Configurable document server
A configurable document server is described. In some embodiments, the configurable document server can enable administrators to set an option that prevents documents from being routed to users when the configurable document server experiences some types of errors. When the configurable document server determines that such an error condition exists, it may prevent the routing of the corresponding document. By preventing documents causing errors from being routed, the configurable document server enables administrators to improve the accuracy of document workflow and thereby improve productivity of users.
1. A method of routing documents in a network environment comprising: receiving a document at a transport mechanism from a queue on a document server configured to be communicatively coupled to the transport mechanism, the document belonging to a first type of various types of documents routed in the network environment, wherein the transport mechanism is communicatively coupled to a message transport coupled to a network for sending the document, the document server is configured to place the document on the queue associated with the transport mechanism, and the transport mechanism is an independently configurable module operating independently of an originating message service or source of the document having one or more routing rules configured for that transport mechanism and providing a common processing architecture, including common scheduling and queuing support, for a plurality of message transports; selecting, by the transport mechanism, a message transport for the document from the plurality of message transports based on the application of the one or more routing rules configured for that transport mechanism to the document wherein the message transport is selected based on a workflow associated with the document and a determination whether an error condition exists in association with receipt of the document at the document server, and if an error condition exists and it was determined that a configuration option is set to prevent routing of the received document on error a first specific message transport is selected as the message transport and if the configuration option is not set to prevent routing on error, a second specific message transport is selected as the message transport; and routing, by the transport mechanism, the document from the transport mechanism to the selected message transport to transmit the document.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the document is received at the transport mechanism through an application program interface associated with the transport mechanism.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transport mechanism is a virtualized facsimile board.
4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the application programming interface provides an interface associated with the facsimile board.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the transport mechanism acts as a plug-in to the document server to receive the document.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the network is a publicly switched telephone network (PSTN).
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the network is a computer based network.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the document is routed using Fax-Over-IP protocol.
9. A system for routing documents in a network environment comprising a transport mechanism: wherein the transport mechanism is communicatively coupled to a message transport coupled to a network for sending a document, the document belonging to a first type of various types of documents routed in the network environment; the transport mechanism is communicatively coupled to a document server; and the transport mechanism is an independently configurable module operating independently of an originating message service or source of the document having one or more routing rules configured for that transport mechanism and providing a common processing architecture, including common scheduling and queuing support, for a plurality of message transports; and is configured to: receive the document from the document server, the document server is configured to place the document on a queue on the document server associated with the transport mechanism; select, by the transport mechanism, a message transport for the document from the plurality of message transports based on the application of the one or more routing rules configured for that transport mechanism to the document, wherein the message transport is selected based on a workflow associated with the document and a determination whether an error condition exists in association with receipt of the document at the document server, and if an error condition exists and it was determined that a configuration option is set to prevent routing of the received document on error a first specific message transport is selected as the message transport and if the configuration option is not set to prevent routing on error, a second specific message transport is selected as the message transport; and route, by the transport mechanism, the document from the transport mechanism to the selected message transport to transmit the document without involvement of the user.
10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising an application programming interface associated with the transport mechanism, through which the transport mechanism receives the document.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the transport mechanism is a virtualized facsimile board.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the application programming interface provides an interface associated with the facsimile board.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the transport mechanism avis as a plug-in to the document server to receive the document.
14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the network is a publicly switched telephone network (PSTN).
15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the network is a computer-based network.
16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the transport mechanism routes the document using Fax-Over-IP protocol.