Abstract: Activation policies for workflows are described. Some implementations support receiving a definition of a workflow, including data defining an input set for the workflow and data defining activities and a flow of the activities for the workflow. The data includes an activation policy for at least a particular activity of the activities. An estimated operational outcome for the workflow and/or each of the activities is determined and displayed. Then data identifying edits to the activation policy are received, and an updated version of the estimated operational outcome for the workflow and/or each of the activities is determined and displayed.

Abstract: Activation policies for workflows are described. Some implementations support receiving a definition of a workflow, including data defining an input set for the workflow and data defining activities and a flow of the activities for the workflow. The data includes an activation policy for at least a particular activity of the activities. An estimated operational outcome for the workflow and/or each of the activities is determined and displayed. Then data identifying edits to the activation policy are received, and an updated version of the estimated operational outcome for the workflow and/or each of the activities is determined and displayed.

Abstract: Activation policies for workflows are described. Some implementations support the configuring of a workflow such that an activity in the workflow can start processing items on which a prior activity's processing is completed, but before the prior activity has completed processing all the items. In addition, this activity can be configured to group the items received so far into a subset and process it according to the action of the activity and then send it to a next activity; and the activity can be configured to repeat this process multiple times using the items that have been received since the previous subset. In some implementations, an input set of items for a workflow is generated from a set of one or more sources, and the workflow is generated by splitting the input set into subsets via a recurring catch and release mechanism that is responsive to activation policies of the activities of the workflow.

Abstract: A method by a computing device to allocate computing resources for processing items in a queue using a list of computing resource allocation steps. The method includes determining a total amount of computing resources that are to be allocated for processing items in the queue based on a current number of items in the queue and the list of computing resource allocation steps, where the list of computing resource allocation steps specifies a plurality of ordered steps. Each step in the plurality of ordered steps defines a rate at which additional computing resources are allocated for processing items in the queue when the number of items in the queue is within a particular range. The method further includes adjusting an amount of computing resources allocated for processing items in the queue to match the determined total amount.

Abstract: Activation policies for workflows are described. Some implementations support the configuring of a workflow such that an activity in the workflow can start processing items on which a prior activity's processing is completed, but before the prior activity has completed processing all the items. In addition, this activity can be configured to group the items received so far into a subset and process it according to the action of the activity and then send it to a next activity; and the activity can be configured to repeat this process multiple times using the items that have been received since the previous subset. In some implementations, an input set of items for a workflow is generated from a set of one or more sources, and the workflow is generated by splitting the input set into subsets via a recurring catch and release mechanism that is responsive to activation policies of the activities of the workflow.

Abstract: A method by a computing device to allocate computing resources for processing items in a queue using a list of computing resource allocation steps. The method includes determining a total amount of computing resources that are to be allocated for processing items in the queue based on a current number of items in the queue and the list of computing resource allocation steps, where the list of computing resource allocation steps specifies a plurality of ordered steps. Each step in the plurality of ordered steps defines a rate at which additional computing resources are allocated for processing items in the queue when the number of items in the queue is within a particular range. The method further includes adjusting an amount of computing resources allocated for processing items in the queue to match the determined total amount.