Michele Leroux Bustamante, IDesign
Zoiner Tejada, Hershey Technologies
Session Code: PRC07
Michele Leroux Bustamante
Chief Architect
IDesign: www.idesign.net
Microsoft Regional Director, MVP
Connected Systems
Published Author:
ASP.NET Pro (WCF Column), MSDN, CoDe
Learning WCF (O’Reilly 2007/2008/2009)
Speaker:
Tech Ed, PDC, Dev Connections, other
international events
Blogs:
www.dasblonde.net (main)
www.thatindigogirl.com (book)
Zoiner Tejada
Chief Software Architect
Hershey Technologies: www.hersheytech.com
Microsoft Influencer & Advisor
Published Author:
WF Whitepaper on MSDN
Monthly WF Article Series on MSDN
Speaker:
Tech Ed, PDC, Dev Connections,
San Diego .NET User Group ArchSig
Instructor:
UCSD Extensions
Blog:
www.theworkflowelement.com
Agenda
The New Middle Tier: WCF 4 + WF 4 + Dublin
Introducing WCF 4
Introducing WF 4
WF 4 Activity Development
WCF Workflow Services
Hosting WCF and WF in Dublin
Session Objectives And Takeaways
Session Objective(s):
Review features of new middle tier functionality of
Windows Server 2008
Discuss supporting tools and features in WCF 4, WF
4 and Dublin
The new middle tier improves reliability,
availability and scalability
Includes enhancements for configuration,
deployment, tracking, monitoring, persistence,
and instance management
Enterprise Applications and the
Middle Tier
The concept of a middle tier evolved as systems
became more complex
Need to distribute functionality
Secure that functionality
Improve productivity working with object models
instead of direct database calls
Middle tier is also referred to as an application
server or container
Most enterprise application scenarios rely on
the middle tier to host and manage services
Intranet Applications
Classic client-server
deployments
The middle tier supplies
services to remote clients
All tiers belong to a
particular Windows
domain
Intranet
Client
Active
Directory
TCP
Services
App Server
Database Server
Web Services
The middle tier exposes
interoperable services
to remote clients
Services based on SOAP
and WS* protocols
Internet Client
(Basic Profile)
Internet Client
(WS*)
HTTPS
HTTP
Services
Web Server
Database Server
HTTP Resources
The middle tier exposes
resources over HTTP
through a web
programming model
Protocols include POX,
REST, AtomPub
Browser
Browser
AJAX
Silverlight
HTTPS
HTTP
Services
Web Server
Database Server
Distributed Services
Browser
HTTPS
Services hosted in the
middle tier may live
behind the DMZ
Web applications
communicate with
business services behind
the firewall
Web Application
Web Server
TCP
Services
App Server
Database Server
Workflow Services
Browser
HTTPS
Middle tier functionality
may be distributed
across multiple physical
tiers
May expose workflow
services to the internet,
which coordinate calls to
business services behind
the firewall
Workflow
Services
Web Server
TCP
Services
App Server
Database Server
Typical Middle Tier Characteristics
Development platform and runtime host for
components and services
Deployment, updates and versioning
Instance lifecycle management
Persistence and data access
Security
Monitoring and tracking
Configuration and management tools
Availability and scalability
The Application Server Role
What do we have today?
Windows Server 2008 supplies the Application
Server Role for middle tier functionality
Enables features and management tools
Features include:
Internet Information Services (IIS) 7
Windows Process Activation Service (WAS)
.NET 3.0
ASP.NET
Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ)
COM+ Services
The Application Server Role
What do we have today?
WAS
IIS Manager
IIS 7
COM+ Services
MSMQ
WF
WCF
Management
Tools
.NET Framework
ASP.NET
Windows Server 2008
ADO.NET
The New Middle Tier
WCF 4 + WF 4 + Dublin
Collectively improves the application server role
for Windows Server 2008
Provides much needed tools specifically for
managing WCF and WF services
Easier deployment
Centralized configuration
Visibility into application functionality
Durable instance management
Service discovery and routing
Improved reliability, availability and scalability
The New Middle Tier
Middle Tier Features - Before
IIS Manager
Configuration
Hosting
IIS 7
Security
Monitoring
WAS
Security
Security
MSMQ
WCF
Security
Security
.NET Framework
Management
Tools
Windows Server 2008
COM+
Instance Mgt
WF
Security
.NET 4 Features
The New Middle Tier
Dublin Features
Middle Tier Features - After
Instance Mgt
Tracking
Persistence
Monitoring
Hosting
Discovery
Configuration
Routing
Deployment
Hosting
IIS Manager
WAS
Security
Configuration
IIS 7
Deployment
Monitoring
Security
Security
MSMQ
COM+
Instance Mgt
Management
Tools
Security
Security
Security
Discovery
.NET Framework
Tracking
Routing
Tracking
Microsoft Confidential
Persistence
WF
Monitoring
WCF
Instance Mgt
Dublin-Related
Enhancements
The New Middle Tier
Dublin-Related
Features
Quadrant
Visual Studio
IIS Manager
Model Deployment to Dublin
WF and WCF
Project Templates
WF and WCF Management
Modules
Management APIs (PowerShell cmdlets)
Persistence
Availability, Deployment,
Control
Durable
Timer Service
Discovery
Service
Reliablility,
Scalablity
Instance
Restart
Behavior
SQL
Persistence
Provider
Monitoring
Messaging
Application Monitoring
WF SQL
Tracking
WCF SQL
Tracking
Versioning, Partitioning,
Routing
Router
Service
AutoStart
Service
Persistence schema
Runtime Databases
WCF and WF Frameworks
IIS/WAS
Microsoft Confidential
Windows Server 2008
Monitoring schema
System Center
Hosting
App Server SCOM Pack
Dublin-Related Tools and Features
The New Middle Tier
What are the core benefits?
Easier Deployment
Improve developer productivity deploying from
Visual Studio
Make it easier to import and export applications in
IIS with both UI and PowerShell
Centralized Configuration
Empower IT administrators to configure relevant
settings for services
Enable and configure new features for persistence,
tracking, automatic start, exception handling,
instance restart
The New Middle Tier
What are the core benefits?
Instance Management
Built-in persistence model and instance
management UI
Can suspend, resume, abort or terminate workflow
instances
Tracking and Monitoring
Increased visibility into WCF Workflow Services
Useful for troubleshooting problems, report
generation
The Buzz Shoppe
Order Fulfillment Service
Submit
Order
Client
Web
App
Labeling
Service
Create
Label
Orders
Service
Check
Inventory
Inventory
Service
Approve
Label
Check
Credit
Finalize
Order
Credit Card
Processing
Service
A Tour of Features
The New Middle Tier
The New Middle Tier
Reliability and Availability
The new middle tier supplies a platform with
increased reliability and availability for WCF and
WF Services
Message-based activation
Automatic start improves host responsiveness
Persistence
Improved lock management
Restarting failed WF Service instances
The New Middle Tier
Scalability
New middle tier supports various scalability
strategies
Asynchronous messaging with WF Services
Load balancing through persistence
RouterService supports load balancing, contentbased, and other routing heuristics
Improved lock management reduces contention
across machines for an instance
Release and Requirements
The new middle tier is available to the following
platforms:
Windows Server 2008 + IIS7/WAS
Vista + IIS7/WAS
Windows 7
Intended for WCF 4 and WF 4 services
Can host .NET 3.5 services, limited features
.NET Framework 4 will release with VS 2010
Dublin to be released initially as a web
download approximately 2-3 months later
Eventually part of the operating system
Summary: The New Middle Tier
New features shipped with WCF 4, WF 4 and
Dublin collectively extend the Application
Server role on Windows Server 2008
The new middle tier is the standard hosting
environment for WCF and WF Services
Enhances deployment, configuration, tracking
and monitoring, persistence, instance
management
Also improves overall application reliability,
availability and scalability
Session Objectives And Takeaways
Session Objective(s):
Understand the scenarios supported by WCF
Learn new features to be released with WCF 4
WCF is a rich platform supporting many
distributed computing scenarios
WCF 4 introduces enhancements and new
features related to configuration, tracing,
messaging, serialization, discovery and routing
Combined with the power of WF 4, workflow
services and asynchronous programming
models are more compelling
What Is WCF?
Windows Communication Foundation (WCF)
WCF is a feature-rich platform for building
distributed, interoperable, available, and
scalable service-oriented applications
Unifies programming models for remote
communications:
ASP.NET Web Services (ASMX), .NET Remoting, and
Enterprise Services/COM+
Supports n-tier, simple web services, a rich set
of WS* protocols, and web programming
models (POX, REST, JSON, AtomPub)
Intranet Applications
WCF supports classic
client-server deployments
Services distributed across
process or machine
boundaries
Characteristics:
TCP/binary messaging
Mutual Windows
authentication
Intranet
Client
Windows
Active
Directory
TCP
NetTcpBinding
Service
Business
Components
DALC
Web Services
WCF supports
SOAP/WS* protocols to
build interoperable
services
Characteristics:
HTTP/Text messaging
Transfer security via SSL
or message security
Username and password
authentication (typical,
but many options exist)
Internet Client
(Basic Profile)
Internet Client
(WS*)
UserName
HTTPS
HTTP
credentials
BasicHttpBinding
WSHttpBInding
Service
Business
Components
DALC
Distributed Services
Browser
HTTPS
WCF services can
encapsulate business
functionality for web
applications
Security boundary
Distribution across
boundaries
Characteristics:
TCP/binary messaging
Mutual certificate
authentication
UserName
credentials
ASP.NET
Application
Certificate
TCP
NetTcpBinding
Service
Business
Components
DALC
Certificate
Store
SOA
Internet Client
(Basic Profile)
HTTPS
WCF is
a strategic part of
a service-oriented
application
Services
represent the
boundary to all
business logic
Internet Client
(WS*)
Browser
HTTP
HTTPS
ASP.NET
Application
NetTcp
WSHttp
BasicHttp
Service
Business
Components
Data Access
Web Programming
WCF supports web
programming models
Useful for AJAX and
Silverlight clients
Characteristics:
POX, REST, Atom/Pub
Typically secured by URL
with web application
security
Browser
Browser
AJAX
Silverlight
HTTP/HTTPS
WebHttpBinding
WebHttpBinding
Service
Business
Components
DALC
WCF Platform Support
Released with the .NET Framework 3.0
Installed with Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008
Supported on Windows XP/SP2, Windows Server
2003
Enhanced with .NET Framework 3.5 + SP1
New features coming with .NET Framework 4
.NET Framework 4
.NET Framework 3.5 / SP1
WPF
.NET
Framework
3.0
WF
WCF
CardSpace
.NET Framework 2.0
Windows XP SP2
Windows Server
2003
Windows Vista
Windows Server
2008
..
WCF Fundamentals
Client App
Proxy
Endpoint
Client Process
ServiceHost
Endpoint
Service
Endpoint
Host Process
WCF Fundamentals
Client App
ServiceHost
A
Proxy
C
B
C
Service
B
A
A
Client Process
B
C
Host Process
Endpoint
A
Address => where?
B
Binding => how?
C
Contract => what?
WCF 101
WCF 3.0
Supplies core functionality
Contracts and serialization
Exception handling
Protocol support via binding configuration
Hosting with IIS, WAS, Windows Services, and
any managed application host
Control over instancing models, throttling
Security scenarios from username/password to
federated security
Reliable messaging, queued calls, transactions
WCF 3.5
Support for partial trust scenarios such as
Silverlight clients
Productivity improvements
VS 2008 templates, Add Service Reference
WCF Service Host and WCF Test Client
AJAX integration
Updated for the latest WS* protocols
Support for the web programming model
POX, JSON, REST, Syndication
Persistence with durable and workflow services
WCF 3.5 SP1
POCO data contracts, ADO.NET Entities
Web programming enhancements
Improved URI template support
Improved object model for syndication
Better productivity with VS 2008 Silverlight
templates, improved WCF Test Client,
deployment wizard
Performance improvements
Automatic channel factory caching
Asynchronous support for IIS7
Diagnostics for partial trust scenarios
WCF 4
Configuration defaults, automatic endpoints
New serialization features
Features from the WCF REST Starter Kit
Queued messaging enhancements
Support for new protocols
Service discovery based on WS-Discovery
Content-based routing
WCF Workflow Services
High performance tracing with ETW
Service Discovery
WS-Discovery implementation
SOAP over UDP using well-known endpoints
Services announce joining/leaving network
Discovery clients can receive announcements or
probe for services
Discovery
Client
Discovery
Client
Probe
Announcements
(hello/goodbye)
Service
A
Service
B
Service
A
Service
B
Discovery
Routing Service
Easy to configure routing implementation
Routing and filtering based on predefined or
custom heuristics
Filter by action, address, header or body content
Useful for:
Content-based routing
Versioning
Partitioning
Client
ServiceA
Routing
Service
ServiceB
Filter
Tables
Config
Filters
Routing
WCF Workflow Services
.NET 4 brings compelling reasons to build WCF
services as Workflow Services
Increased visibility through correlated tracking
and tracing events
Simplified implementation of asynchronous
programming models
Significantly improved performance of the WF
runtime
Declarative (XAMLX) services increase
deployment and versioning options
WCF Workflow Services
High-Performance Tracing
WCF tracing based on Event Tracing for
Windows (ETW)
High-performance tracing, much improved over
<system.diagnostics> configuration
WCF becomes an ETW event provider
Dublin ships tooling to ETW controller and
consumer to retrieve real-time events and push
to monitoring store
WF tracking and WCF tracing models are unified
in .NET Framework 4
Summary: WCF 4
Solves pain points related to configuration,
serialization, messaging and tracing
Popular WCF REST Starter Kit features will be
built-in to simplify web programming
Discovery and routing provide much needed
enterprise-ready features
WCF Workflow Services simplify designing
services, enable powerful asynchronous
exchanges and increase visibility through
tracking and tracing
Session Objectives And Takeaways
Session Objective(s):
Understand reasons to use WF
Know how to design, debug and run workflows
Workflow has been greatly enhanced to
minimize the need for code
Workflow consists of activities, runtime and
tools support
Why WF?
Implementation translucency
Business users can visualize complex process
Enables domain specific vocabulary
Results in audit friendly logic
Efficiently support long running processes
Simplifies scalable handling of state data
Composition based approach
Composing reusable logic easier than with code
Scenarios
Human Workflow
Computational Workflows
Orchestration of Services
Workflow is ART
Runtime
Activities
Activity Library
Workflow
Out of the box
Custom
Extensions
Runtime
Extensible Execution Environment
Scheduler
Persistence Provider
Tracking Participant
Custom Extension
Tooling
OOB & Build to Suit
VS
Designer
Rehosted
Designer
WF
Debugger
Workflow Types
Sequential
Top to bottom
Linear execution
Flow Chart
“Natural” diagramming approach
Directed Graph (where arrows point, execution
goes)
State Machine**
Sequential Diagram
Use for linear execution patterns
where simplicity is key.
Activity layout is rigid.
Loops must be structured and
rely on child composite activity
(e.g., While activity).
Flowchart Diagram
Best choice for
representing arbitrary
cycles.
Activity layout is free
floating.
Loops formed from
directed graph.
Workflow Activities
Out of the box activities for:
Control Flow
WCF Messaging
Variables & Collections
Expressions
Invoking Methods
Exception Handling
Transactions & Compensation
Legacy Interop
Visual Studio Design Experience
Project Templates
Declarative Flowchart/Sequential Service Library
Flowchart/Sequential Workflow Console
Application
Activity Library & Activity Designer Library
Item Templates
Activity, Workflow Element & Activity Designer
Flowchart & Sequence
Declarative Flowchart & Sequence
Graphical WF Debugging
Designing Workflows
Design with Drag & Drop
XAML
Generating Workflows in Code
Coded activity graph can serialize to XAML
Declarative Workflows
XAML
x:class
allows definition of new activity type w/custom
arguments
default used in Visual Studio
non x:class
composition using known types
cannot define new arguments
XAMLX
Tool support only for “non x:class” form
Used by Workflow Services
Neither format allows for a code behind.
VS Design Experience
Building a simple workflow from scratch
Data Flow
Result
WorkToDo
WorkToDo
DoWork
Result
DoWork
Result
WorkToDo
DoWork
Result
OutArgument
WorkToDo
DoWork
2
Result
WorkToDo
DoWork
2
Result
Data Flow
Declarative Arguments & Variables
Eliminate need to write code for data storage
Simplifies data exchange patterns between
activities
Application of scope reduces serialized size of
persisted workflow instances
Expressions
Expression support within Arguments
Assign activity for declarative assignment
Data Flow
Building a simple data-driven workflow
Running a Workflow
• Unit
Testing
Workflow
Invoker
Simple
Workflow
Instance
• Simple
executable
• Robust
Hosting
Workflow
ServiceHost
Complex
Communicating with Workflows
Input/Output Arguments on Workflow
Not available on XAML workflows
Exchanged via Dictionaries
Bookmarks
Primary mechanism for a workflow to request and
a host to provide data
Synonymous with available "actions“
OOB Communication Activities
Communicating with Workflows
Using WorkflowInstance to pass data in and out of a workflow
Exception Handling
Activity Local Exception
Handling
TryCatch activity
Catch<T> activity
Workflow Unhandled
Exceptions
WorkflowInstance.
OnUnhandledException
delegate
Workflow Tracking
.NET 4.0 provides
ETWTrackingParticipant
Can build own
TrackingParticipant (e.g. to
SQL)
Tracking Profiles control
verbosity, content
Logs the following events:
Workflow status changes
Activity status changes
Custom user data
Variable values
Runtime
Workflow
Extensions
Scheduler
Persistence Provider
Tracking Participant
Custom Extension
Workflow Persistence
OOB provides
SqlPersistenceProvider
Can build own
PersistenceProvider
Controlled by host or by
Persist activity in a workflow
No-Persist Zones
Enables efficient resource
use and load balancing
Runtime
Workflow
Extensions
Scheduler
Persistence Provider
Tracking Participant
Custom Extension
Workflow & Activity Lifecycle
Created
Running
Completed
Persistence & Tracking
Visualizing workflow execution progress using a custom
monitoring application
Comparing WF 4.0 to WF 3.5
Improvements
10-100x Runtime Performance Improvement
Significantly less code required because of
declarative nature
Greatly enhanced designer
Seamless composability across workflow types
Migration
Side by side support
Interop activity
Session Objectives And Takeaways
Session Objective:
Understand workflow & activity lifecycle
Be able to build rich custom activities
Understand how to build custom activity designers
Know how to rehost the workflow designer
Custom activities can be built composition and
by derivation
There is new approach to activity designer
registration that applies to both VS and rehosted environments
Developing Custom Activities
Why?
Model custom control flow,
Implement logic not available OOB
Expand vocabulary of activities with domain
specific activities.
Approaches:
Composition with Activity
Imperative Activities
Activity Class Hierarchy
WorkflowElement
NativeActivity
Lowest Level
CodeActivity
Activity
Highest Level
Composition With Activity
<p:Activity x:Class=MyActivity” …>
<p:Sequence …>
<my:DoWork1 ...>
<my:DoWork2 ...>
<my:DoWork3 ...>
</p:Sequence>
</p:Activity>
DoWork1
DoWork2
DoWork3
public class MyActivity: Activity
{
protected override WorkflowElement CreateBody()
{
return new Sequence()
{
Activities =
{
new DoWork1(), new DoWork2(), new DoWork3()
}
};
}
}
Composition With Activity
Building a simple composite activity
Imperative Activities
Derive from CodeActivity
Override Execute method
Use the Code Activity Execution Context
public class SimpleActivity: CodeActivity
{
protected override void Execute(CodeActivityExecutionContext context)
{
//activity logic goes here
context.Track(new UserTrackingRecord("Custom activity executed!“));
}
…
}
The Buzz Shoppe
Order Fulfillment Service
Submit
Order
Client
Web
App
Labeling
Service
Create
Label
Orders
Service
Check
Inventory
Inventory
Service
Approve
Label
Check
Credit
Finalize
Order
Credit Card
Processing
Service
The Buzz Shoppe
Implementing the LabelGenerator custom activity
Using Arguments & Variables in
Custom Activities
Arguments get data in or out of a custom
activity
Variables provide the means for a composite
custom activity to share data with its children
Unit Testing
Use WorkflowInvoker
Pass in required init argument values
Set breakpoints if attached with debugger
Get data out via return value
MyActivity activityInstance = new MyActivity();
Dictionary<string, object> input = …
Dictionary<string, object> ouput =
WorkflowInvoker.Invoke(activityInstance, input);
Unit Testing
Using WorkflowInvoker to Unit Test LabelGenerator Custom
Activity
Custom Activity Designers
Why?
Provide intuitive, domain specific user interfaces
for configuring activity properties and for
controlling activity display on the design surface.
Enable loose coupling between activity
implementation and activity configuration
Designer Registration in VS
DesignerAttribute
Applied to Activity Class
IRegisterMetaData – In Activity Assembly
Activities.dll
IRegisterMetaData – In Separate Assembly
Activities.Design.dll
WPF Based Activity Designers
Workflow Activity Designer item template
WorkflowElementDesigner – Design surface
WorkflowItemPresenter – Atomic activity
WorkflowItemsPresenter – Composite Activity
ExpressionTextBox
Model Item binding explained
ModelItem.Activities, ModelItem.Body
In designers, DataContext is set to control itself
The Buzz Shoppe
Order Fulfillment Service
Submit
Order
Client
Web
App
Labeling
Service
Create
Label
Orders
Service
Check
Inventory
Inventory
Service
Approve
Label
Check
Credit
Finalize
Order
Credit Card
Processing
Service
The Buzz Shoppe
Building a designer for the LabelGeneratorActivity
Designer Rehosting
Why?
For Authoring
For Analysis
Designer View
Property Inspector View
Registering Activity Designers
Building the Experience
Self hosting & executing workflows
Overlaying tracking data
Inspecting instance state data
Session Objectives And Takeaways
Session Objective:
Understand the structure of a Workflow Service
Learn how to design, host, run and debug
Workflow Services effectively
Workflow Services are a powerful way to
implement declarative services using activities
Workflow Services offer two forms of message
to workflow instance correlation
Message correlation empowers useful
asynchronous messaging scenarios
Why WCF Workflow Services?
WCF Services provide the industry accepted
invocation mechanisms
Workflows provide the service implementations
in an easier to understand, reduced code way
Coordinate
asynchronous
tasks
Compose
service calls into
new services
Utilize robust
tracking
infrastructure
Use Workflow Services!
Introducing Workflow Services
Define service implementation with workflows
Service.xamlx
Contracts
Endpoints
Workflow
Implementation
web.config or
app.config
Steps to Build a Workflow Service
Add & Configure Receive Activities
Create SendReply Activities by copying from
Receive
Optionally, adjust service settings in *.config
Host the Workflow Service
Workflow Implementation
One Way Service Activities
Receive
Send
Request/Reply
Template Activities
ReceiveAndSendReply
SendAndReceiveReply
Reply Activities
Introducing Workflow Services
Building a Simple Workflow Service
Creating Service Contracts
Workflow Services Service contracts defined
implicitly by Receive activity settings:
ServiceContractName
OperationName
ValueType
Defining Multiple Service Contracts
Single workflow can implement multiple service
contracts
ManufacturingService.xamlx
Inventory Contract
1
Assembly Line Contract
GetQuantityInStock
ScheduleAssembly
ReserveItem
QueryProgress
Receive
ReserveItem
2
Receive
ScheduleAssembly
Instance Creating Service
Operations
Workflow Instances can be created and
launched in response to service call:
CanCreateInstance = true
Creating Service Client Activities
Send activities used in outgoing calls to external
services
Add Service Reference supported
Contracts for Send activities are automatically
defined
Drag and drop from toolbox
Hosting Workflow Services
WorkflowServiceHost
XAMLX
Activity Library
SendMessage
ReceiveMessage
Endpoints
Config
WF Control
Endpoint
Extensions
ClientOperation
Persistence
ServiceOperation
Tracking
Metadata
ServiceHostBase
IIS | Dublin | EXE
WorkflowControlEndpoint
Provides following methods:
Abandon
Cancel
Create / CreateWithInstanceId
Run
Suspend / Unsuspend
Terminate
Transacted versions of above
Acts on a single workflow service instance
identified by GUID
Configuration (*.config)
XAMLX’s WorkflowServiceImplementation
ConfigurationName maps to *.config’s Service
Name
Defines
Service
Declares service
Provides additional config for service defined in XAMLX
via behaviors
Service Behaviors
Include exception details in faults
Expose service metadata (WSDL)
Persistence & Tracking
The Buzz Shoppe
Order Fulfillment Service
Submit
Order
Client
Web
App
Labeling
Service
Create
Label
Orders
Service
Check
Inventory
Inventory
Service
Approve
Label
Check
Credit
Finalize
Order
Credit Card
Processing
Service
The Buzz Shoppe
Implementing the Inventory Workflow Service
Introducing Correlation
Map messages to specific workflow instance
Uses correlation queries
Two types of correlation
Context based
Content based
Can use both within single workflow service
ID = 42
ID = 42
Correlation Query
Instance
Store
Context Based Correlation
Correlating on the GUID instance ID of the
workflow
Other
Service
Workflow
GUID
Send
Correlation
Query
Instance
Store
Receive
GUID
Correlation
Query
GUID
Calls Back
Content Based Correlation
XPath extraction of correlation value, run
against entire message envelope
Other
Service
Workflow
Id = 42
Send
Correlation
Query
Instance
Store
Receive
Id = 42
Correlation
Query
Id = 42
Calls Back
Asynchronous Operations
One way operations using correlation provides
simple async infrastructure
Other
Service
Workflow
Send
Id = 42
Do Work
Do Work
Do Work
Receive
Id = 42
Calls Back
The Buzz Shoppe
Order Fulfillment Service
Submit
Order
Client
Web
App
Labeling
Service
Create
Label
Orders
Service
Check
Inventory
Inventory
Service
Approve
Label
Check
Credit
Finalize
Order
Credit Card
Processing
Service
The Buzz Shoppe
Building the Order Fulfillment Orchestrating Workflow Service
Session Objectives And Takeaways
Session Objective(s):
Become acquainted with Dublin’s core features
Learn how Dublin-related features improve
deployment, configuration, management, and
monitoring of WCF and WF services
Dublin offers enterprise-ready features for
hosting, persistence, monitoring and messaging
Dublin includes templates, management tools,
PowerShell automation, and OOB services
supporting common requirements
What is "Dublin"?
Dublin comprises many tools and features:
Enhanced database schemas to support persistence
and monitoring
Features installed via extensions to IIS Manager and
to the .NET Framework
PowerShell APIs support automation
Dublin, along with WCF 4 and WF 4, enhances
the Application Server role on Windows Server
2008
Collectively, the new middle tier
Dublin Goals
Makes it easier to host and manage WCF and
WF Services
“It just works” is the Dublin tag line
Provide much needed tooling and scripting for
deployment, management, tracking and
monitoring
Tooling in Visual Studio and IIS Manager
Automation with PowerShell
Extends the .NET Framework with a rich set of
OOB functionality that satisfies common
requirements
Dublin-Related
Enhancements
The New Middle Tier
Dublin-Related
Features
Quadrant
Visual Studio
IIS Manager
Model Deployment to Dublin
WF and WCF
Project Templates
WF and WCF Management
Modules
Management APIs (PowerShell cmdlets)
Persistence
Availability, Deployment,
Control
Durable
Timer Service
Discovery
Service
Reliablility,
Scalablity
Instance
Restart
Behavior
SQL
Persistence
Provider
Monitoring
Messaging
Application Monitoring
WF SQL
Tracking
WCF SQL
Tracking
Versioning, Partitioning,
Routing
Router
Service
AutoStart
Service
Persistence schema
Runtime Databases
WCF and WF Frameworks
IIS/WAS
Microsoft Confidential
Windows Server 2008
Monitoring schema
System Center
Hosting
App Server SCOM Pack
Dublin-Related Tools and Features
Dublin and IIS Manager
Dublin adds features to IIS Manager
Can configure for machine, web site or
application
Hierchical
inheritance of
settings
Export/Import
are MSDeploy
features
Dublin and PowerShell
Management API
Dublin supplies a collection of PowerShell
cmdlets to automate access to features
Execute cmdlets from:
Windows Application Server PowerShell Console
Custom PowerShell scripts
MSBuild scripts
IIS Manager
WF and WCF Management
Modules
Management APIs
(PowerShell Cmdlets)
MSDeploy
MSBuild
Custom
PowerShell Scripts
Dublin and Visual Studio
Enhancing WCF and WF Service templates
Generate IIS application
Sample service and config
Enable Dublin behaviors
F5 debugging experience
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Dublin Features
Features that support configuration,
deployment, hosting, persistence, monitoring
and messaging
Extensions to the .NET Framework
Supporting database schemas
WCF/WF Management Modules in IIS
Configure features
Track and monitor services
Control persisted service instances
Tight integration with WCF 4 and WF 4 features
Centralized Configuration
Accessibility of WCF and WF Service
configuration settings relevant to IT
administrators
Control service throttling behaviors
Configure service certificates
Enable new persistence and tracking behaviors
to facilitate state management and monitoring
Enable new hosting behaviors for exception
handling, automatic start and instance restart
Easier Deployment
From Visual Studio:
Developers can create new applications that are
hosted in Dublin
Developers can publish and debug applications
From IIS:
Can refine application configurations and export
packages
Can import packages to set up new machines
MSDeploy features
Can automate with PowerShell
Managing Deployments
Visual Studio templates set up application
directories with default configuration
F5 debugging support in Visual Studio
Publishing from Visual Studio
Application export and import through IIS
Manager or PowerShell
Export/Import are MSDeploy features
Dublin installs MSDeploy
Managing Deployments
Deploy services from VS or with PowerShell
Export and import applications and services
Automate service updates
Disable messaging protocols for updates
Services
Services
Services
Services
Services
Services
Export
Package.zip
Import
Application
Application
Dublin
Dublin
Development Server
Test Server
Managing Deployments
AutoStart
Services hosted in Dublin use message-based
activation
The AutoStart feature improves host
responsiveness
Initializes the worker process before the first
message is received
Important availability feature for services
hosted in the Cloud
Persistence
Dublin supplies database schema and
configuration
WF 4 supplies persistence behavior for durable
WF Services
Unifies persistence configuration and storage
format for WCF and WF
Can configure via IIS or PowerShell cmdlets
Can use SQL Express or SQL Server
Improved persistence schema with smaller
footprint
Persistence
Durable services have the service persistence
behavior enabled
Services can persist on Unload or when Persist
activities are executed
Improved lock management improves
availability of services
Requests to an instance in use will be retried, not
rejected
Instance Management
WF Services are more compelling with .NET 4
and Dublin
Previously developers had to build a
management UI to interact with WF instances
Dublin supplies instance management controls
via IIS Manager or PowerShell
Can suspend, resume, abort or terminate
workflow instances
Can report on workflow instances
Instance Management
Durable instances traverse a variety of states
during execution:
Running, Blocked, Suspended, ReadyToRun
Dublin tools provide control through a workflow
control endpoint
Can suspend, resume or terminate
InstanceRestartService resets state of orphaned
WF services
DurableTimerService triggers WF service to
wakeup after delay
Locking Issues
Client A
Client B
WFService
Instance
(Running)
Locked
Locking Issues
Client A
Client B
WFService
Instance
(Running)
Exception
Locked
Improved Lock Management
Client A
Client B
WFService
Instance
(Running)
WFService
Instance
(Running)
Unlocked
Locked
Instance Restart
Instance
Restart
Client A
Client B
WFService
Instance
(Running)
WFService
Instance
(Running)
Unlocked
Locked
Tracking and Monitoring
WCF 4, WF 4 and Dublin together supply
features for tracking and monitoring
Increased visibility into WCF and WF Services
Configure profiles to control tracking events
emitted by WCF and WF Services
Troubleshoot problems by monitoring tracking
events via IIS Manager
Generate tracking reports using PowerShell
cmdlets or SQL views
Tracking and Monitoring
Enable/disable tracking on services
Tracking profiles describe what to track
Basic WF events, verbose WF events, or WCF
activity tracing for correlation
Custom profiles can add variable tracking
Defined in XAML or code
Tracking configurations associate profiles with
tracking participants
Configures service tracking behavior
By default tracking data stored in the configured
monitoring database
Tracking and Monitoring
WF
Service
Tracking
Configuration
Tracking
Profile
Config
Tracking
Behavior
Tracking
Participant
Workflow Definition
XAML
Profile
XAML
Profile
Monitoring
Database
Activities
Activities
Variables
Variables
Additional Points
Dublin features are useful to durable and nondurable WCF services
Deployment, monitoring, auto start
Dublin provides model deployment from
Quadrant (“Oslo”) solutions
Dublin does not replace BizTalk Server
Use BizTalk for integration adapters,
transformations, analysis
Dublin can host services accessible through the
cloud (Azure)
Summary: Hosting WCF and WF in
Dublin
Dublin provides an extensive tools and features
to support WCF and WF services
Enhances packaging, deployment,
management, and monitoring
Improves reliability, availability, and scalability
Simple to use extensions to IIS Manager
Powerful scripting capabilities
Resources
Michele’s Blog:
http://www.dasblonde.net
See post-conference blog posts for
samples from this and other
sessions at Tech Ed!
Zoiner’s Blog:
http://www.theworkflowelement.com
Resources
www.microsoft.com/teched
www.microsoft.com/learning
Sessions On-Demand & Community
Microsoft Certification & Training Resources
http://microsoft.com/technet
http://microsoft.com/msdn
Resources for IT Professionals
Resources for Developers
www.microsoft.com/learning
Microsoft Certification and Training Resources
Related Content
Breakout Sessions (session codes and titles)
Interactive Theater Sessions (session codes and titles)
Hands-on Labs (session codes and titles)
Hands-on Labs (session codes and titles)
Track Resources
Resource 1
Resource 2
Resource 3
Resource 4
Complete an
evaluation on
CommNet and
enter to win!
© 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.
The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should
not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS,
IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.
