/*
 * CDDL HEADER START
 *
 * The contents of this file are subject to the terms of the
 * Common Development and Distribution License, Version 1.0 only
 * (the "License").  You may not use this file except in compliance
 * with the License.
 *
 * You can obtain a copy of the license at
 * trunk/opends/resource/legal-notices/OpenDS.LICENSE
 * or https://OpenDS.dev.java.net/OpenDS.LICENSE.
 * See the License for the specific language governing permissions
 * and limitations under the License.
 *
 * When distributing Covered Code, include this CDDL HEADER in each
 * file and include the License file at
 * trunk/opends/resource/legal-notices/OpenDS.LICENSE.  If applicable,
 * add the following below this CDDL HEADER, with the fields enclosed
 * by brackets "[]" replaced with your own identifying information:
 *      Portions Copyright [yyyy] [name of copyright owner]
 *
 * CDDL HEADER END
 *
 *
 *      Copyright 2008 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
 */
package org.opends.server.core;


import org.opends.server.types.DN;
import org.opends.server.types.Operation;
import org.opends.server.types.CanceledOperationException;


/**
 * This class defines the workflow interface. There can be two
 * implementations for the workflows.
 *
 * In the first workflow implementation a workflow is a list of
 * structured tasks (aka workflow element). Each task is working
 * on a set of data being identified by a base DN. The order of the
 * tasks and their synchronization are defined statically by a task
 * tree.
 *
 * In the second workflow implementation each workflow is a node
 * in a workflow tree (aka worflow topology). Each node in the tree
 * is linked to a workflow object of the first implementation and the
 * base DN of the node is the base DN of the attached workflow object.
 * The relationship of the nodes in the tree is based on the base DNs
 * of the nodes. A workflow node is a subordinate of another workflow
 * node when the base DN of the former is a superior of the base DN of
 * the latter. Workflow topology are useful, for example, in subtree
 * searches: search is performed on a node as well as on all the
 * subordinate nodes.
 */
public interface Workflow
{
  /**
   * Gets the base DN which identifies the set of data upon which the
   * workflow is to be executed.
   *
   * @return the base DN of the workflow
   */
  public DN getBaseDN();


  /**
   * Executes all the tasks defined by the workflow task tree for a given
   * operation.
   *
   * @param operation  the operation to execute
   *
   * @throws CanceledOperationException if this operation should
   * be cancelled.
   */
  public void execute(Operation operation)
      throws CanceledOperationException;
}