Jump to content

User:Davin fifield/Oracle Policy Automation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Davin fifield (talk | contribs) at 07:05, 25 March 2010. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

In computing,Oracle Policy Automation (often abbreviated to OPA) is a suite of software products for modeling and deploying business rules within enterprise applications. Oracle acquired OPA in December 2008 when it purchased Australian software company RuleBurst Holdings, then trading as Haley[1]. Oracle Policy Automation was designed by RuleBurst to transform legislation and policy documents into executable business rules, particularly for the calculation of benefit entitlements and payment amounts. Although OPA was originally developed for and sold to the public sector[2], the approach it adopts is applicable to many industries.[3][4]

Features and Components

Oracle Policy Modeling is a Windows desktop application for transforming legislation and policy documents into executable business rules. Rules are written in Word and Excel documents using phrases in languages such as English, Chinese and French[5]. These rule documents can be shared amongst business and IT stakeholders, and commentary can be added into the documents without affecting the structure of the rules themselves. Other features of Oracle Policy Modeling include integrated test case execution and debugging capabilities, and the definition of interviews for interactive rule-based assessments. Interview screen order and branching logic can be defined using visual flow diagrams.

The Oracle Policy Automation runtime comprises three technologies:

  • Oracle Web Determinations: An interview application that uses screens, rules and flows defined in Oracle Policy Modeling to deliver Internet- and intranet-based interactive assessments. Data entered is used in combination with backward chaining to determine which screens need to be shown to the user in order to reach a decision.
  • Oracle Determinations Server: A WS-I Basic Profile compliant SOAP-based web service that exposes decision-making endpoints for deployed policy models. By passing data to Oracle Determinations Server, and receiving responses in return, enterprises can integrate rule-based decision-making with other applications and BPM solutions. Examples include Oracle's Siebel, or BPEL-orchestrated business processes. If insufficient data is provided to reach a decision, Oracle Determinations Server is able to explain what additional data may be required.
  • Oracle Determinations Engine: The engine used by both Oracle Web Determinations and Oracle Determinations Server, it is also available as a native Java and .NET API. Oracle Determinations Engine provides both full forward chaining and backward-chaining capabilities, as well as low-level access to the interview engine. Unlike Rete-based rule engines, a full audit trail of how a decision was reached can always be generated.

Both Oracle Web Determinations and Oracle Determinations Server are supported on a wide variety of application servers, including Oracle WebLogic Server, Microsoft IIS, IBM WebSphere Application Server and Apache Tomcat.

Connectors for enterprise applications such as Oracle's Siebel and SAP are also available.

Technology

History

Oracle Policy Automation was acquired by Oracle in December 2008 through the acquisition of RuleBurst Holdings Limitedwhich at the time was trading as Haley. RuleBurst had acquired the assets of Pittsburgh-based Haley Systems the previous year, and subsequently rebranded as Haley.[6].

Confusion with other Products

At the time RuleBurst acquired Haley, Haley Expert Rules (fka HaleyAuthority) was embedded in Oracle's Siebel as Siebel Business Rules. This has caused some confusion, due to the similar naming and marketing of the two business rules products branded with the Haley name.

References

  1. ^ http://www.oracle.com/haley/index.html
  2. ^ http://www.cio.com.au/article/142680/business_rules_boost_centrelink
  3. ^ http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/eye-on-oracle/oracle-hunts-for-bargains-in-down-economy/
  4. ^ http://www.techworld.com.au/article/225233/haley_wins_us_logistics_application_deployment_contract
  5. ^ http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/applications/policy-automation/pdf/Oracle%20Policy%20Automation%2010.0%20-%20Features%20and%20Benefits.pdf
  6. ^ http://www.cio.com.au/article/215028/australia_ruleburst_re-brands_haley_limited/
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Davin_fifield/Oracle_Policy_Automation&oldid=351925165"