Client/server qualities: a basis for reliable distributed workflow management systems

In distributed workflow management systems (WfMSs) many workflow servers and application programs referenced within workflows have to work together cooperatively. We introduce a middleware service for WfMSs which offers qualities for client/server communication. These qualities characterize the behavior of clients and servers in case of failure and recovery. Our middleware service builds an abstraction from the concrete implementation of a client/server interaction and hides characteristics of underlying system services, e.g. RPC mechanisms and TP monitors. For this reason, our middleware service supports the implementation of reliable distributed WfMSs.