A Framework for the Dynamic Generation of Workflows for Network Management

A demonstration of the application of dynamically generated workflows to the management of a network environment is presented. A proposed workflow management framework (WMF) uses dynamically generated workflows to control the managed environment. Exception detection and handling in the workflow generation produce recommendations for mitigating incidents that might occur. The key features of the proposed WMF are its ease of implementation, flexibility and scalability. These features facilitate a quick response by the definition of new recommendations in the form of a workflow that can be executed in a controlled environment. The effectiveness of these recommendations can be assessed through feedback from the managed environment.

I. Introduction and Problem Description

A workflow is designed for humans to control job processes within an organization. It is characterized as a set of actions that need to be performed in a repeating sequence [1]. The implementation of workflows is not a trivial task. For example, human error and design issues in a complex manufacturing process can lead to maintenance problems, waste generation and unwanted expenditure. When a problem occurs, the traditional workflow approach can handle known (predefined) issues only [2]. Traditional workflow approaches are not suited to managed environments where unpredictable events/incidents can happen at random. In such environments, the process is stopped, and human intervention must identify and fix the problem. There has been a growth in environment infrastructures in recent times, driven by advances in technology, especially in networking (SDN, 5G) and IoT [3]. Managing such infrastructures is a challenge, in particular the problem of incident detection and avoidance. Therefore, there is a need for proactive solutions, especially technology that can dynamically handle exceptions, ideally without human intervention, or with minimal human intervention. Research to date in the area of workflows is primarily anchored in business management. The literature shows that workflow in business management is strictly related to, and dependent on, the particular environment in question and the elements associated with it.