Where does BPM context data store ?

[Former Member]

hi experts,

When we start a BPM process, the process instance gets created. And we use the BPM context to store data for the purpose of passing it to another task. Where does this data reside ?? In server's primary memory(RAM) ?? Or there is some portal local data base where this conext data is getting stored ?

If it is in RAM, If we restart the server will we loose this context data ?? Or there is some place(portal local database) where active process instances are saved.

I am confused.. Why are we saying BPM sould not hold large volume of data ??. By this I believe the data is putting weight on RAM.

Edited by: pramod bagauly on Sep 21, 2010 12:47 AM

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Context data is stored in the DB. I highly recommend you read the CE architecture guide. Below is a quote (page 14) that relates to context:

"Instead, at every save point, the data context of a process is serialized to XML and stored as one

u201Eblob‟. When the data needs to be read back, it is fetched from the DB and parsed to re-instantiate the data

objects in the memory."

You can read Ulf's blog:

/people/ulf.fildebrandt/blog/2010/04/20/composite-development-architecture-guidelines

The document itself is here:

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/109b805f-2e28-2d10-ed9c-94eea0e8a...

HTH,

O.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

hi oliver,

Thanks for the right guidence. I got the answer.

For those don't understand BLOB , please read this.

A BLOB (Binary Large OBject) is a large chunk of data which is stored in a database.

A BLOB differs from regular database data in that it is not forced into a certain structure. A normal database field might be structured to be 14 characters long and only accept lowercase letters. A BLOB field is not usually restricted in content type and content can be several gigabytes in size. Normal database fields have space allocated for them whether they are utilized or not. BLOB fields are only allocated space when they are utilized.

[junwu]

I think the context data is stored in database.