DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING NETWORK

1 . A computer-implemented apparatus for a distributed processing network, comprising:

a processing unit that is configured to perform a primary function;

a metadata rules set that is configured to store information related to options for the performance of the primary function;

a message receptor that is configured to receive a message from an external source;

a message parser that is configured to parse a received message and to translate the received message to a binary form capable of being recognized by the processing unit;

a message constructor that is configured to construct an outbound message based at least in part on performance of the primary function by the processing unit;

a data structure that is configured to store state information and to permit a value of the state information to be set by the processing unit; and

a message transmitter that is configured to transmit the outbound message.

2 . The computer-implemented apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

an event subscription receiver that is configured to receive an inbound event message from an external source and to make the inbound event message available for parsing by the message parser; and

an event broadcast transmitter that is configured to transmit an outbound event message constructed by the message constructor.

3 . The computer-implemented apparatus of claim 1 , wherein outputs of the primary function are selected from the set consisting of setting a state in the data structure, constructing a message in the message constructor, and transmission of a message from the message transmitter.

4 . A distributed processing system, comprising:

a first business intelligence object that is hosted on a first computer and is configured to perform a first primary function in accordance with a first set of metadata rules; and

a second business intelligence object that is configured to perform a second primary function in accordance with a second set of metadata rules;

wherein the first business intelligence object is configured to send a message based at least in part on execution of the first primary function through an enterprise message system to the second business intelligence object that is configured both to receive the message and to execute the second primary function using information in the message.

5 . The distributed processing system of claim 4 , further comprising a second instance of the first business intelligence object, wherein the first business intelligence object and the second instance of the first business intelligence object operate independently of, and in parallel with, each other.

6 . The distributed processing system of claim 4 , further comprising a third business intelligence object that is configured to perform a third primary function in accordance with a third set of metadata rules, wherein the third business intelligence object is configured to send a second message based at least in part on execution of the third primary function to the second business intelligence object, which in turn is configured to receive the second message and to execute the second primary function using information in the message and in the second message.

7 . The distributed processing system of claim 4 , further comprising a third business intelligence object that is configured to perform a third primary function in accordance with a third set of metadata rules, wherein the third business intelligence object is configured to receive the message and to execute the third primary function using information in the message.