EXOTICA FMDC - A WORKFLOW MANAGEMENT-SYSTEM FOR MOBILE AND DISCONNECTED CLIENTS/

Workflow Management Systems (WFMSs) automate the execution of business processes in environments encompassing large numbers of users distrib uted over a wide geographic area and using heterogeneous resources. Cu rrent implementations allow the definition and controlled execution of complex and long lived business processes as the basis for an enterpr ise-wide collaborative system but, in most cases, the autonomy of the users is greatly restricted due to architectural and design considerat ions. In particular, existing systems are built around a centralized s erver. As a result, users need to maintain an uninterrupted connection with the server to perform the different tasks assigned to them. This is a severe restriction, especially when considering the emergence of mobile computing, and the increase in use of laptops and small comput ers which are connected to the network only occasionally and which wil l, undoubtedly, be the tool of choice for many users. This paper addre sses the problem of supporting disconnected workflow clients in large workflow management systems while still preserving the correctness of the overall execution and allowing coordinated interactions between th e different users regardless of their location.