Integrating Generated Code with Oracle

This topic describes integrating applications that use generated code with the following:

Integration with Oracle Workflow

Oracle Workflow is a complete workflow management system that supports business process definition, automation and integration. Its technology enables automation and continuous improvement to business processes, routing information of any type according to user-defined business rules.

Oracle Workflow provides and ideal packaging option for integrating long running data mining activities.

Using the Oracle Workflow Client, a "Process" can be created which can contain one or more nodes.

A special node called a "Function" can be inserted into the workflow process. This function can be defined to call the data mining workflow API generated for an activity. When the function invokes the Code Generator workflow call, the generated activity code will read the instance data of the invoking process and determine if there are any parameter settings to pass to the underlying activity procedure ( list of item attributes available for this purpose).

Users can now easily create a complex process invoking many data mining activities in whatever sequence they require.

The workflow process runs within the Oracle Database simplifying configuration and support requirements.

See Oracle Workflow documentation for more details.

Integration with Oracle BPEL

The Oracle BPEL Process Manager, part of Oracle Fusion Middleware, enables enterprises to orchestrate and execute Web services and business processes. The ability to quickly design and deploy these services and processes in a standards-based manner delivers critical functionality for developing a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA).

There are several cases to consider when using BPEL:

BPEL with Oracle Workflow

A BPEL process can invoke Oracle Workflow processes by creating a "Partner Link".

In the case where the Oracle Workflow process is a long-running, asynchronous process, you can use the BPEL Oracle Workflow Bridge. Oracle Workflow Bridge allows you to enable BPEL processes to invoke Oracle Workflow processes. Oracle Workflow Bridge also monitors the execution status of the invoked workflow processes and reports back to the invoking BPEL process with data when a workflow process execution is complete or has exited with an error.

Using this approach, you can easily integrate long running data mining workflow processes within a BPEL web service process.

Since there are a growing number of integration services available within Oracle BPEL, this provides an ideal framework for integrating mining activities across a broad array of technologies, most notably Oracle Applications, Oracle Fusion Platform and Siebel Analytics.

BPEL with Real-Time Data Mining Predictions

A BPEL process can invoke a Database procedure/function or perform an SQL query. Using the BPEL Database Adapter, a user can select one of the mining activity apply procedures that support single row or dynamic SQL input. The BPEL process invokes the synchronous prediction method and receives the result of the prediction for further processing. Utilizing this approach, users can easily incorporate real time predictions within web service processes.

Another approach would be to utilize a Database View generated by a mining activity apply procedure. The BPEL process can invoke a SQL query through the Database Adapter on this view, allowing the user finer control over the result set.

BPEL Decision Services (Business Rules Engine) with Real-Time Data Mining Predictions

A BPEL process can invoke a Business Rules Engine through a BPEL Decision Service. A rules engine Requires context information in order to execute a rule. Instead of relying on static information, users can include predictions as part of the rule context, allowing the rules to be more dynamic and predictive.

Using the BPEL Database Adaptor

Using the BPEL Database Adapter a user can select one of the mining activity apply procedures that support single row or dynamic SQL input. See Code Generator Apply Procedures for information.

The BPEL process invokes the synchronous prediction method and receives the result of the prediction for further processing. Utilizing this approach, users can easily incorporate real time predictions within web service processes.

BPEL with Oracle Scheduler

A BPEL process can invoke Oracle Scheduler jobs by creating a "Partner Link". See Oracle BPEL for more details.

Integration with Oracle Warehouse Builder

Oracle Warehouse Builder is a single, comprehensive tool for all aspects of data and metadata management. It provides data quality, data auditing, fully integrated relational and dimensional modeling, and full life cycle management of data and metadata.

Warehouse Builder and Mining Deployment

Warehouse Builder provides the ability to integrate custom procedures within their process definitions. Using this approach the generated procedures from Data Miner can be integrated within; workflow processes providing an opportunity to integrate model deployment with your warehouse ETL processes.

Integration with Oracle Scheduler

Oracle Scheduler, a new feature of Oracle Database 10g, enables users to schedule jobs running inside the database such as PL/SQL procedures or PL/SQL blocks as well as jobs running outside the database such as shell scripts. There are two interfaces for the Oracle Scheduler: a GUI which is part of Enterprise Manager and an API (DBMS_SCHEDULER package). It is a free feature of the database.

Oracle Scheduler and Workflow Deployment

Oracle Scheduler can be used to create mining work flows within the database. There are some similarities with this option and Oracle Workflow. Using Oracle Scheduler directly, you can define your own jobs using all the features provided by Oracle Scheduler.