System and method for providing data services via a network

1. A computer-implemented method comprising executing computer executable instructions by one or more computer processors for performing an error handling activity, the method further comprising:

determining an error handling activity to be performed;

examining, by the one or more computer processors, a stored hierarchy comprising at least one profiler table, the stored hierarchy indicating a first alternate component for performing the activity first and a second alternate component for performing the activity if the first alternate component fails;

invoking, by at least one computer processor, the first alternate component to perform the activity;

invoking, by the at least one computer processor, the second alternate component to perform the activity, when a failure of the first alternate component to perform the activity is detected; and

storing, by the at least one computer processor, in the at least one profiler table a revised hierarchy indicating that the second alternate component is to be invoked to perform the activity before the first alternate component is invoked to perform the activity.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the at least one computer processor, a first indication of a failure of the first alternate component to perform the activity.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first indication is received from the first alternate component.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the at least one computer processor, a second indication of a failure of the second alternate component to perform the activity.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second indication is received from the second alternate component.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the activity is selected from a group consisting of: accessing a remote database server, retrieving data from a database, invoking a stored procedure, converting a data file from a first format to a second format, converting a data file from a first language to a second language, creating a new file, appending data to an existing file, executing operating system commands locally and remotely, loading data into a database table, archiving and compressing data, and invoking web services from the Internet.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first alternate component comprises a precompiled software component.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second alternate component comprises a pre-compiled software component.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a revised hierarchy indicating that the second alternate component is to be invoked to perform the activity before the first alternate component is invoked to perform the activity.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the activity is defined in one or more profiling tables.

11. A computer-implemented apparatus for performing an error handling activity defined in a profile, the apparatus comprising:

at least one memory for storing data and computer-executable instructions; and at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory and further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions for:

determining, by at least one processor, an error handling activity to be performed;

examining, by the at least one processor, a stored hierarchy in at least one profiler table, the stored hierarchy indicating a first alternate component for performing the activity first and a second alternate component for performing the activity if the first alternate component fails;

invoking, by the at least one processor, the first alternate component to perform the activity;

invoking, by the at least one processor, the second alternate component to perform the activity, when a failure of the first alternate component to perform the activity is detected; and

storing, in the at least one memory, a revised hierarchy in the at least one profiler table indicating that the second alternate component is to be invoked to perform the activity before the first alternate component is invoked to perform the activity.

12. A system for performing an error handling activity defined in a profile, comprising:

at least one memory for storing a hierarchy in at least one profiler table, the hierarchy indicating a first alternate component for performing the error handling activity first and a second alternate component for performing the activity if the first alternate component fails; and

at least one computer processor programmed to:

determine an activity to be performed;

examine the stored hierarchy;

invoke the first alternate component to perform the activity;

invoke the second alternate component to perform the activity, when a failure of the first alternate component to perform the activity is detected; and

store a revised hierarchy in the at least one profiler table, the revised hierarchy indicating that the second alternate component is to be invoked to perform the activity before the first alternate component is invoked to perform the activity.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to: receive a first indication of a failure of the first alternate component to perform the activity.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first indication is received from the first alternate component.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to: receive a second indication of a failure of the second alternate component to perform the activity.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second indication is received from the second alternate component.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the activity is selected from a group consisting of: accessing a remote database server, retrieving data from a database, invoking a stored procedure, converting a data file from a first format to a second format, converting a data file from a first language to a second language, creating a new file, appending data to an existing file, executing operating system commands locally and remotely, loading data into a database table, archiving and compressing data, and invoking web services from the Internet.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first alternate component comprises a pre-compiled software component.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the second alternate component comprises a pre-compiled software component.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:

generate a revised hierarchy indicating that the second alternate component is to be invoked to perform the activity before the first alternate component is invoked to perform the activity.