Patent ID: 7877498

Claim:
A method for controlling streaming data in a streaming data engine comprising: identifying an existing streaming data channel and disabling the channel so that data cannot be streamed; breaking the channel at least at one point to form at least one pair of channel connection points; connecting at least one streaming data plug-in between the at least one pair of connection points so that the channel is remade; enabling the channel so that streaming data can flow through the channel via the at least one plug-in, wherein the at least one plug-in can process the streaming data as it flows through the channel; in response to the at least one plug-in attached to the streaming data engine failing to comply with one or more plug-in configuration rules, disabling the channel and reconfiguring the streaming data engine so that the at least one plug-in complies with the configuration rules; and in response to the at least one plug-in attached to the streaming data engine failing to comply with one or more plug-in optimization rules, disabling the channel and reconfiguring the streaming data engine so that the at least one plug-in complies with the optimization rules.