- From: Gregory Alan Bolcer <gbolcer@endtech.com>
- Date: Thu, 05 Aug 1999 07:06:44 -0700
- To: Vijayanand Bharadwaj <vanandb@cerc.wvu.edu>
- CC: SWAP List <ietf-swap@w3.org>
Hi Vijayanand, That's great. You seem like you certainly got off on the right footing. SWAP is basically a derivative of both the HTTP/1.1 and WebDAV protocols. Keith Swenson's (kswenson@ms2.com) has some powerpoint slides on Internet scale workflow to provide some examples from a talk he gave at the work activities conference last year. I think the electronic configuration and purchase of some number of computer systems is a useful example. Also, the approach we've been taking is that we intend to simply use the Apache mod_dav and extend its methods to support the new SWAP methods. Microsoft also has Web Folders for Windows 98 and 2k. This is the sort of user interaction we are imagining wrt initiating, tracking, and terminating ongoing work. You might consider playing around with that. An easier mechanism that I tend to use is to run an Apache server with the mod_dav plugin, telnet to the port (usually 80) and issue the protocol headers and statements by hand, tweaking the code to support the desired inputs and results. From a philosophical standpoint, there has been some discussion about whether SWAP should be a new protocol or an HTTP/WebDAV derivative. Our view is that we can justify it being a derivative, but there are both workflow & protocol developers that come down on both sides of the issue. One other thing that needs to happen with SWAP is that someone needs to go and think through all the return and status codes. This could be done simply by looking at the HTTP/1.1 and WebDAV status codes and then figuring out what codes would be relevant or required for workflow-like things. As you know, exceptions in workflow happen quite regularly, so SWAP needs to be fairly robust in that area, i.e. someone has to go through and distinguish protocol type exceptions from workflow type exceptions and map them to meaningful status codes. Finally, the WfMC interfaces are a great source for culling requirements. The strategy I take is, look at their examples and figure out how exactly the information has to be put on the wire. One of the problems with using Web protocols for event notification is that there is no event backchannel to the original callee. One of the tricks we've been using is just registering Surendra Reddy has also recently presented some work on the subject, so you may consider sending him email at skreddy@us.oracle.com. I've also CC'd the swap list to see if anyone else has any suggestions. Greg Vijayanand Bharadwaj wrote: > > dear Sir, > I would like to introduce myself as a graduate student at West Virginia > University(WVU), Morgantown WV. > I am also a research assistant at the Concurrent Engineering Research Center > (WVU) and am in the process of beginning research work towards my Master's > degree. > > My work revolves around Workflow and the internet. I was introduced to the > University of California Irvine > website and SWAP and i am very interested and wish to learn more. I have > read the documents published by > the SWAP group which you have displayed on the website and also gone > through the WFMC's publications. > > I have also read the article that you have written along with Dr.Gail Kaiser > "Leveraging the Web to manage Workflow" > and this has provided me an inspiration and a basis for my research work. > I would like to work with the SWAP and try and adopt it to a workflow > scenario using the internet and world wide web. > My knowledge of XML and the http ptrotocol is quite rudimentary and my > efforts are in trying to be profecient in them > > I would be very grateful if you could point me towards some resources that > the SWAP group and others have been instrumental in creating which > demonstate the use of the SWAP, especially some samples of code etc. > which could help me understand the way in which one could use SWAP. I see > that in your article you showed a few examples. > > I would like to apologize for the inconvinience that is being caused by my > request but your help and guidance would be very valuable in shedding some > light on this issue and would > greatly assist me in my endeavours. > > I would like to with your permission ,continue this interaction and inform > you of my efforts. > > thanking you > yours sincerely > > Vijayanand Bharadwaj > > 886 Chestnut Ridge Road, > Concurrent Engg. Research Center > West Virginia University > Morgantown WV 26505
Received on Thursday, 5 August 1999 10:09:51 UTC