System and method for implementing a cloud workflow
View Patent ↗System and method for implementing a workflow of a first domain, wherein the workflow is implemented as a series of steps to accomplish a workload and wherein at least one of the steps utilizes a process, are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises establishing a mutual trust relationship between the first domain and a second domain; wherein one of the steps is authored by the second domain, the method further comprising associating with the step authored by the second domain a digital attestation for enabling the first domain to verify authorship and non-modification thereof.
1. A method comprising:
implementing a workflow of a first domain associated with a first computing enterprise, wherein the workflow is implemented as a series of steps to accomplish a workload and wherein at least one of the steps utilizes a process, wherein implementing the workflow of the first domain includes:
establishing a mutual trust relationship between the first domain and a second domain associated with a second computing enterprise;
after establishing the mutual trust relationship, authoring one of the steps to accomplish the workload of the first domain by a computer of the second computing enterprise associated with the second domain; and
associating with the step authored by the second domain a digital attestation for enabling the first domain to verify authorship and non-modification of the step authored by the second domain.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing a secure communications channel between the first domain and a cloud computing environment.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising establishing a secure communications channel between the second domain and the cloud computing environment.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the steps references a process executing in a cloud computing environment, the method further comprising implementing a mechanism whereby the referenced process is accessible by both the first and second domains.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
initiating storage in the first domain in connection with one of the steps;
migrating the storage from the first domain to a cloud computing environment; and
implementing a mechanism whereby the migrated storage is accessible by the first and second domains.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising, subsequent to the migrating:
further migrating the migrated storage from the cloud computing environment to the second domain;
processing one of the steps requiring the further migrated storage in the second domain; and
sharing information resulting from the processing with the first domain.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the resulting information is shared with the first domain via one of the cloud computing environment and a secure communications channel between the first and second domains.
8. A system for implementing a workflow comprising as a series of steps to accomplish a workload, wherein at least one of the steps utilizes a process, the system comprising:
a first domain in which the workflow is implemented;
a second domain having a mutual trust relationship with the first domain;
a cloud computing environment;
wherein one of the steps of the workflow is authored by the second domain, the step authored by the second domain having associated therewith a digital attestation for enabling the first domain to verify authorship and non-modification thereof.
9. The system of claim 8 further comprising a first secure communications mechanism disposed between the first domain and the cloud computing environment.
10. The system of claim 8 further comprising a second secure communications mechanism disposed between the cloud computing environment and the second domain.
11. The system of claim 8 wherein one of the steps references a process executing in the cloud computing environment, the system further comprising a mechanism whereby the referenced process is accessible by both the first and second domains.
12. The system of claim 8 further comprising storage initiated in the first domain in connection with one of the steps and migrated to the cloud computing environment, wherein the migrated storage is accessible by the first and second domains.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein the storage is further migrated from the cloud computing environment to the second domain and one of the steps requiring the further migrated storage is processed in the second domain, the system further comprising a mechanism for sharing information resulting from the processing with the first domain.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein the mechanism for sharing the resulting information comprises one of the cloud computing environment and a secure communications channel between the first and second domains.
15. A system for implementing a workflow comprising a series of steps for accomplishing a workload, wherein at least one of the steps utilizes a process, the system comprising:
a first computing enterprise associated with a first domain in which the workflow is implemented;
a second computing enterprise associated with a second domain having a mutual trust relationship with the first domain, wherein one of the steps to accomplish the workload of the first domain is authored by a computer of the second computing enterprise associated with the second domain; and
a digital attestation associated with the step authored by the second domain for enabling the first domain to verify authorship and non-modification of the step authored by the second domain.
16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:
a secure communications channel established between the first domain and a cloud computing environment; and
a secure communications channel established between the second domain and the cloud computing environment.
17. The system of claim 15 wherein one of the steps references a process executing in the cloud computing environment, the system further comprising a communications channel for rendering the referenced process accessible by both the first and second domains.
18. The system of claim 15 further comprising:
storage in the first domain connected with one of the steps;
storage in the cloud computing environment including data migrated from the storage of the first domain; and
a secure communications channel for rendering the storage in the cloud computing environment accessible by the first and second domains.
19. The system of claim 18 wherein the data migrated to the storage in the cloud computing environment is further migrated to the second domain;
wherein a computer of the second computing enterprise associated with the second domain processes one of the steps requiring the further migrated data in the second domain; and
wherein the second domain shares information resulting from the processing of the further migrated data with the first domain over the secure communications channel.
20. The system of claim 19 wherein the secure communications channel comprises a first portion between the first domain and the cloud computing environment and a second portion between the second domain and the cloud computing environment.