On a technology of paperless document circulation

1. On a technology of paperless document circulation D.V. Belyakov, I.M. Gostev, N.A. Davydova, V.V. Ivanov, L.A. Kalmykova, T.S. Syresina, P.V. Zrelov (Joint Institute for Nuclear Research) Varna 2007

2. Introduction (1) The appropriate information is necessary for acceptance of the correct solution in the form of some document. This information can exist in various aspects, impregnated-paper, electronic, verbal, visual it is, etc. Obvious, that for operation of an information system (IS) it is necessary to transform this information to the electronic form. Now the most widespread mode of input of such information in the system is digitization of already existing documents. Varna 2007

3. Introduction (2) • However such practice has many the negative factors. • At first, the errors determined by a human factor or abusing are possible. • Secondly, in this case processes of forming of the electronic document are gained separated from real vital processes, and the information loses the topicality or ceases to be valid. • Thirdly, decision-making process in impregnated-paper realization practically does not give in to the control, both in time, and in space. Varna 2007

4. Process Oriented IS To be liberated from these disadvantage it is necessary, that the information in IS varied synchronously with real vital processes. Therefore IS operation should be organized similarly, in the form of processes. The information in such IS should vary according to modifications in the real world. Then, the mechanism of operation of such system should be based on interior processes synchronously flow with real, and the system should be named as “process oriented”. At such organization there is a possibility of a paperless process engineering.Making of a template of some document means initialization of appropriate process in system. Document driving on instances – a modification of a contents and-or properties which have this process. Decision-making stage and its registration means actually the termination of such process. Information in IS varies in process of a modification of exterior processes and circumstances, and on the process termination is automatically fixed in an IS. Such mechanism of making of documents we will term as paperless document circulation.

5. Component of Process Initialization • Document initialization – function of creating of the template of the new document in IS. Depending on its content to this template some properties are appropriated. For transiting on stages the persons which involvement is necessary for issue of this document are assigned. • Document editing – modification of a document content, without a modification of its properties. • Document conversion – modification of properties of the document (in process a vising or decision), without a modification of its content (for example, a modification of an amount of vising person). Editing Vising Decision Registration Archiving E-mail Control Varna 2007

6. Component of Process (2) • Vising – acquaintance of the persons having relation to it to the document and obtaining their opinion about it. • Desigion – acceptance of the positive or negative solution about embodying of a content of the given document. • Registration – giving to the document of the number and obtaining of a hard copy of the ready document. • Archiving – conversion of the ready document to the shape convenient for storage in electronic archive. • Dispatch – operation which informs all interested persons of some facts and-or events. • The control over fulfillment – allows to realize management or other operations attending embodying of some document. Vising Decision Registration Archiving Dispatch Control Varna 2007

7. Type of Process • In any organization there is some enumeration of the processes generating documents. In a scientific orb they can be parted on following categories. • Listing of Staff. A set of the processes ensuring issuing of orders on acceptance on operation/dismissal/transfer of employees. • Administrative-financial activity of the organization includes set of operations from the financial point of view: accounts department, scheduling, the finance, the real estate, supply, etc. • Forming of scientific planes. A set of the processes submitting to a possibility of preparation of scientific schedules from the moment of development to realization and financing. • Contingent. A set of the processes, allowing to generate structure of scientific personnel (without a modification of the list of staff) for realization of research of a various profile for optimization of quality and dates of performance of scientific schedules. • Dissertational advices. A set of operations accompanying shields and other scientific actions. Varna 2007

8. Role and Privilege Determination: the Role in an information medium we will understand adding to some physical person – a set of the rights to obtaining of services in IS in some process, according to the auxiliary standing. As roles usage of posts according to the list of staff is supposed. Determination: the concept of the right of system means availability or inaccessibility of some services, according to the role in an IS in some process. The right of used the role means a quantity of possibilities which is assigned to some person having access to system. The right to transmission of the rights to other person means a possibility of transmission of some set of possibilities on realization of some operations in system. Transmission of rights can be carried out both for some time, and for realization of some operations. Besides, transmissionof rights can be carried out exclusively, that is realization of transmitted operations complete, or partially when the transmitting person can execute transmitted operations in bridge. Varna 2007

9. Dynamics Role Assigning • Process of assigning of a role in some process consists of several phases (dynamic role assigning): • Adding to some person of the initial role corresponding to his official duties is carried out at his initial logging in IS. • Appropriations to him of the temporary rights after initialization of some process which will demand on behalf of realization of some operations. • After realization of the functions ordered to the person in some process or after the process termination restoring of those rights which the user had before process start-up is yielded. Varna 2007

10. Architecture of IS IS essentially differs from usual database structures because it should comprise a mechanism of management over the processes. It include some addition areas. Build-in procedure Varna 2007

11. Internal area Internal area is a traditionally organized database containing all necessary tables and links between them. The architecture and the information content of the this area is determined by needs of the organization and the set of the processes which should be performed in the system. Varna 2007

12. External area • External area consists of separate tables, each contains a list of nonstructural information used in one of the processes. Each type process has an individual table in external area. Initialization of the process leads to a new record in one of the tables in the external area. The termination of the process leads to deleting this record. During the process this record is filled by necessary data. They can be received as follows: • they are read out from the internal area by means of the DB built-in procedure; • they are filled with IS external interface by the user; • they are generated by IS itself on the basis of the process performance rules. Varna 2007

13. Managing area • Managing area contains a structure where the mechanisms of flowing each process are registered. • When beginning some process, there is an initializing of algorithm of its operation. The next its step are performance: • The process participants are appointed, and their roles are prescribed. • Corresponding records about transitionof the process from one state to another are made. • Changes in the condition and filling of the document are fixed. There is an opportunity to re-distribute rights to other persons, etc. • Upon the end of the process all records about its performance are deleted from this area, including the rights of the participants of this process. Varna 2007

14. Archiving and registration areas Archiving area contains several tables where the information is registered required forreconstructionof the external areas of the document in case it should be restored from the electronic archive. All data on the course of performing the process are written in these tables, i.e. which one, when and what actions have been done with the template. Besides, the information on documents with accepted negative decisions are also archived. Registration area is a unique place when the user can cooperate with IS. Varna 2007

15. Positive factors • Use of this architecture allows one to solve some more problems: • A first problem is the IS data protection. There are no direct access to IS. All operation into its is realized from built-in procedures. • A second problem is increasing acceleration of work of the IS. As all operations in the system are performed at the built-in procedures stored in internal DB areas. • A third problem which is solved conclude in the maximal unification of such type architecture. The method of the managing IS allows one to bring all information about the processes into the managing area. After that all processes are performed automatically. This mechanism based on the finite state machine (FSM) is used. The implementation of such an FSM is very simple and can be tabulated as follows: Varna 2007

16. FSM of management of process Varna 2007

17. Example (1) A prototype of such an information system developed for LIT JINR is available on LIT website at http://lit.jinr.ru/DoctorDoc/ Varna 2007

18. Example (2) Varna 2007

19. Joint Institute for Nuclear ResearchLaboratory of Information Technologies On a construction of distributed information system D.V. Belyakov, I.M. Gostev, N.A. Davydova, V.V. Ivanov, L.A. Kalmykova, T.S. Syresina, P.V. Zrelov (JINR) Varna 2007

20. Three or four tier architecture of IS Application Server Web Browser Static requestHTML Web Server CGI, WinCGI, ISAPI, NSAPI Dynamic request HTML Request HTML for execute Buil-in Procedure Server RDBMS Varna 2007

21. Clusters using deficiency Usage of a ready machine cluster (Condor, MPI, EJEE, Globus) for decision administrative task in architecture the IS will lead to irregular usage of all machine resources. One computers are used, others – are not used. For improving of this situation is necessary to expand the existing architecture. Controller of clusters Varna 2007

22. Intrinsic three tier architecture Thin client Thin client Remote Data Broker Constraint Broker DCOM, TCP/IP, OLE Enterprise Business Object Broker Business Rules Data Base Thin client Server OLE Enterprise Thin client Application Server Varna 2007

23. Virtual Servers and Services The problem solution on the equal load of all computers can be based on introduction of the virtual servers and services. The Virtual Application Server – process started on demand of the user on the separate computer. Virtual Process of Services– the virtual process which services concrete request of the user about the separate computer. Dispatcher of virtual Services receive demand from user and begin process VAS on remote computer. VAS Varna 2007

24. Access Methods to DB DBMS VPS For service ofremote requests to a DB there are the virtual factories of processes, that is the process generating processes which will be registered and linked to a DB, but are passive in relation to it. If some VPS is started, it contact through virtual factory of processes with the virtual process of a database access generated (PDA) by it. Thus it is meant, direct record in DB, sinceregistration in the DBMS is finished and it ready to request performance. After finishing work of clients request the PDA is deleted, and factory generate new slipping PDA process. Varna 2007

25. Thank You for attention! Тел: (+7 496-21) 6 -43-50 (+7 496-21) 6 -39-61 mob +7 916-610-78-01 Fax: (+7 496-21) 6-51-45 E-mail: igostev@gmail.com lidak@jinr.ru Varna 2007