Creating a minimal adapter for multiple business process composition

Abstract

To generate a minimal adapter for multiple (n≥2) business processes to collaborate without conflict, we propose a new adapter creation algorithm based on message interaction graphs (MIGs). MIGs capture dependencies among messages exchanged between processes. By analyzing this graph, we are able to show whether the processes are compatible (executable without an adapter), adaptable (executable with an adapter), or deadlocked for the general case of n processes and m messages. Further, if they are adaptable we show how to create an optimal adapter of minimal size. The minimum set of adaptation elements required is selected by using an Integer Programming formulation and also compared with a Greedy algorithm. The algorithms are implemented in a Java-based prototype system for WS-BPEL processes, and tested and compared with two other existing algorithms (SET and PBA-MIN). The preliminary results show that the sizes of the adapters found by the two algorithms are quite close on average, while they both outperform SET and PBA-MIN.