Providing Rules as Web Services

Any rule models deployed to Visual Rules Execution Platform automatically become available as standard web services. These services can be consumed by a wide variety of clients, not limited to Java architectures but also available to heterogeneous architectures or legacy systems.

The necessary WSDL and XML schema files are automatically generated and contain a detailed rule interface description that enables easy integration with any web service client. Visual Rules Execution Platform also provides generic service interfaces for scenarios where loosely coupled binding is desired.

These rule services provide excellent integration into .NET applications and tools.

Multiple Versions and Dynamic Request Routing

Rule-based systems often have very demanding rule versioning requirements. Rules constantly change and these changes usually have to come into and out of effect on specific dates. The rule engine must always ensure that it executes the rules currently in effect. And often it is not just time that needs to be considered, but also country, organization or client, for example.

Visual Rules Execution Platform enables you to handle such scenarios flexibly and easily. Any number of rule models and versions of the same rule model can be deployed to Execution Server (being part of Visual Rules Execution Platform) and used at the same time. Incoming requests are automatically routed to the correct rule model and version, based on effective date or any other metadata associated with the rules. Metadata and routing logic can be fully customized, if necessary.

Auditable Rule Execution History

Compliance regulations often require enterprises to be able to fully explain any decision they made. When was something decided? Based on which data? Using which rules? Visual Rules Execution Platform automatically produces rule execution traces and keeps a history in its database.

Using execution statistics combined with Visual Rules’ unique visualization capabilities gives auditors full insight into the inner workings of rule execution and related business decisions.

High Scalability

Rule execution with Visual Rules Execution Platform is extremely fast. Any number of simultaneous threads can execute the same rule logic without affecting each other. The sequential and stateless execution mode of the rule engine provides optimal linear scalability. Execution Platform can be deployed into standard Java EE application server clusters and automatically makes full use of all cluster members.

Dynamic loading of rule code and automatic unloading of unused rule versions ensure a small memory footprint, even with thousands of individual rule models (and versions thereof) deployed simultaneously.