Using an active DBMS to implement a workflow engine

A lightweight workflow server has been proposed as a cheaper alternative to today´s fat-client, high cost-per-seat commercial software products. This alternative product would also support inter-organisational workflows where there is no control over the client platforms of the independent participant organisations. As well as using GUI software embedded in a Web browser, lower cost to the user might be achieved by using a workflow engine built cheaply on top of software that is already installed on many servers, namely an active DBMS. This paper describes work done which examines the feasibility of this latter approach