Space-based architecture?

Question

One chapter in Pragmatic Programmer recommends looking at a blackboard/space-based architecture + a rules engine as a more flexible alternative to a traditional workflow system.

Answer 1

While it doesn't support the JavaSpaces API, I'd suggest looking at Oracle Coherence for a distributed and reliable "live" data store that can drive event-based workflow. Deutsche Bank, for example, successfully replaced a "SBA" (Space Based Architecture) with an event-driven system built on Coherence for their FX trading, because of both reliability and performance issues.

For the sake of full disclosure, I work at Oracle. The opinions and views expressed in this post are my own, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of my employer.

Answer 2

Gigaspaces is a successful commercial implementation of JavaSpaces -- so, I wouldn't say JavaSpaces is dead.

You might take a look at Java Shared Data Toolkit (also this article) to see if it meets your requirements.

Answer 3

Why do you regard Javaspaces as dead, beyond the fact that the Jini 2.1 release was some time ago (October 2005) ? Having used that, I'd suggest that it indicates a mature and complete technology set rather than something abandoned and defunct.

For another implementation of Javaspaces, take a look at Blitz Javaspaces. That's maintained and enhanced more regularly (latest release July 2008) and offers a more performant and manageable Javaspace implementation than the default outrigger supplied by Sun.