Process-Centric Architecture for Enterprise Software Systems

IT systems around the world are in the midst of an evolution that is impacting business and technology. The increasing adoption of Business Process Management (BPM) has inspired pioneering software architects and developers to effectively leverage BPM-based software and process-centric architecture (PCA) to create software systems that enable essential business processes. Reflecting this emerging trend and evolving field, Process-Centric Architecture for Enterprise Software Systems provides a complete and accessible introduction explaining this architecture.

The text presents, in detail, the analysis and design principles used in process-centric architecture. Illustrative examples demonstrate how to architect and design enterprise systems based on the business processes central to your organization. It covers the architectural aspects of business process management, the evolution of IT systems in enterprises, the importance of a business process focus, the role of workflows, business rules, enterprise application integration, and business process modeling languages such as WS-BPEL and BPML. It also investigates:



Fundamental concepts of process-centric architecture style
The PCA approach to architecting enterprise IT systems
Business process driven applications and integration
Two case studies that illustrate how to architect and design enterprise applications based on PCA
SOA in the context of process-centric architecture
Standards, technologies, and infrastructure behind PCA

Explaining how to architect enterprise systems using a BPMS technology platform, J2EE components, and Web services, this forward-looking book will empower you to create systems centered on business processes and make today’s enterprise processes successful and agile.

Parameswaran Seshan is a Principal (Education and Research) with Infosys Technologies Ltd., Bangalore, India. At Infosys, he is part of the E-comm Research Labs. He has around 14 years of work experience in the Information Technology (IT) industry as a researcher, educator, architect, and programmer. Before joining Infosys in 2001, he worked as an Advisory Systems Analyst with APL (American President Lines Ltd.), Oakland, California, U.S.A. Parameswaran has also worked as a software engineer with Case Consult (I) Pvt. Ltd., Thiruvananthapuram, India. He holds a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Calicut (in 1995). His work experience in the IT industry involved research, programming, architecture, and design.
At Infosys, Parameswaran has been doing research work in the area of Process-centric Architecture, Business Process Management (BPM) , Software architecture, and new computing models/paradigms. He has also been teaching architecture and high-end technology courses at Infosys. He was the lead architect for the home-grown Business Process Management System (BPMS) from Infosys and was also actively involved in its design and development. Parameswaran has architected, designed, programmed and supported a number of IT systems over his career as a computer software professional.
Parameswaran is an active researcher. He has published papers at international conferences and other forums. He has worked on joint research works with Microsoft Research India and Researchers from Universities such as Copenhagen University and University of Melbourne in the areas of BPM and Agent-oriented software engineering.
Parameswaran has designed, developed and supported IT systems involving various technologies, at APL. He programmed system tools to automate operations. He also led a team in software development and support projects at APL. Parameswaran programmed system tools based on REXX to automate conversion of programs from one programming environment to another, at Case Consult.
Parameswaran's areas of research interest include software architecture, process-centric architecture, new computing models, intelligent software agents and intelligent systems.

Part I: THE PROCESS-CENTRIC ARCHITECTURE PARADIGM
IntroductionEnterprise Software SystemsArchitecture for SystemsIntroduction to Business ProcessesActivities in Business ProcessesTypes of ActivitiesImportance of Business Processes to EnterpriseProcess-Centric Architecture—A Quick IntroductionEvolution of IT ArchitectureObjectivesHistorical Perspective on Enterprise Computing ArchitecturesTraditional Ways of Supporting BusinessWorkflowsPackagesIntegrationBusiness–IT GapConcept of Process-Centric ArchitectureObjectivesThe Case for a New ApproachWhat Is Process-Centric Architecture?Process Logic AbstractionQualities AddressedStructureDynamicsPrinciplesIntegration Concept as Handled in PCAWorkflow in PCAHolistic View in ArchitectureSimilar ApproachesPCA in the Context of Other ArchitecturesBusiness Process ManagementWhat Is BPM?PCA and BPMBusiness Process Life CycleSix SigmaLeanProcess RedesignProcess AutomationBPMS ProductsBPM LandscapeExercise Questions
Components of PCAThe Business Process ModelProcess LayerBusiness Logic ElementsUser Interface Application LayerProcess ExecutionDeploymentExecutionAddressing IntegrationWorkflowBusiness RulesFlows Handled in a ProcessBenefits of Process-Centric ArchitectureBusiness BenefitsBenefits to IT SystemsScalability of the PCA Style and ApproachComplexity versus ManageabilityRaised Level of Abstraction for the IT SystemPart II: ARCHITECTING IT SYSTEMS, THE PROCESS-CENTRIC STYLE (DESIGNING PCA)

The ApproachObjectivesA Typical Manifestation of Process-Centric ArchitectureArchitectural Design in PCARe-Architecting an Existing IT System for PCAAddition of an IT Subsystem to an Existing IT SystemSOA for ServicesObjectivesServicesService-Oriented ArchitectureBottom-Up ApproachNeed for SOA in PCAComplementary Approach to Architectural Design
Standards and TechnologiesStandardsProcess Modeling StandardsProcess Execution StandardsInter-Process Layer InteractionsBusiness Logic Interaction StandardsTechnologies and ToolsImplementation OptionsCase Study—Architectural Design Applying PCACase Study ICase Study II

Implementation ConsiderationsTypes of Business ProcessesProcess InfrastructureBest PracticesPracticalities in Architectural Design

Each chapter begins with an "Objectives" section and concludes with "Exercise Questions"