Microsoft's commitment to BPEL 2.0
If you haven't already heard about it, Microsoft will soon be releasing a BPEL 1.1 activity library for Windows Workflow Foundation (WF). The activities will enable you to build workflows that can be losslessly exported to BPEL 1.1. Also included is a BPEL import/export tool. This tool enables you to import BPEL into WF or export your WF-based workflow into BPEL. We could also potentially use WF's custom loader to directly load and run BPEL executables. Expect to see some demos here soon.
We will also be supporting OASIS WS-BPEL 2.0 towards the end of this year. Paul has more details about the full announcement.
The bits for the BPEL 1.1 CTP (better known as the BPEL for Windows Workflow Foundation March CTP) will be available next month. I'll give you some sneak peeks at the CTP later this week.
Comments
Anonymous
February 26, 2007
when will BPMN be supported?Anonymous
February 26, 2007
when will BPMN be supported?Anonymous
February 26, 2007
Hubert, BPEL is an orchestration language and lacks a standardized, graphical notation. Although mapping BPMN to BPEL can be fairly lossy, many vendors have decided to use BPMN for BPEL "modeling". WF uses an XML representation known as XAML (schema here: http://wf.netfx3.com/files/folders/design_time/entry8542.aspx). Since WF is not bound to any particular process standard, supporting one or more of these standards becomes a mapping process. The BPEL CTP is the first of many possible samples that could be used to illustrate support for various process standards. It is possible to build BPMN activities and a BPMN-oriented design surface using WF. We are not currently planning anything in this area. Is this something that might be of interest? I am aware of at least two external (non-Microsoft) efforts to provide some level of BPMN support using WF. I have been in touch with people involved in each of these efforts and hope to post more information about these projects someday. John