A Decentralized Workflow Model and its Implementation in a Digital Government Environment Pietro Mazzoleni CIMIC - Rutgers University, Newark (NJ) USA.

A Decentralized Workflow A Decentralized Workflow Model and its Implementation Model and its Implementation

in a Digital Government in a Digital Government EnvironmentEnvironment

Pietro MazzoleniPietro Mazzoleni

CIMICCIMIC - Rutgers University, Newark (NJ) USA - Rutgers University, Newark (NJ) USADSIDSI – Universita’ Statale di Milano, ITALY – Universita’ Statale di Milano, ITALY

2

OutlineOutline Problem IntroductionProblem Introduction

Decentralized Vs Centralized WorkflowDecentralized Vs Centralized Workflow

ContributionsContributions 1.1. Traditional WFMS Join-limitationTraditional WFMS Join-limitation 2. DWFMS2. DWFMS

Self Describing WorkflowSelf Describing Workflow Workflow StubWorkflow Stub

3.3. DWFMS Chinese Wall security PolicyDWFMS Chinese Wall security Policy 4. E-government project4. E-government project

Customized WorkflowCustomized Workflow

Future Work and ConclusionFuture Work and Conclusion

3

Problem IntroductionProblem Introduction

4

What is a workflow?What is a workflow?The automation of a The automation of a business processbusiness process, in whole or part, during , in whole or part, during which documents, information or which documents, information or taskstasks are passed from one are passed from one participant to another for action, according to a set of participant to another for action, according to a set of procedural rulesprocedural rules..

TaskTask: an e-mail message, a transaction, a program, meeting, etc.: an e-mail message, a transaction, a program, meeting, etc. Processing agentProcessing agent: a person, a role, a DBMS, an application program, etc.: a person, a role, a DBMS, an application program, etc. Coordinated executionCoordinated execution: control-flow, value and external dependencies: control-flow, value and external dependencies..

Ex: Travel Planning WorkflowEx: Travel Planning Workflow : :DELTADELTA AVISAVIS

MARRIOTMARRIOT

Enter Input Reserve airline

Rent a Car

Rent a car

bsbs

bsbs

HERTZHERTZ

Bs andBs andp<=$400p<=$400

Notify

bsbs Reserve ahotel

ReserveAirline

bsbs

bf orbf orp>$400p>$400

CONTINENTALCONTINENTAL

Bs andBs andDate <3/21/01Date <3/21/01

WFMCWFMC

5

Centralized Workflow ManagementCentralized Workflow Management

Performance BottleneckPerformance Bottleneck

Do not if systems are inherently autonomous and Do not if systems are inherently autonomous and distributed distributed

DELTA AVIS MARRIOT

Centralized WFMSWF Execution

CONTINENTAL

WF specificationWF specificationDELTA AVIS

MARRIOT

Enter InputDate/destination

Reserve airline

Rent a Car

Rent a car

bs

bs

HERTZ

Bs andp<=$400

Notify bs Reserve a

hotel

ReserveAirline

bs

bf orp>$400

CONTINENTAL

Bs andDate <3/21/01

6

Inter-organizational WorkflowInter-organizational Workflow

Business Processes in EC, Virtual Business Processes in EC, Virtual Enterprise and supply chain environmentsEnterprise and supply chain environments

A dynamic consortium/partnership of autonomous, A dynamic consortium/partnership of autonomous, diverse, and geographically dispersed organizations diverse, and geographically dispersed organizations that pool their services to offer a more complex, that pool their services to offer a more complex, value-added product value-added product

Business processes (Workflows) that go beyond the Business processes (Workflows) that go beyond the organization boundaries organization boundaries

Unrealistic to assume that there will be a centralized Unrealistic to assume that there will be a centralized controller which manages the whole business controller which manages the whole business processprocess

7

Decentralized WF ManagementDecentralized WF Management

3 5 6 7

DELTA

5 6 7

AVIS

6 7

MARIOTTE

Centralized WFMS

3

4 67

5

2

CONTINENTAL

enterinput

WF specificationWF specificationDELTA AVIS

MARRIOT

Enter InputDate/destination

Reserve airline

Rent a Car

Rent a car

bs

bs

HERTZ

Bs andp<=$400

Notify

bsReserve a

hotel

ReserveAirline

bs

bf orp>$400

CONTINENTAL

Bs andDate <3/21/01

11

22

33

44 66

55

Notify

8

Workflow Patterns and Workflow Patterns and Traditional WFMS Traditional WFMS

join-limitationjoin-limitation

Contribution:

9

Workflow PatternsWorkflow Patterns

Abstraction from the concrete form which Abstraction from the concrete form which keeps recurring in specific non-arbitrary keeps recurring in specific non-arbitrary contextscontexts

SEQUENCESEQUENCE

SPLITSPLIT

JOINJOIN

RIehdle and Zullinger

10

Workflow Patterns:Workflow Patterns: Join Join

Reserve Reserve continentacontinenta

ll

Reserve Reserve DeltaDelta

Book the Book the triptrip

Explicit RepresentationExplicit Representation

Constructors AND-JOIN and OR-JOINConstructors AND-JOIN and OR-JOIN

A point in the workflow where A point in the workflow where two or moretwo or more parallel executing parallel executing activities convergeactivities converge into a single common thread of control into a single common thread of control

WFMCWFMC

11


Reserve Reserve FlightFlight

ANDANDJOINJOIN

Book Book HotelHotel

Confirm Confirm VacatioVacatio

nn

Reserve Reserve HiltonHilton

ORORJOINJOIN

Reserve Reserve CountyCounty

Confirm Confirm VacatioVacatio

nn

bsbs

bsbs

bsbs

bsbs

AND JOINAND JOIN

OR JOINOR JOIN

12


Problem:Problem:

Reserve a Trip if the Price of the Hotel plus the priceReserve a Trip if the Price of the Hotel plus the price

of the Flight is less than 400$of the Flight is less than 400$

ReservReserve Hitlone Hitlon

ReservReserve Deltae Delta

Book Book the tripthe trip

(Delta.price + Hilton.price < $400)(Delta.price + Hilton.price < $400)

ANDANDJOINJOIN

bsbs

bsbs

13

Workflow Patterns:Workflow Patterns: Join JoinProblem:Problem: Reserve rooms for 10 people in the only two hotels Reserve rooms for 10 people in the only two hotels

available…It is possible to reserve 4 single rooms in one available…It is possible to reserve 4 single rooms in one Hotel and 3 double rooms in the otherHotel and 3 double rooms in the other

(Hiton.double>= 3 OR Country.double>=3)(Hiton.double>= 3 OR Country.double>=3)AND AND

(Hiton.single>= 4 OR Country.single>=4)(Hiton.single>= 4 OR Country.single>=4)

Hotel Hotel HiltonHilton

Hotel Hotel CountryCountry

Book Book TripTrip??????

14


(Hiton.double>= 3 OR Country.double>=3) (Hiton.double>= 3 OR Country.double>=3) AND AND

(Hiton.single>= 4 OR Country.single>=4)(Hiton.single>= 4 OR Country.single>=4)

Solution: Implicit RepresentationSolution: Implicit Representation

Hotel Hotel HiltonHilton

Hotel Hotel CountryCountry

Book Book TripTrip

BsBs

BsBs

Embed the JOIN in the Dependencies DefinitionEmbed the JOIN in the Dependencies Definition

Keep consistency with the other PatternsKeep consistency with the other Patterns

15

Our ContributionOur Contribution

We have proposed and Extension to theWe have proposed and Extension to the

traditional workflow model to represent thetraditional workflow model to represent the

join relationship.join relationship.

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Decentralized Decentralized Workflow Workflow

Management SystemManagement System

Contribution:

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Our Approach to Decentralized Our Approach to Decentralized Workflow ManagementWorkflow Management

Self-describing Workflow Self-describing Workflow

Workflow StubWorkflow StubWFMS serverWFMS server

t1t2

t3

t4bs

bs bs

WFMS StubWFMS Stub

A(t1)A(t1)

WFMS StubWFMS Stub

t1, A1, Input (t1) t1, A1, Input (t1)

t1t2

t3

t4bs

bs bs

self describing workflowself describing workflow

(t2, A2, Input (t2), (t2, A2, Input (t2),

t2

WFMS StubWFMS Stub

WFMS StubWFMS Stub

A(t3)A(t3)

A(t2)A(t2)


t3 t4bs


t4

WFMS StubWFMS Stub

A(t4)A(t4)

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Self Describing Workflow Self Describing Workflow

Partitions of a workflow that carry sufficientPartitions of a workflow that carry sufficientinformation such that they can be managed by a information such that they can be managed by a local task execution agent rather than the central local task execution agent rather than the central WFMSWFMS

Task NameTask Name

Task Execution AgentTask Execution Agent

Pre ConditionPre Condition

OutstateOutstate

Workflow PartitionWorkflow Partition

SELF(tSELF(tii) = <t) = <tii, A(t, A(tii), PRE(t), PRE(tii), OutState, P), OutState, Pii > >

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Dependency/PreconditionsDependency/PreconditionsEvaluate dependencies only if needed Evaluate dependencies only if needed Reduce amount of information sending between tasks Reduce amount of information sending between tasks Reveal only need-to-know informationReveal only need-to-know informationKeep minimal the number of tasks activated from a Keep minimal the number of tasks activated from a Workflow instanceWorkflow instance

(t(t11.price<=$400 AND t.price<=$400 AND t11.availability=YES).availability=YES)ReservReserve Hotele Hotel

Rent a Rent a CarCarT1T1 T2T2

ReservReserve Hotele Hotel

ReservReserve Flighte Flight

Book Book the tripthe trip

tt11.price+t.price+t22.price<=$400.price<=$400

T1T1

T2T2

20

Dependency/PreconditionsDependency/PreconditionsDependencies Splitting:Dependencies Splitting:

(t(t11.double>=3 OR t.double>=3 OR t11.double>=3) AND (t.double>=3) AND (t22.single>=4 OR t.single>=4 OR t22.single>=4).single>=4)

ANDAND

OROR OROR

t1.double>=3 t2.double>=3 t1.single>=4 t2.single>=4

ANDAND

OROR OROR

t1.double>=3 DD t1.single>=3 DD

Immediate(tImmediate(t11))

ANDAND

OROR OROR

tt11.signal#0.signal#0 t1.double>=3 tt11.signal#1.signal#1 t1.single>=3

Deferred(tDeferred(t11))

21

WFMS StubWFMS Stub ActivitiesActivities Receives the self-describing workflow,Receives the self-describing workflow, extract task to be executed at that site extract task to be executed at that site Partition the remaining workflowPartition the remaining workflow Evaluate the PRE conditionEvaluate the PRE condition Execute the taskExecute the task Evaluate the dependencyEvaluate the dependency Construct self-describing workflowsConstruct self-describing workflows forwards each self-describing workflow to the relevant forwards each self-describing workflow to the relevant

task agentstask agents

ObjectivesObjectives execute the workflow in parallel as much as possibleexecute the workflow in parallel as much as possible minimize the communication minimize the communication

22


We have proposed a We have proposed a decentralized decentralized workflow management modelworkflow management model (DWFMS) (DWFMS) that is suitable for heterogeneous, that is suitable for heterogeneous, autonomous, and distributed environmentsautonomous, and distributed environments

23

DWFMS Chinese DWFMS Chinese Wall PolicyWall Policy

Contribution:

24

Conflict of Interest ProblemConflict of Interest Problem

Execution agents may have conflict of interestExecution agents may have conflict of interest one agent can manipulate control or value one agent can manipulate control or value

dependencies in Workflow for its advantagedependencies in Workflow for its advantage

Problem:Problem:

Continental may offer the ticket at a price which such that Delta is always at Continental may offer the ticket at a price which such that Delta is always at a disadvantagea disadvantage

DELTADELTA AVISAVIS

MARRIOTMARRIOT

Enter Input Reserve airline

Rent a Car

Rent a car

bsbs

bsbs

HERTZHERTZ

Bs andBs andp<=$400p<=$400

Notify

bsbs Reserve ahotel

ReserveAirline

bsbs

Bf orBf orp>$400p>$400

CONTINENTALCONTINENTAL

Bs andBs andDate <3/21/01Date <3/21/01

25

The Chinese Wall PolicyThe Chinese Wall PolicyBrewer and Nash ModelBrewer and Nash Model

Objective:Objective: prevent information flows that cause prevent information flows that cause conflict of interest for individual consultantsconflict of interest for individual consultants Read RuleRead Rule: S can read O only if: S can read O only if

O is within the wall or O belong to another O is within the wall or O belong to another COI classCOI class

Bank ABank Acon

sultant

consultan

tBank BBank B

InsuranceInsurance Oil BOil B

RR

RR

RR

RRXX

RR

26

The Chinese wall policyThe Chinese wall policy

Write Rule:Write Rule: S can write O only if S can write O only if S can read O by BN Read ruleS can read O by BN Read rule no object can be read which is in the different no object can be read which is in the different

company set to the one for which write access company set to the one for which write access is requestedis requested

Oil BOil B

Oil AOil A

Brewer and Nash ModelBrewer and Nash Model

ConsultantConsultantAA

ConsultantConsultantBB

Bank ABank A

WW

WW

RR

RR

XXXX

27

OurOur Chinese Wall Security Model for Chinese Wall Security Model for Decentralized Workflow SystemsDecentralized Workflow Systems

Subject, S:Subject, S: task execution agent task execution agent

Object, O:Object, O: input/output objects of tasks, input/output objects of tasks, dependenciesdependencies

Sensitive versus non-Sensitive objectsSensitive versus non-Sensitive objects Non-sensitiveNon-sensitive

The objects that are not involved in any dependencyThe objects that are not involved in any dependency Sensitive wrt a subject SSensitive wrt a subject S

objects involved in a value dependency and therefore objects involved in a value dependency and therefore can change the execution flowcan change the execution flow

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OurOur Chinese Wall Security Model Chinese Wall Security Model for Decentralized WFMSfor Decentralized WFMS

Read/Evaluate Rule:Read/Evaluate Rule: S can read O if S can read O if

O is not sensitive, orO is not sensitive, or There is no S’ in W such that COI(S) = COI(S’) There is no S’ in W such that COI(S) = COI(S’)

Subject can read and evaluate sensitive dependency Subject can read and evaluate sensitive dependency object of its own company iff O does not belong to the object of its own company iff O does not belong to the same COI group as S’s company in the Workflowsame COI group as S’s company in the Workflow

Write/Partition Rule:Write/Partition Rule: S can write O if S can read OS can write O if S can read O

Subject is not allowed to construct SELF withSubject is not allowed to construct SELF with

sensitive objects that belong to the same COI classsensitive objects that belong to the same COI class

29

Restrictive Partition of a task Restrictive Partition of a task agentagent

A partition where there exist no sensitive objects belonging to COI(A(tj)) OR there exist no an agent A(tk) in Pj such that COI(A(t j))=COI(A(tk))

Critical Partition:Critical Partition:

1 2 3 4 5tt22.price<300$ OR t.price<300$ OR t22.bf.bf

• adjacent tasksadjacent tasks

Task that makes Task that makes the partitionthe partition

• not adjacent tasksnot adjacent tasks

30

Critical Partition: Critical Partition: non-adjacent tasksnon-adjacent tasks


P2P2

2 3tt22.bf.bf

3 4 5tt22.signal#0 OR t.signal#0 OR t22.price<300$.price<300$

P23P23 P24P24


31

Critical Partition: Critical Partition: adjacent tasksadjacent tasks


P2P2

21tt22.bf.bf

1 4 5tt22.signal#0 OR t.signal#0 OR t22.price<300$.price<300$

P23P23 P24P24


32


We have proposed an extension of the We have proposed an extension of the Chinese Wall Policy to address the Conflict Chinese Wall Policy to address the Conflict of Interest in a Decentralized Workflow of Interest in a Decentralized Workflow Execution Execution

33

E-government for E-government for State Business State Business

ServicesServices

Open a New Business in the State of New Jersey?Open a New Business in the State of New Jersey?

Contribution:

34

Steps to DoSteps to Do

Determine Your Type of BusinessDetermine Your Type of BusinessRegister Your Business's Name and File Original Register Your Business's Name and File Original Business CertificateBusiness CertificateObtain the Licenses and Permits You Will NeedObtain the Licenses and Permits You Will NeedObtain Information about Environmental, Health, Obtain Information about Environmental, Health, and Safety Issuesand Safety IssuesLearn about Unclaimed Property Reporting Learn about Unclaimed Property Reporting RequirementsRequirementsRegister Your Business for Tax and Employer Register Your Business for Tax and Employer PurposesPurposes www.state.nj.uswww.state.nj.us

DetermineDetermine Your TypeYour Type of Business of BusinessRegister Your Business's Name and File Original Register Your Business's Name and File Original Business CertificateBusiness CertificateObtain the Licenses and Permits Obtain the Licenses and Permits You Will NeedYou Will NeedObtain InformationObtain Information about Environmental, Health, about Environmental, Health, and Safety Issuesand Safety IssuesLearnLearn about Unclaimed Property Reporting about Unclaimed Property Reporting RequirementsRequirementsRegister Your Business for Tax and Employer Register Your Business for Tax and Employer PurposesPurposes

35

Agencies RegulationAgencies Regulation

Applicants who are registering as Sole Proprietors or Partnerships must file pages 15-17 of the NJ-REG.

If a business requires spray painting more than 1/2 gallon in an hour, it requires air quality permit and DMV permit.

Please note that the Public Records Filing (pages 21 and 22)may besubmitted prior to the completion of pages 15-17 of the NJ-REG to establish the Business Entity,but the remainder of NJ-REG (pages 15-17)must be submitted within 60 days of filing the new business entity.

Hide in WebPages, forms, instructions, manuals, etc

If location is in HMDC jurisdiction require permit to develop from HMDC

36

Business Registration ProcessBusiness Registration Process

file forcertificate of incorp

Secretary of State

file forFEIN

enternew

businessentity

Register business for taxes

openbankaccnt

apply forEmployer

reg number

apply forEmployerInsurance

not incorp

Local IRS

Div. Of Revenue

Dept of labor

Cert of authority for sales tax

Annual payroll >=1000

hire >= 1

Inputapplication Payroll<1000

incorporation

processstate permits

identifypermits needed

submit application form/fee

DEP

Geographically and functionally dispersed agencies

Individual clients interact with each agency

duplicate information is submitted for each agency

complex processcomplex process

37

Our WorkOur Work

Customized Workflow GenerationCustomized Workflow Generation

PDF Interactive and Pre-filledPDF Interactive and Pre-filled

Visualization and monitoring processVisualization and monitoring process

Decentralized ExecutionDecentralized Execution

38

Customized Workflow Customized Workflow generationgeneration

Direct the user to the correct agencies forms and Direct the user to the correct agencies forms and existing online servicesexisting online services

Customization on each specific businessCustomization on each specific businessTransparent for the userTransparent for the user

Find the correct order of tasksFind the correct order of tasks

Easy to understand and works by stepsEasy to understand and works by steps

Advantages:Advantages:

Routine to automatically identify the agencies and the forms to open a particular business.

39

Customized Workflow generationCustomized Workflow generation

40

FDF Forms and E-servicesFDF Forms and E-services

Help the user dealing with existing online service Help the user dealing with existing online service forms and pdf formsforms and pdf formsSave time Save time

Error-checkingError-checking

Built on the existing systemsBuilt on the existing systems

Allow to automatically extract data from formsAllow to automatically extract data from forms

Pre-fill forms and online services with data Pre-fill forms and online services with data coming from tasks already completed. Creation coming from tasks already completed. Creation of an interactive formof an interactive form


41

Interactive Pdf Form =TemplateInteractive Pdf Form =Template

• Don’t need to print

• Easy to use

• Real-time Error checking

INTERACTIVE FORM

FORM PDF

42

Interactive PDF And Workflow Interactive PDF And Workflow MonitoringMonitoring

43

Workflow ExecutionWorkflow Execution

Integrate the different systems, while preserving Integrate the different systems, while preserving existing online services and autonomous existing online services and autonomous systemssystems

Customize solutions to fit agency’s service Customize solutions to fit agency’s service environmentenvironmentMonitoring the complete processMonitoring the complete process

Scalable PrototypeScalable Prototype

Create a prototype to automatically execute the Create a prototype to automatically execute the workflow with the ability to customize the workflow with the ability to customize the collaboration coming from each agency. collaboration coming from each agency.


44

““Business Application” Workflow Business Application” Workflow Execution ModelExecution Model

AGENCY 1 AGENCY 2 AGENCY 4

Workflow SYSTEMWorkflow SYSTEM

STUB STUB STUB

AGENCY 3

STUB

StartStart WfWf EndEnd WfWf

• Interview Session• Generate Wf• Fill in forms

45

Flexible level of participation Flexible level of participation

By EmailBy Email

Connection and StorageConnection and Storage

Application interactionApplication interaction

Allow interaction with other services in Allow interaction with other services in agenciesagencies

46


We’ve realized the proposed decentralized We’ve realized the proposed decentralized workflow model in a digital government workflow model in a digital government environment in such a way that it can environment in such a way that it can customize the workflow system based on the customize the workflow system based on the level autonomy of the participating government level autonomy of the participating government agencies. agencies.

47

Future Work - ConclusionFuture Work - Conclusion

Dynamic ChangesDynamic Changes

Exception handlerException handler

Complete the prototype for helping StateComplete the prototype for helping State agencies to identify useful tools and agencies to identify useful tools and methods coming out of our research work methods coming out of our research work

A Decentralized Workflow Model A Decentralized Workflow Model and its implementation in a Digital and its implementation in a Digital

Government EnvironmentGovernment Environment

Pietro MazzoleniPietro Mazzoleni [email protected]@cimic.rutgers.edu

Prototype: http://cimic.rutgers.edu/dgov/demos1.htmlPrototype: http://cimic.rutgers.edu/dgov/demos1.html

ENDEND

A Decentralized Workflow Model and its Implementation in a Digital Government Environment Pietro Mazzoleni CIMIC - Rutgers University, Newark (NJ) USA.

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