Query-oriented message characterization

#Computers and computing systems have affected nearly every aspect of modern living. Computers are generally involved in work, recreation, healthcare, transportation, entertainment, household management, etc.

#Further, computing system functionality can be enhanced by a computing systems ability to be interconnected to other computing systems via network connections. Network connections may include, but are not limited to, connections via wired or wireless Ethernet, cellular connections, or even computer to computer connections through serial, parallel, USB, or other connections. The connections allow a computing system to access services at other computing systems and to quickly and efficiently receive application data messages from other computing system.

#In a message-processing application it is not uncommon for a stage of processing to require only a portion of the message as input when making a decision. An example of such a decision is message routing, which may be based on a single field or portion of the message as opposed to the entire message payload. Furthermore, the decision may only need a characterization of the message rather than the literal content. In the context of the message routing example, the routing decision may only require an equitable but repeatable distribution of messages. In other words, two messages with the same characteristic have the same routing applied but messages with different characteristics should be apportioned equally among the routing targets. Using a characteristic for message routing may be used in a fashion analogous to using a hash code for lookup in a table.

#To describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features can be obtained, a more particular description of the subject matter briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting in scope, embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 illustrates a topology for calculating characteristics used to process messages using queries;

#FIG. 2 illustrates components for optimization of queries;

#One embodiment described herein formulates the construction of a message characteristic using a query over message content, message metadata or other data. Access to the storage locations for information may be normalized and integrated into the query. Additionally, in some embodiments, the calculation of a characteristic coordinates with the messaging infrastructure so that the system can reason effectively about when information is available and when computation of the characteristic will be complete.

#Referring now to FIG. 1, an example is illustrated. FIG. 1 illustrates a query engine 102. The query engine 102 includes functionality for processing queries 104, where the queries 104 are queries against various sources of data, such as messages 108 which include message data or non-message data 110 obtainable from other sources. In particular, some embodiments may be practiced such that a message characteristic may be specified using a query over message content, metadata or other information. The query engine may include support for various languages 106. In one specific example, a query may be formulated using XPath expressions as a query language.

#Often query languages 106, such as XPath, have native functionality for accessing information in a limited variety of formats and from a limited variety of sources, while not natively including functionality for access to other information. For example, XPath includes native functionality for accessing information in an XML structured data structure, such as a message formatted using XML, but may not include functionality for determining other information from other services. Nonetheless, the query language may be extended by including extensions 112 to include functionality for accessing other services. In the XPath query language, the extensions are referred to as selectors. Additionally, some embodiments may include functionality for normalization of access to different storage locations using extensions to the query language. In some embodiments, normalization of access to different storage locations may use a mutually-agreed upon data structure. Optimization of computing multiple characteristics for the same message may be performed, as will be described in more detail below, by merging queries and executing them simultaneously or in parallel.