The document discusses the need for a unified business knowledge management platform. It argues that traditional BRMS and CEP solutions are no longer sufficient, as business knowledge includes not just rules but also processes, models, and event processing modules. An effective platform should provide a unified view and lifecycle management of all knowledge assets. It presents Drools as a platform that can fulfill this role by integrating rules, processes, and complex event processing capabilities.

1. Towards a unified Business
Knowledge Management
PlatformPlatform
Towards a unified Business
Knowledge Management
PlatformPlatform
Edson Tirelli
CEP Lead Designer
Red Hat Inc

2. Towards a unified Business Knowledge
Management Platform
Edson Tirelli
etirelli@redhat.cometirelli@redhat.com
Lead CEP Designer
JBoss, a Division of Red Hat
Towards a unified Business Knowledge
Management Platform

3. What is Business Knowledge
Business Knowledge
What is Business KnowledgeBusiness Knowledge?
Business Knowledge
Business Knowledge?
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 3

4. Is legislation business knowledge?
“All products sold in California, are due
Business Knowledge
“All products sold in California, are due
8.25% of sales taxes.”
business knowledge?
All products sold in California, are due
Business Knowledge
All products sold in California, are due
8.25% of sales taxes.”
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 4

5. Are company policies business knowledge?
“ We match any price announced by any
Business Knowledge
“ We match any price announced by any
direct competitor in the city.”
business knowledge?
“ We match any price announced by any
Business Knowledge
“ We match any price announced by any
direct competitor in the city.”
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 5

6. Is business intelligence
“Algorithmic Trading: when a given
Business Knowledge
“Algorithmic Trading: when a given
security falls more than 5% in 2 minutes,
after a government's economic
announcement, re-evaluate our position
and adjust the exposure to that security.”
business knowledge?
“Algorithmic Trading: when a given
Business Knowledge
“Algorithmic Trading: when a given
security falls more than 5% in 2 minutes,
after a government's economic
evaluate our position
and adjust the exposure to that security.”
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 6

7. Is operational data business knowledge?
Business Knowledge
Country of Residence Age
US
< 21
>= 21>= 21
Canada
< 18
>= 18
business knowledge?
Business Knowledge
Gender Risk Factor
Male 1.00
Female 0.80
Male 1.20
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 7
Male 1.20
Female 1.30
Male 0.90
Female 1.00
Male 1.20
Female 1.10

8. Are business processes
Business Knowledge
business processes business knowledge?
Business Knowledge
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 8

9. Answer: they are all Business Knowledge!
What they have in common?
declarative in nature (non
independent lifecycle
Business Knowledge
independent lifecycle
more volatile than procedural code
susceptible to analysis and optimization
Business Knowledge!
What they have in common?
declarative in nature (non-algorithmic)
Business Knowledge
more volatile than procedural code
susceptible to analysis and optimization
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 9

10. Case Study: Highway Toll systemCase Study: Highway Toll system
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 10

11. Case Study: Highway Toll system
• Vehicles using the highway have their license plates
scanned at entry and exit points
• Charge is calculated based on:
• Distance travelled
• Type of vehicle
Day of the week, time of the day• Day of the week, time of the day
• Subscription plan (for frequent users)
• Etc
• For subscribers, usage is summarized and mailed as a
monthly report
• For non-subscribers, bills are summarized and mailed on a
weekly basis
Case Study: Highway Toll system
Vehicles using the highway have their license plates
scanned at entry and exit points
Charge is calculated based on:
Day of the week, time of the day
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 11
Day of the week, time of the day
Subscription plan (for frequent users)
For subscribers, usage is summarized and mailed as a
subscribers, bills are summarized and mailed on a

12. Processes: apparent from the start
Sample non-optimized process
Processes: apparent from the start
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 12
optimized process

13. Ops… I need rules…
Sample non-optimized process
I need rules…
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 13
optimized process

14. Type of Vehicle Day of the Week Distance (km)
passenger
week day
0, 20
21, 200
weekend 0, 200
truck week day
0, 10
11, 30
Rules for what?
truck week day 11, 30
31,200
…
Sample Decision Table: rule abstraction for homogeneous
rules
Distance (km) Charge per Km($)
0, 20 0.10
21, 200 0.08
0, 200 0.05
0, 10 0.23
11, 30 0.2111, 30 0.21
31,200 0.19
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 14
: rule abstraction for homogeneous
rules

15. Rules for what?
rule “Road use for emergency response”
when
There is an emergency response
A vehicle used the road
then
Reassign the charge to municipal administration
end
Sample DSL rule: developing
“Road use for emergency response”
emergency response event in effect
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 15
to municipal administration
: developing adhoc rules

16. Rules for what?
Rules to control
process behaviour
Sample non-optimized process
Rules to control
process behaviour
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 16
optimized process

17. Ops… events?
…
There is an emergency response
…
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 17
event in effect

18. Typical CEP solutions
EventProcessors
EventProcessors
EventProcessors
EventProcessors
Streams Streams Streams
• Not flexible enough to meet the requirements for all scenarios:
• Rules and processes need access to intermediate events as well
• Event processing assets follow the same lifecycle of the rules and processes assets
Typical CEP solutions
EventProcessors
Application
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 18
EventProcessors
Streams Streams
Not flexible enough to meet the requirements for all scenarios:
Rules and processes need access to intermediate events as well
Event processing assets follow the same lifecycle of the rules and processes assets

19. What do we need?
• BRMS is no longer enough
• Business Knowledge Management
• Takes into account all knowledge assets:
• Models
• Rules
• Processes
• CEP modules
• etc
• Provides a unified view and enables lifecycle
management
What do we need?
Business Knowledge Management
Takes into account all knowledge assets:
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 19
Provides a unified view and enables lifecycle

20. Business Knowledge ManagementBusiness Knowledge Management
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21. Business Knowledge ManagementBusiness Knowledge Management
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22. Business Knowledge Management
Example documentation screen for rules
Business Knowledge Management
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Example documentation screen for rules

23. Business Knowledge ManagementBusiness Knowledge Management
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24. Business Knowledge ManagementBusiness Knowledge Management
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 24

25. Business Knowledge ManagementBusiness Knowledge Management
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 25

26. Business Knowledge ManagementBusiness Knowledge Management
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27. Drools Platform
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28. Domain OverviewDomain Overview
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29. Drools Platform
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30. Drools Platform
Rules Fest – October 2010 – © Edson Tirelli 30

31. Q&A
o Drools Documentation:
o http://www.jboss.org/drools/documentation.html
Edson Tirelli
etirelli@redhat.com
Lead CEP Designer
JBoss, a Division of Red Hat
http://www.jboss.org/drools/documentation.html