Process Classification Framework
Order Process Example in Telco
- Order to Cash Process (O2C)
- end-to-end (E2E) order process
- Involved applications
- integrated applications
Syntax and Domain Semantics
- Syntax
- Data format, representation, serialization
- Various languages at various architectural levels:
XML, JSON, Class/object models in a specific programming language, SQL, DB native structures, ... - They have formal grammars, can be checked for the correct syntax
- Domain semantics
- Meaning of terms in a domain they are being used
- We understand meaning of terms:
- Through syntax by using the natural language
- Through some agreement among users of the terms
- Every applications can use different semantics
- Need to mediate data from one application to another
Simplified Order Type Example
Integrating Applications
- Intra-Enterprise Integration
- Applications exist in a specific area
- Functions and data often overlap across areas
- There is a need to integrate applications within enterprise:
- Applications need to share the same data that are often in different formats.
- Applications need to communicate – a result of one process may trigger another one.
- Inter-Enterprise Integration
- Also called Business-to-Business Integration (B2B)
- Automation support for communication and collaboration among enterprises
- For example, B2B automates customers' orders processing, tracking orders, etc.
Integration Example – O2C
Integration Issues
- Key to integration = interface
- standards – data, functions, processes, technical aspects
- enterprise standards, committee standards
- unified environment from a single vendor
- mediators
- where standard do not work out
- Data
- Message exchange formats, data representation
- often standardized
- Semantics of data
- also standardized, more difficult
- Functions and processes
- how apps' functionalities should be consumed and orchestrated, protocols, naming issues
- A service concept