GridSM: a Norm-driven State Machine Model of Grid Workflow

The dynamic, heterogeneous and autonomous nature of grid environment brings some new characteristics to grid workflow, which makes it quite different from the traditional workflow. Therefore, the uncertainty and complexity of the working processes are increasing. A norm-driven state machine model of grid workflow named GridSM is offered, which utilizes norm to describe the grid workflow systems. Its advantages are that norm can express different semantics exactly and suits perfectly for depicting complicated systems. The ratiocinative ability of norm can verify the norm description of grid workflow systems, check the semantic conflicts among the norms, insure the completeness of the norm description and reflect the dynamic changes of the working processes. GridSM can also picture real-time states of grid workflow systems, which will be the theoretical foundation for the simulation of systems. At last, the prototype system named NormTools verifies the norm description of grid sorting flow, and the result is satisfying