems

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Contact Info (aka Shameless Plug)

• Logical Apps
• http//www.logicalapps.com
• mrudolph_at_logicalapps.com
• Rules Driven Enterprise Application Solutions
• Metadata configuration, not coding
• Solutions and products for
• Web Applications
• Oracle Applications