In this section we will examine how to simulate a model built as part of a service-oriented-architecture (SOA) approach, wherein a process is performed by a third-party company as a service. Within BPMN, Message Flow lines drawn between organizations (or pools) enable you to model hand-off of service-based functionality to other organizations or parts of your organization.
In our hotel system, an example of this would be going to an outside company to provide the service of a credit check on a potential customer. The Tutorial encyclopedia contains a diagram named Reservations – Credit Check. We will take a look at this diagram to see how we can simulate it.
1 In the Tutorial encyclopedia, open the Business Process diagram, Reservations – Credit Check.
This diagram is sufficient to show workflow. But to simulate it, we may need to add more precise decision information. Let us create a copy of the diagram and make changes to it specific for simulation.
2 With the diagram open and in focus, select File > Save As.
3 Name the diagram Reservations – Credit Check Simulation Ready.
Message Flow lines are not recognized by the SA Simulator; it recognizes another modeling technique to show message passing between organizations (or pools). You can model an event in both the sending and receiving pools, and specify the event as one that sends or waits for a message.
Note When simulating diagrams with Message Flows on them, SA Simulator will ignore the Message Flow lines, and issue a warning that they are being ignored, but will continue with the simulation. There is no need for you to remove Message Flows already drawn on a diagram – you just need to add additional information to the diagram to model message passing.
