Load balancing system and method

A system for processing a workflow, said workflow including a plurality of activities and workflow transition information, comprising:

• a database for storing said workflow transition information;
• a workflow queue for storing a plurality of workflow packets including at least one of said plurality of activities;
• and
• a plurality of activity servers, each of said plurality of activity servers performing at least one of said plurality of activities;
• each of said plurality of activity servers including a workflow engine for receiving said workflow transition information from said database;
• a plurality of resource managers, each of said plurality of activity servers including one of said plurality of resource managers;
• wherein each of said plurality of resource managers retrieves from said workflow queue at least one of said plurality of workflow packets that requires one of said plurality of activities for execution by said corresponding one of said plurality of activity servers, wherein each of said plurality of resource managers determines a next activity to be performed in said workflow based on said transition information and wherein each of said plurality of resource managers forwards to said workflow queue said next activity if said corresponding one of said plurality of activity servers does not perform said next activity.

Computer executable program code residing on a computer-readable medium, the program code comprising instructions for causing the computer to:

• perform a method for processing a workflow, said workflow including a plurality of activities and workflow transition information, said workflow being processed by a plurality of activity servers, each of said plurality of activity servers performing at least one of said plurality of activities;
• a) retrieve from a workflow queue a workflow packet including one of said plurality of activities to be executed, said workflow packet being retrieved by one of said plurality of activity servers performing said one of said plurality of activities;
• b) execute said activity, said activity being executed by said one of said plurality of activity servers;
• c) determine a next activity to be performed based on said workflow transition information;
• d) execute said next activity if said one of said plurality of activity servers performs said next activity;
• e) forward to said workflow queue said next activity if said one of said plurality of activity servers does not perform said activity;
• and
• repeat steps a-e until all of said plurality of activities in said workflow are executed.