Types of GROUPs in IBM BPM 7.5

In IBM BPM 7.5 the user -groups can be categorized into 3 types:

1. Groups that exist and managed in external directory services like LDAP.
2. Groups that are created in the environment through Admin Console.
3. Groups that are dynamically created by virtue of task allocation.

Groups that exist and managed in external directory services like LDAP

Such groups are created and managed in external directory services like LDAP. Such groups are imported into the BPM database when an user logs in for the first time. Such groups have a GROUP_TYPE as "0" in the table LSW_USR_GRP_XREF. Such groups cannot be edited or deleted through the default Process Admin Console. 

TODO : Verify that the group memberships are synced automatically.

Groups that are created in the environment through Admin Console.

These groups are created and managed through the Process Admin Console. Since these groups are not represented in the centralized directory services like LDAP, these are purposed to be used inside BPM applications only. These are analogous to Teamworks logical roles in Teamworks 6.2. These groups have a GROUP_TYPE as "3" in the table LSW_USR_GRP_XREF.

Groups that are dynamically created by virtue of task allocation.

Groups are dynamically created when a new task is routed to a lane participant (Participant Group) or assigned to a list of users (Ad-hoc group). Dynamic groups corresponding to Teamworks logical roles are also created during import from a 6.2 environment. These groups are not visible on the Process Admin console, hence cannot be managed. Dynamic groups that are created from Participant Groups or Logical Roles have GROUP_TYPE as "1" in the table LSW_USR_GRP_XREF, where as the dynamic groups crated from list of users have GROUP_TYPE as "2" in the table LSW_USR_GRP_XREF.

Dynamic groups are not reused hence are good candidates for purging once the task has been completed.