Managing messages sent between services

Abstract

Disclosed are some implementations of methods and apparatus for managing services within a computer network. In one embodiment, a message interchange network for exchanging application-level messages between services, which are located outside the message interchange network, is provided. At the message interchange network, a plurality of application-level messages, which each specify which one or more receiving services are to receive the each application-level message, are received. Each received application-level message is forward towards the one or more receiving services. Correlation information regarding each application-level message that is received into message interchange network is retained. The application-level messages are sent between pairs of the services, and the retained correlation information for each application-level message pertains to each application-level message and any other application-level messages related to the each application-level message. A query can then be received, at the message interchange network from a first service, to search the retained correlation information for specific one or more portions of the retained correlation information. A response to the query, which includes the specific one or more portions of the retained correlation information, is sent to the first service.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A data processing system comprising:
 a server system comprising one or more processors configurable to cause:
 providing, at a message bus, a service registry, the message bus being configurable to receive request messages from service consumers to service providers, the message bus being configurable to send reply messages from service providers to service consumers, the service registry being a network-based directory comprising a plurality of available services provided by the service providers; 
 assigning a request identifier to a first request message received at the message bus from a first service consumer to a first service provider, the request identifier being a first token that uniquely identifies the first request message, the first request message being a one of a plurality of request messages from the first service consumer to a plurality of service providers; 
 associating a correlation identifier with a first reply message from the first service provider to the first service consumer, the first reply message being a response to the first request message, the correlation identifier being a second token having a same value as the first token; and 
 sending, based on the association of the reply message with the correlation identifier, the first reply message to the first service consumer. 
   
     
     
         20 . The data processing system of  claim 19 , wherein the message bus is further configurable to:
 accept and store contracts from the service providers, and   provide the contracts to the service consumers.   
     
     
         21 . The data processing system of  claim 20 , wherein each contract is associated with a service provider and each contract specifies a format of request messages and reply messages corresponding to the associated service provider. 
     
     
         22 . The data processing system of  claim 19 , wherein the first request message comprises a message header and the message header comprises the request identifier. 
     
     
         23 . The data processing system of  claim 19 , wherein:
 a first group of messages, processed at the message bus, belong to a first one of a plurality of calls, each call being between a pair of services provided by the service providers, at least a portion of the calls being related to each other by invoking or causing invocation of a same service, and   the related calls belong to a first one of a plurality of sessions.   
     
     
         24 . The data processing system of  claim 23 , the one or more processors further configurable to cause:
 associating the first group of messages with a call identifier identifying the first call and a session identifier identifying the first session.   
     
     
         25 . The data processing system of  claim 23 , the one or more processors further configurable to cause:
 processing, at the message bus, a query received from a first requestor to search for a specific message, call, or session; and   sending, to the first requestor, a reply to the query.   
     
     
         26 . A method comprising:
 providing, at a message bus implemented using a server system, a service registry, the message bus being configurable to receive request messages from service consumers to service providers, the message bus being configurable to send reply messages from service providers to service consumers, the service registry being a network-based directory comprising a plurality of available services provided by the service providers;   assigning a request identifier to a first request message received at the message bus from a first service consumer to a first service provider, the request identifier being a first token that uniquely identifies the first request message, the first request message being a one of a plurality of request messages from the first service consumer to a plurality of service providers;   associating a correlation identifier with a first reply message from the first service provider to the first service consumer, the first reply message being a response to the first request message, the correlation identifier being a second token having a same value as the first token; and   sending, based on the association of the reply message with the correlation identifier, the first reply message to the first service consumer.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the message bus is further configurable to:
 accept and store contracts from the service providers, and   provide the contracts to the service consumers.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein each contract is associated with a service provider and each contract specifies a format of request messages and reply messages corresponding to the associated service provider. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the first request message comprises a message header and the message header comprises the request identifier. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein:
 a first group of messages, processed at the message bus, belong to a first one of a plurality of calls, each call being between a pair of services provided by the service providers, at least a portion of the calls being related to each other by invoking or causing invocation of a same service, and   the related calls belong to a first one of a plurality of sessions.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 associating the first group of messages with a call identifier identifying the first call and a session identifier identifying the first session.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 processing, at the message bus, a query received from a first requestor to search for a specific message, call, or session; and   sending, to the first requestor, a reply to the query.   
     
     
         33 . A computer program product comprising computer-readable program code capable of being executed by one or more processors when retrieved from a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the program code comprising instructions configurable to cause:
 providing, at a message bus, a service registry, the message bus being configurable to receive request messages from service consumers to service providers, the message bus being configurable to send reply messages from service providers to service consumers, the service registry being a network-based directory comprising a plurality of available services provided by the service providers;   assigning a request identifier to a first request message received at the message bus from a first service consumer to a first service provider, the request identifier being a first token that uniquely identifies the first request message, the first request message being a one of a plurality of request messages from the first service consumer to a plurality of service providers;   associating a correlation identifier with a first reply message from the first service provider to the first service consumer, the first reply message being a response to the first request message, the correlation identifier being a second token having a same value as the first token; and   sending, based on the association of the reply message with the correlation identifier, the first reply message to the first service consumer.   
     
     
         34 . The computer program product of  claim 33 , wherein the message bus is further configurable to:
 accept and store contracts from the service providers, and   provide the contracts to the service consumers.   
     
     
         35 . The computer program product of  claim 34 , wherein each contract is associated with a service provider and each contract specifies a format of request messages and reply messages corresponding to the associated service provider. 
     
     
         36 . The computer program product of  claim 33 , wherein the first request message comprises a message header and the message header comprises the request identifier. 
     
     
         37 . The computer program product of  claim 33 , wherein:
 a first group of messages, processed at the message bus, belong to a first one of a plurality of calls, each call being between a pair of services provided by the service providers, at least a portion of the calls being related to each other by invoking or causing invocation of a same service, and   the related calls belong to a first one of a plurality of sessions.   
     
     
         38 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , the instructions further configurable to cause:
 associating the first group of messages with a call identifier identifying the first call and a session identifier identifying the first session.