Chapter 1. Business Process Model and Notation

Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) is a standard notation for business process modeling. It aspires to link the gap between business analysts and programmers by providing a workflow language that can be clearly understood by both.

1.1. Components

Red Hat JBoss BPM Suite integrates multiple components to support business processes throughout their entire life cycle and to provide process management features and tools for business analysts, developers, and business users. The product can be deployed on various JEE-compliant servers; the recommended option is Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 6.
Red Hat JBoss BPM Suite consists of the following main components:
  • Execution Engine - provides the runtime environment for Processes and Business Rules. It encompasses a workflow library that can be embedded into a user web application. Runtime manager is the root object and contains the following components:
    • Runtime Engine - implements the core behavior of the computer language and it is provided by the runtime manager.
      • Process Engine - is the environment for business process model execution.
      • Task Service - handles human task lifecycles.
    • Rule Engine - can be used with the process engine or on its own.
      • Rules Evaluation - executes business rules on the provided set of facts.
      • Complex Event Processing - applies business rules on incoming stream of events.
  • Business Central - a web-based application that accommodates tooling for asset creation, management, and monitoring by providing an integrated web environment.
    • Asset Repository - is the central sharing location (Knowledge Store) for business assets, processes, rules, forms, etc. Users access this repository through the Project Explorer view of Business Central via Authoring → Project Authoring. By default, the product initializes a local GIT repository as its Asset Repository. However, other repositories may be added or removed as necessary.
    • Artifact Repository - is a Maven based repository for storage of project jar artifacts.
    • Execution Server - provides an execution environment for business process instances and tasks.
    • Business Activity Monitor - provides customizable view on business performance.

Note

Red Hat JBoss BRMS comes with its own Business Central application that is a subset of the Business Central application in Red Hat JBoss BPM Suite.