Three fundamental dimensions of scientific workflow interoperability: Model of computation, language, and execution environment

We investigate interoperability aspects of scientific workflow systems and argue that the workflow execution environment, the model of computation (MoC), and the workflow language form three dimensions that must be considered depending on the type of interoperability sought: at the activity, sub-workflow, or workflow levels. With a focus on the problems that affect interoperability, we illustrate how these issues are tackled by current scientific workflows as well as how similar problems have been addressed in related areas. Our long-term objective is to achieve (logical) interoperability between workflow systems operating under different MoCs, using distinct language features, and sharing activities running on different execution environments. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.