Method and apparatus for implementing container managed batch jobs in an enterprise java bean environment

Abstract

An improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions for creating and running batch jobs in an object oriented environment, such as a J2EE environment. A request to execute a batch job is received. A deployment descriptor file is processed to identify a batch bean to be invoked. This batch job session bean processes the request, parses deployment descriptor file that comprises definitions of relationships between other helper classes, entity and session beans. The identified batch bean is invoked to execute the batch job step in the order described in the deployment descriptor applying checkpoints at intervals specified in the descriptor.

1 . A method in a data processing system for generating batch jobs in an object oriented environment, the method comprising: 
 receiving a request to execute a batch job;    responsive to receiving the request, processing a deployment descriptor file to identify a batch bean for invocation to form an identified batch bean, wherein the deployment descriptor file comprises definitions of relationships between a plurality of entity and session beans; and    invoking the identified batch bean to execute the batch job.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the invoking step includes: 
 repeatedly invoking the identified batch bean until an indication is returned, indicating that a step for the identified batch bean is completed or an exception is thrown that prevents further processing.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each invocation of the identified batch bean is used to process a record in a set of records for the batch job.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the identified batch bean returns on each invocation of the identified batch bean.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 responsive to the identified batch bean returning, determining whether a check point should be performed.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein identified batch bean receives the set of records in an input batch data stream.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the object oriented environment is an enterprise JavaBeans environment.  
   
   
       8 . A data processing system for generating batch jobs in an object oriented environment, the data processing system comprising: 
 receiving means for receiving a request to execute a batch job;    processing means, responsive to receiving the request, for processing a deployment descriptor file to identify a batch bean for invocation to form an identified batch bean, wherein the deployment descriptor file comprises definitions of relationships between a plurality of entity and session beans; and    invoking means for invoking the identified batch bean to execute the batch job.    
   
   
       9 . The data processing system of  claim 8 , wherein the invoking step includes: 
 repeating means for repeatedly invoking the identified batch bean until an indication is returned, indicating that a step for the identified batch bean is completed or an exception is thrown that prevents further processing.    
   
   
       10 . The data processing system of  claim 9 , wherein each invocation of the identified batch bean is used to process a record in a set of records for the batch job.  
   
   
       11 . The data processing system of  claim 9 , wherein the identified batch bean returns on each invocation of the identified batch bean.  
   
   
       12 . The data processing system of  claim 11  further comprising: 
 determining means, responsive to the identified batch bean returning, for determining whether a check point should be performed.    
   
   
       13 . The data processing system of  claim 9 , wherein identified batch bean receives the set of records in an input batch data stream.  
   
   
       14 . A computer program product in a data processing system for generating batch jobs in an object oriented environment, the computer program product comprising: 
 first instructions for receiving a request to execute a batch job;    second instructions, responsive to receiving the request, for processing a deployment descriptor file to identify a batch bean for invocation to form an identified batch bean, wherein the deployment descriptor file comprises definitions of relationships between a plurality of entity and session beans; and    third instructions for invoking the identified batch bean to execute the batch job.    
   
   
       15 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the third instructions includes: 
 sub instructions for repeatedly invoking the identified batch bean until an indication is returned, indicating that a step for the identified batch bean is completed or an exception is thrown that prevents further processing.    
   
   
       16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein each invocation of the identified batch bean is used to process a record in a set of records for the batch job.  
   
   
       17 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the identified batch bean returns on each invocation of the identified batch bean.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising: 
 first instructions, responsive to the identified batch bean returning, for determining whether a check point should be performed.    
   
   
       19 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein identified batch bean receives the set of records in an input batch data stream.  
   
   
       20 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the object oriented environment is an enterprise JavaBeans environment.