Providing product catalog software application as enterprise services

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including systems and computer program products, for a services architecture design that provides enterprise services having product catalog functionality at the level of an enterprise application. The design includes a set of service operations, process components, and optionally deployment units. Suitable business objects are also described.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a high-level view of a software architectural design and implementation of a suite of enterprise software services having product catalog functionality.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are block diagrams collectively showing a product catalog authoring process component.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are block diagrams collectively showing a product catalog publishing process component.

Claims

1. A system comprising: a computer system comprising one or more hardware platforms for executing computer software; andcomputer software deployed on the computer system, the computer software implementing a plurality of service operations, the service operations comprising: a maintain catalog operation, the operation operable to send a notification to update a product catalog;a change transmission status operation, the operation operable to send a notification to change the transmission status of a product catalog;a change publication status operation, the operation operable to send a notification to change the publication status of a product catalog;a change catalog based on publication cancellation operation, the operation operable to send a notification to update a product catalog based on a publication cancellation;a change catalog based on item lock status operation, the operation operable to send a notification to update a product catalog based on a locked item;a change catalog based on content change publication status operation, the operation operable to send a notification to update a product catalog based on a catalog change content publication status;a request catalog publication operation, the operation requesting that a product catalog be published;a request catalog publication cancellation operation, the operation requesting a product catalog publication be cancelled;a request catalog item lock operation, the operation requesting an item in a product catalog to be locked;a request catalog publication content change operation, the operation requesting a content change in a product catalog publication;a notify of catalog update operation, the operation operable to send a notification about an update to a product catalog;a maintain published product catalog operation, the operation operable to send a notification to update a published product catalog;a cancel catalog publication operation, the operation operable to send a notification to cancel the publication of a product catalog;a lock published catalog items operation, the operation operable to send a notification to lock items contained in a published product catalog;a change published catalog content operation, the operation operable to send a notification to change the content in a published product catalog;a notify of publication transmission package check operation, the operation operable to send a notification about a catalog publication transmission package check;a confirm catalog publication operation, the operation operable to send a notification to confirm the publication of a product catalog;a confirm catalog publication cancellation operation, the operation operable to send a notification to confirm the cancellation of a product catalog publication;a confirm catalog item lock operation, the operation operable to send a notification to confirm the lock of an item in a product catalog; anda confirm catalog publication content change operation, the operation operable to send a notification to confirm the content change of a product catalog publication.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the service operations are grouped into service interfaces, the service interfaces comprising: a product catalog transmission receiving in interface that includes the maintain catalog service operation;a publishing in interface that includes the change transmission status, the change publication status, the change catalog based on publication cancellation, the change catalog based on item lock status, and the change catalog based on content change publication status service operations;a publishing out interface that includes the request catalog publication, the request catalog publication cancellation, the request catalog item lock, and the request catalog publication content change service operations;a transmission sending out interface that includes the notify of catalog update service operation;a publishing in interface that includes the maintain published product catalog, the cancel catalog publication, the lock published catalog items, and the change published catalog content service operations; anda publishing out interface that includes the notify of publication transmission package check, the confirm catalog publication, the confirm catalog publication cancellation, the confirm catalog item lock, and the confirm catalog publication content change service operations.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein: the computer software implementing the maintain catalog, the change transmission status, the change publication status, the change catalog based on publication cancellation, the change catalog based on item lock status, the change catalog based on content change publication status, the request catalog publication, the request catalog publication cancellation, the request catalog item lock, the request catalog publication content change, and the notify of catalog update operation is deployed on a first hardware platform; andthe computer software implementing the maintain published product catalog, the cancel catalog publication, the lock published catalog items, the change published catalog content, the notify of publication transmission package check, the confirm catalog publication, the confirm catalog publication cancellation, the confirm catalog item lock, and the confirm catalog publication content change operation is deployed on a second hardware platform.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each of the first and second hardware platforms are distinct and separate from each other.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein: the computer software implementing the maintain catalog, the change transmission status, the change publication status, the change catalog based on publication cancellation, the change catalog based on item lock status, the change catalog based on content change publication status, the request catalog publication, the request catalog publication cancellation, the request catalog item lock, the request catalog publication content change, and the notify of catalog update operation is deployable on a first hardware platform; andthe computer software implementing the maintain published product catalog, the cancel catalog publication, the lock published catalog items, the change published catalog content, the notify of publication transmission package check, the confirm catalog publication, the confirm catalog publication cancellation, the confirm catalog item lock, and the confirm catalog publication content change operation is deployable on a second hardware platform;

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer software deployed on the computer system comprises: a plurality of process components, each of the process components being a package of software deployed and executing on the computer system and implementing a respective and distinct business process, the plurality of process components including: a product catalog authoring process component used to create and edit product catalogs, to control the quality of their contents, and to control their readiness for publication; anda product catalog publishing process component used to make published product catalogs available electronically, and to provide a means to interactively search for and select products for use by other business processes;

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer software deployed on the computer system comprises: a plurality of deployment units, each of the deployment units being a package of software packaged together to be deployed on a single physical hardware platform, the plurality of deployment units including: a catalog authoring deployment unit that defines, edits and releases product catalogs; anda catalog publishing deployment unit that provides released product catalogs for use in business processes;

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a repository of service descriptions, the repository including a standards-based description of each of the plurality of service operations.

9. A computer program product encoded on a tangible machine-readable information carrier for implementing a plurality of services, the product comprising computer software operable to implement service operations on a computer system, the service operations comprising: a maintain catalog operation, the operation operable to send a notification to update a product catalog;a change transmission status operation, the operation operable to send a notification to change the transmission status of a product catalog;a change publication status operation, the operation operable to send a notification to change the publication status of a product catalog;a change catalog based on publication cancellation operation, the operation operable to send a notification to update a product catalog based on a publication cancellation;a change catalog based on item lock status operation, the operation operable to send a notification to update a product catalog based on a locked item;a change catalog based on content change publication status operation, the operation operable to send a notification to update a product catalog based on a catalog change content publication status;a request catalog publication operation, the operation requesting that a product catalog be published;a request catalog publication cancellation operation, the operation requesting a product catalog publication be cancelled;a request catalog item lock operation, the operation requesting an item in a product catalog to be locked;a request catalog publication content change operation, the operation requesting a content change in a product catalog publication;a notify of catalog update operation, the operation operable to send a notification about an update to a product catalog;a maintain published product catalog operation, the operation operable to send a notification to update a published product catalog;a cancel catalog publication operation, the operation operable to send a notification to cancel the publication of a product catalog;a lock published catalog items operation, the operation operable to send a notification to lock items contained in a published product catalog;a change published catalog content operation, the operation operable to send a notification to change the content in a published product catalog;a notify of publication transmission package check operation, the operation operable to send a notification about a catalog publication transmission package check;a confirm catalog publication operation, the operation operable to send a notification to confirm the publication of a product catalog;a confirm catalog publication cancellation operation, the operation operable to send a notification to confirm the cancellation of a product catalog publication;a confirm catalog item lock operation, the operation operable to send a notification to confirm the lock of an item in a product catalog; anda confirm catalog publication content change operation, the operation operable to send a notification to confirm the content change of a product catalog publication.

10. The product of claim 9, wherein the computer software comprises: a plurality of process components, each of the process components being a package of software deployed and executing on the computer system and implementing a respective and distinct business process, the plurality of process components including: a product catalog authoring process component used to create and edit product catalogs, to control the quality of their contents, and to control their readiness for publication; anda product catalog publishing process component used to make published product catalogs available electronically, and to provide a means to interactively search for and select products for use by other business processes;

11. The product of claim 9, wherein the computer software comprises: a catalog authoring deployment unit that includes a product catalog, a product catalog update run, a product catalog file upload run, a product catalog duplication run, a product catalog change list, a product catalog update method, and a product catalog publishing sending run business object, wherein the product catalog business object is a master data object representing a structured directory of catalog items where each catalog item represents a product and provides information about it, the product catalog update run business object represents a run to update product catalogs based on product catalog update methods, the product catalog file upload run business object represents a run to update a product catalog based on an uploaded file, the product catalog duplication run business object represents a run to copy a product catalog in total or in parts, the product catalog change list business object represents a list of changes to a product catalog, the product catalog update method business object represents a master data object representing a set of rules controlling how products are cataloged in a product catalog and how to update the product catalog when cataloged products are changed, and the product catalog publishing sending run business object represents a run to trigger sending a product catalog for publication; anda catalog publishing deployment unit that includes a published product catalog and a published product catalog update run business object, wherein the published product catalog business object is a master data object representing a version of a product catalog that has been released for access by or exchange with the target group of people for whom the product catalog has been tailored; and the published product catalog update run business object represents a run to update a product catalog based on an uploaded file.

12. The product of claim 10, wherein: each of the plurality of process components is assigned to no more than one deployment unit among multiple deployment units, and each deployment unit is deployable on a separate computer hardware platform independent of every other deployment unit; andall interaction between a process component in one deployment unit and any other process component in any other deployment unit takes place through the respective service operations of the two process components.

13. The product of claim 12, wherein the deployment units comprise: a catalog authoring deployment unit that includes the product catalog authoring process component; anda catalog publishing deployment unit that includes the product catalog publishing process component.

14. The product of claim 9, further comprising: a catalog authoring deployment unit that implements the maintain catalog, the change transmission status, the change publication status, the change catalog based on publication cancellation, the change catalog based on item lock status, the change catalog based on content change publication status, the request catalog publication, the request catalog publication cancellation, the request catalog item lock, the request catalog publication content change, and the notify of catalog update service operations; anda catalog publishing deployment unit that implements the maintain published product catalog, the cancel catalog publication, the lock published catalog items, the change published catalog content, the notify of publication transmission package check, the confirm catalog publication, the confirm catalog publication cancellation, the confirm catalog item lock, and the confirm catalog publication content change service operations.

15. The product of claim 10, wherein: the product catalog authoring process component includes a product catalog master data object, a product catalog update run business object, a product catalog file upload run business object, a product catalog duplication run business object, a product catalog change list business object, a product catalog update method business object, and a product catalog publishing sending run business object, wherein: the product catalog master data object is the business object responsible for the structured directory of catalog items where each catalog item represents a product and provides information about it;the product catalog update run business object is the business object responsible for the run to update product catalogs based on product catalog update methods;the product catalog file upload run business object is the business object responsible for the run to update a product catalog based on an uploaded file;the product catalog duplication run business object is the business object responsible for the run to copy a product catalog in total or in parts;the product catalog change list business object is the business object responsible for the list of changes to a product catalog;the product catalog update method master data object is the business object responsible for the set of rules controlling how products are cataloged in a product catalog and how to update the product catalog when cataloged products are changed; andthe product catalog publishing sending run is the business object responsible for the run to trigger sending a product catalog for publication; andthe product catalog publishing process component includes a published product catalog master data object and a published product catalog update run business object, wherein: the published product catalog master data object is the business object responsible for the version of a product catalog that has been released for access by or exchange with the target group of people for whom the product catalog has been tailored; andthe published product catalog update run business object is the business object responsible for the run to update a product catalog based on an uploaded file.

16. The product of claim 10, wherein: each of the process components includes one or more business objects; andnone of the business objects of any one of the process components interacts directly with any of the business objects included in any of the other process components.

17. The product of claim 16, wherein the business objects comprise a business process object.

18. The product of claim 16, wherein: none of the business objects included in any one of the process components is included in any of the other process components.

19. The product of claim 9, further comprising: a plurality of process agents, each process agent being either an inbound process agent or an outbound process agent, an inbound process agent being operable to receive a message from an inbound operation, an outbound process agent being operable to cause an outbound operation to send a message, each process agent being associated with exactly one process component;

20. A method for providing services from a computer system having product catalog functionality, the method comprising: providing services through the sending of messages, the messages including: a notification to update a product catalog;a notification to change the transmission status of a product catalog;a notification to change the publication status of a product catalog;a notification to update a product catalog based on a publication cancellation;a notification to update a product catalog based on a locked item;a notification to update a product catalog based on a catalog change content publication status;a notification requesting that a product catalog be published;a notification requesting a product catalog publication be cancelled;a notification requesting an item in a product catalog to be locked;a notification requesting a content change in a product catalog publication;a notification about an update to a product catalog;a notification to update a published product catalog;a notification to cancel the publication of a product catalog;a notification to lock items contained in a published product catalog;a notification to change the content in a published product catalog;a notification about a catalog publication transmission package check;a notification to confirm the publication of a product catalog;a notification to confirm the cancellation of a product catalog publication;a notification to confirm the lock of an item in a product catalog; anda notification to confirm the content change of a product catalog publication.