Fixing classloading issues in jBPM with CL-Registry?

[camunda]

Hi!

I was relatively quite in this forum till now. Let me introduce shortly: I am committer in the jBPM project, giving jBPM, ESB and Drools trainings for RedHat in Europe and doing a lot of consultancy around the JBoss SOA Platform.

For the current project I tried to solve some serious classloading problems with jBPM in the ESB, combined with scoped deployments (because of versioning requirements). I wrote more details on this issue in the jBPM-Forum, but wanted you guys here inform about it: http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&t=143117

Would be nice to get some feedback...

Thanks & Cheers
Bernd

[marklittle]

Hi Bernd. Have you looked at the classloader issue(s) in ESB/SOA-P that relate to jBPM? They may be relevant.

[kconner]

The current jBPM issues are related but it is just part of a bigger issue with jBPM.

The current codebase appears to be based on the premise that each jBPM instance is standalone and co-located with the code running within the system but this is not valid in an environment like the AS which can rely on a shared codebase.

The notion of a jBPM deployer is an interesting one and is something that I have mentioned in the past. It is likely to be the keystone in any real solution to these issues.

What is really missing is for jBPM to define a proper lifecycle for the processes in a shared environment, including support for artifacts which can be undeployed/redeployed. This will necessitate proper support for classloader hierarchies, scoped deployments etc.

I should also add that I do not think that ESB is the correct location for this work, although we would have to modify some code to fit in with whatever is decided.

Kev

[camunda]

Have you looked at the classloader issue(s) in ESB/SOA-P that relate to jBPM?

I am not sure if I found all of them, do you have concrete issues in mind? Can you maybe post the links which I shouldn't miss?

The current codebase appears to be based on the premise that each jBPM instance is standalone and co-located with the code running within the system but this is not valid in an environment like the AS which can rely on a shared codebase.

Exactly! This is what I want to address with this...

The notion of a jBPM deployer is an interesting one and is something that I have mentioned in the past. It is likely to be the keystone in any real solution to these issues.

Glad to hear that :-) Some evidence that we both are on the right track....

What is really missing is for jBPM to define a proper lifecycle for the processes in a shared environment, including support for artifacts which can be undeployed/redeployed.

Sorry, I didn't get that completly. You mean for the processdefinition-XML's? Or what to include in what lifecycle (classes in EAR, processdefinition.xml in DB, ...)?

I should also add that I do not think that ESB is the correct location for this work

Yeah, I think it fits better in the jBPM corner, same logic fits in a pure AppServer environment and maybe even the OSGI world or something else... So it is not tied to the ESB...

I'm going to have a telco with Tom on this issue on friday, I think he has an oppinion to that too....

Regards from Berlin
Bernd

[camunda]

I described the solution which works for our current project now in a bit more details:

http://www.camunda.com/knowledge/jbpm_deployer_for_enterprise_environment.html

The current codebase appears to be based on the premise that each jBPM instance is standalone and co-located with the code running within the system

I agree! We got rid of it with the described solution and something similar should find its way into the SOA platform I think...

I also crosspost again to the jBPM forum, maybe it is first of all an organizational issue which project is responsible for this type of functionality...

Cheers
Bernd

[mimra]

Hello Bernd

I think this looks very interesting and it addresses the same challenges we're facing in a JBoss ESB & jBPM based project.

I would like to have a closer look at the code for the jbpm deployer if you don't mind. Could you send me an email (see my user account)?

Thanks.

Best regards Michael

[camunda]

I have created a JIRA issue on the SOA platform for this and posted my current code in our blog:
https://jira.jboss.org/jira/browse/SOA-1008
http://www.bpm-guide.de/2008/10/16/jbpm-deployer-for-jbpm-in-enterprise-environments/
http://www.bpm-guide.de/2008/11/14/jbpm-deployer-status-and-sourcecode/