Agent-based integration of Web Services with Workflow Management Systems

ABSTRACT

Rapid changes in the business environment call for more flexible and adaptive workflow systems. Researchers have proposed that Workflow Management Systems (WfMSs) comprising multiple agents can provide these capabilities. We have developed a multiagent based workflow system, JBees, which supports distributed process models and the adaptability of executing processes. Modern workflow systems should also have the flexibility to integrate available Web Services as they are updated. In this paper we discuss how our agent-based architecture can be used to bind and access Web Services in the context of executing a workflow process model.

REFERENCES

• 1: Apache Axis Toolkit. http://ws.apache.org/axis/.
• 2: FIPA communicative act library - specification. http://www.fipa.org/specs/fipa00037/, 2002.
• 3: Martin Fleurke. JBees, an adaptive workflow management system - an approach based on Petri nets and agents. Master's thesis, Department of Computer Science, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands, 2004.
• 4: Martin Fleurke, Lars Ehrler, and Maryam Purvis. JBees - an adaptive and distributed framework for workflow systems. In Proceeding of the Workshop on Collaboration Agents: Autonomous Agents for Collaborative Environments (COLA), Halifax, Canada, pages 69--76, 2003.
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• 7: Savarimuthu, BTR., Purvis, M. A., Purvis, M. K., and Cranefield, S., "Agent-Based Integration of Web Services with Workflow Management Systems", Information Science Discussion Paper Series, Number 2005/05, ISSN 1172-6024, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand (2005).

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
        I.2.11 Distributed Artificial Intelligence
            Subjects: Multiagent systems

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.4 INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS
      H.4.1 Office Automation
          Subjects: Workflow management

General Terms:
Design

Keywords:
multi-agent systems, web services, workflow systems