BPM Design for Workaround missing Support for Acknowledgments

[udo_martens]

Hi,

I would like to design a NW BPM scenario sending a message to write a file - AND check, if this operation was successful or not.

I m going to use a PI 7.31-AEX platform (Java only); process management will be done by Netweaver BPM (Both=Process Orchestration).

To understand the challenge it would be helpful to have short look to Michal's blog XI: Playing with the file adapter's acknowledgments

Picture from that blog:

A ccBPM send step requests a transport acknowledgment. In case of negative acknowledgment an exception branch is executed. In addtion a deadline branch will jump into exception status in case no acknowledgment is coming at all. This design will guarantee a success/error message for any case.

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I would like to build the same business logic with NW BPM, unfortunately acknowledgments are not supported by NW BPM.

One draft:

1. NW BPM sends a message to file receiver adapter (temporary folder)
2. A file sender adapter polls frequently on that folder, sends a message to the process and archives the file to a final folder
3. The second message is correlated to the first (by a unique indentifier like IDoc number, Purchase Order number, etc)
4. A parallel branch (or a sub process) is throwing a timeout after 30 minutes (to asure the file adapter message is not in a queued status)
5. In case of timeout -> error / in case of received message -> success

I would appreciate to get your views to this draft:

• Do you think this is a suitable approach?
• Do you think the scenario is too complex?
• Do you see any problems with that scenario?
• Do you have any ideas for alternatives?

Thanks for your time, experts

Udo

[bhavesh_kantilal · Accepted solution]

Hello Udo,

This seems to be interesting limiation of SAP PO. I havent had the chance to play around on PI 7.31 and hence this does sound a real interesting issue / limitation.

The solution you have highlighted does sound quite good considering the limiations in hand.  I would try to see if I can use the file name as a correlation. If you set the filename throgh ASMA, then this would be a good solution.

Let us know of any other such limitations of NW BPM.

Regards,

Bhavesh

[udo_martens · Accepted solution]

Hi Bhavesh,

nice to hearing from you

In the first draft I planned as well to take the filename for correlation. But i dont think this will work, because in the first message i dont know the exactly filename - i dont know the timestamp or the counter and these are required to create unique file names. So i assume i cannot correlate them by file name. Did i miss anything?

I opened a discussion regarding Netweaver BPM limitations: NW BPM Features

It is mainly Acknowledgments, Attachments and Exactly Once In Order what is missing. Be free to take part in the discussion, i would appreciate it.

Regards,

Udo

[bhavesh_kantilal · Accepted solution]

Hello Udo,

Without trying to complicate it too much for you,

1) Set the file name inside a mapping in your PO BPM using Dynamic Configuration. Use this as a correlation in the PO BPM ( I am hoping the correlation concept is the still the same on PO )

2) Read the same file using Sender File adapter and move the Filename to a specific fiield in a mapping at the Interface Determination before the message comes into the ccBPM.

Again, this is just one of the options. You can ofcourse use a unique field in the payload like PO number etc as well.

Thanks for pointing me to the link. Will read the same.

Regards,

Bhavesh

[udo_martens · Accepted solution]

Hi Bavesh,

yes, this would work if you can make the name unique, for example adding a timestamp in mapping time. For a correlation you need to map the asma header field to a payload field, shouldnt be too challenging.

Regards,

Udo