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CERN European Laboratory for Particle Physics

Administrative Information Services

Implementing Oracle WorkflowImplementing Oracle Workflow

Derek Mathieson

CERN - Switzerland

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CERNAIS

OutlineOutline

CERN

Oracle Workflow

What Changes we Made

Oracle 8i

Going Production

Conclusion

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CERNAIS

CERNCERN

Worlds Leading Particle PhysicsResearch Laboratory

3000 Staff 6500 visiting scientists

Annual budget of 1000 million CHF

( 630 million)

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Why does CERNneed Workflow?

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CERNAIS

Nationality distribution of CERN Users on 1/1/98Nationality distribution of CERN Users on 1/1/98

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CERNAIS

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CERNAIS

Existing SystemExisting System

EDHEElectroniclectronic DDocumentocument HHandlingandling

Completely developed in-house

Originally in C and C++

Classical Client / Server Architecture

Process 150,000 documents per year

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CERNAIS

Web Architecture 1996Web Architecture 1996

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CERNAIS

Existing SystemExisting System

Java VMJava VM

Java ApplicationJava Application

Oracle DBOracle DB

User Interface

Servlet

Document Object

CommonCommon

BusinessBusiness

ObjectsObjects

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CERNAIS

EDH Purchase Order (1998)EDH Purchase Order (1998)

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CERNAIS

Documents transferred per yearDocuments transferred per year

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

92 93 94 95 96 97 98

Documents

Authorisations

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CERNAIS

Need for ChangeNeed for Change

Existing Workflow Engine No graphical interface

Difficult to maintain

A New Workflow Engine

Flexible

Graphical

Reliable

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CERNAIS

Workflow IntegrationWorkflow Integration

Human

Resources

Corporate

Database

Document

Database

Receiver

Systems

Workflow

Engine

Organic

StructureOffice

Locations

Absences

Supervisors

Purchasing

Payroll

Order

AmountTechnical

Contact

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CERNAIS

Oracle WorkflowOracle Workflow

Oracle serverOracle server

Users Roles

NotificationNotification

ServicesServices

EngineEngine

Directory ServicesDirectory Services

Oracle Workflow

Enabled Application

Execution

Definition

Administration

Monitoring

Query

Source: Oracle Workflow Presentation (Oracle Open World 1998)

Send

Respond

Forward

Cancel

Query

Dear &USERNAME,

The document titled:

&TITLE

For &AMOUNT Swiss France is awaiting your approval.

To authorise the document click on this URL:

https://edh.cern.ch/Document/&DOCNUM

Dear Derek Mathieson,

The document titled:

Replacement Hard Disk

For 249 Swiss France is awaiting your approval.

To authorise the document click on this URL:

https://edh.cern.ch/Document/604398

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CERNAIS

Oracle WorkflowOracle Workflow

Oracle serverOracle server

Users Roles

NotificationNotification

ServicesServices

EngineEngine

Directory ServicesDirectory Services

Oracle Workflow

Enabled Application

WorkflowWorkflow

DevelopmentDevelopment

ClientClient

Workflow

Builder

Workflow

Loader

Workflow

Definition

Files

Execution

Definition

Administration

Monitoring

Query

Source: Oracle Workflow Presentation (Oracle Open World 1998)

Send

Respond

Forward

Cancel

Query

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CERNAIS

Changes to Oracle WorkflowChanges to Oracle Workflow

Oracle serverOracle server

Users

NotificationNotification

ServicesServices

EngineEngine

Directory ServicesDirectory Services

Oracle Workflow

Enabled Application

Send Execution

Definition

Administration

Monitoring

Query

CompatibilityCompatibility

LayerLayer

PL/SQL - Java

Interface

Signature

Adapter

Worklist

Adapter

Existing EDHExisting EDH

SystemSystem

User Interface

Servlets

Worklist CGI

Sign

Servlets

Document

Objects

Roles

Respond

Forward

Cancel

Query

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CERNAIS

EDH WorklistEDH Worklist

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CERNAIS

Changes to Oracle WorkflowChanges to Oracle Workflow

Oracle serverOracle server

Users

NotificationNotification

ServicesServices

EngineEngine

Directory ServicesDirectory Services

Oracle Workflow

Enabled Application

Send Execution

Definition

Administration

Monitoring

Query

CompatibilityCompatibility

LayerLayer

PL/SQL - Java

Interface

Signature

Adapter

Worklist

Adapter

Existing EDHExisting EDH

SystemSystem

User Interface

Servlets

Worklist CGI

Sign

Servlets

Document

Objects

Roles

Respond

Forward

Cancel

Query

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CERNAIS

Signature ServletSignature Servlet

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CERNAIS

Changes to Oracle WorkflowChanges to Oracle Workflow

Oracle serverOracle server

Users

NotificationNotification

ServicesServices

EngineEngine

Directory ServicesDirectory Services

Oracle Workflow

Enabled Application

Send Execution

Definition

Administration

Monitoring

Query

CompatibilityCompatibility

LayerLayer

PL/SQL - Java

Bridge

Signature

Adapter

Worklist

Adapter

Existing EDHExisting EDH

SystemSystem

User Interface

Servlets

Worklist CGI

Sign

Servlets

Document

Objects

Roles

Respond

Forward

Cancel

Query

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CERNAIS

Java BridgeJava Bridge

Oracle

Data Base

Java VM

DBMS Pipe

Java DocumentJava Document

ObjectsObjects

Java DocumentJava Document

ObjectsObjectsPL/SQLPL/SQL

WorkflowWorkflow

ApplicationApplication

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CERNAIS

Oracle 8Oracle 8ii

Oracle 8i

Data Base

Java VMJava VM

Java StoredJava Stored

ProceduresProcedures

WorkflowWorkflow

ApplicationApplication

Java VMJava VM

Java StoredJava Stored

ProceduresProcedures

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CERNAIS

Oracle 8Oracle 8ii

Same Transaction

Fast

No Separate Process

Difficult Debugging

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CERNAIS

Going ProductionGoing Production

Parallel with existing system

Then a single document type

Then full production

Questions:

Is it fast enough?

Will Java be stable?

We will find out this summer!We will find out this summer!

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CERNAIS

020000

40000

60000

0000

100000

120000

140000

0 2 4 6 10 12 14 16 1 20 22 24 26 2 30

Days

Docu

n

s

Paper FormsPaper Forms

Electronic FormsElectronic Forms

Conclusion : WorkflowConclusion : Workflow

Productivity Gain

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CERNAIS

Conclusion : Oracle WorkflowConclusion : Oracle Workflow

Flexible architecture

Good Process Designer

Limited to a PL/SQL interface

8i

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CERNAIS

Browse to:http://edh.cern.ch/doc

or Email:

Derek.Mathieson@cern.ch

Thank YouThank You

For More InformationFor More Information