Architectural runtime configuration management in support of dependable self-adaptive software

ABSTRACT

The dynamic nature of some self-adaptive software systems can result in potentially unpredictable adaptations, which may be detrimental to overall system dependability by diminishing trust in the adaptation process. This paper describes our initial work with architectural runtime configuration management in order to improve dependability and overall system usefulness by maintaining a record of reconfigurations and providing support for architectural recovery operations. Our approach---fully decoupled from self-adaptive systems themselves and the adaptation management processes governing their changes---provides for better adaptation visibility and self-adaptive process dependability. We elaborate on the vision for our overall approach, present early implementation and testing results from prototyping efforts, and discuss our future plans.

REFERENCES

• 1: A. Avizienis, J.-C. Laprie, and B. Randell. Fundamental Concepts of Dependability. Technical Report 010028, University of California, Los Angeles, April 2001.
• 2: Reidar Conradi , Bernhard Westfechtel, Version models for software configuration management, ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR), v.30 n.2, p.232-282, June 1998 [doi>10.1145/280277.280280]
• 3: Eric M. Dashofy , André Van der Hoek , Richard N. Taylor, A Highly-Extensible, XML-Based Architecture Description Language, Proceedings of the Working IEEE/IFIP Conference on Software Architecture (WICSA'01), p.103, August 28-31, 2001 [doi>10.1109/WICSA.2001.948416]
• 4: David Garlan , Bradley Schmerl, Model-based adaptation for self-healing systems, Proceedings of the first workshop on Self-healing systems, November 18-19, 2002, Charleston, South Carolina [doi>10.1145/582128.582134]
• 5: John C. Georgas , Richard N. Taylor, Towards a knowledge-based approach to architectural adaptation management, Proceedings of the 1st ACM SIGSOFT workshop on Self-managed systems, p.59-63, October 31-November 01, 2004, Newport Beach, California [doi>10.1145/1075405.1075417]
• 6: Institute for Software Research, University of California, Irvine. ArchStudio, An Architecture-based Development Environment. http://www.isr.uci.edu/projects/archstudio/.
• 7: Paola Inverardi , Alexander L. Wolf, Formal Specification and Analysis of Software Architectures Using the Chemical Abstract Machine Model, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, v.21 n.4, p.373-386, April 1995 [doi>10.1109/32.385973]
• 8: Jeff Kramer , Jeff Magee, Dynamic configuration for distributed systems, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, v.11 n.4, p.424-436, April 1985 [doi>10.1109/TSE.1985.232231]
• 9: Jeff Magee , Jeff Kramer, Self organising software architectures, Joint proceedings of the second international software architecture workshop (ISAW-2) and international workshop on multiple perspectives in software development (Viewpoints '96) on SIGSOFT '96 workshops, p.35-38, October 16-18, 1996, San Francisco, California, United States [doi>10.1145/243327.243345]
• 10: Peyman Oreizy , Michael M. Gorlick , Richard N. Taylor , Dennis Heimbigner , Gregory Johnson , Nenad Medvidovic , Alex Quilici , David S. Rosenblum , Alexander L. Wolf, An Architecture-Based Approach to Self-Adaptive Software, IEEE Intelligent Systems, v.14 n.3, p.54-62, May 1999 [doi>10.1109/5254.769885]
• 11: Peyman Oreizy , Nenad Medvidovic , Richard N. Taylor, Architecture-based runtime software evolution, Proceedings of the 20th international conference on Software engineering, p.177-186, April 19-25, 1998, Kyoto, Japan
• 12: Dewayne E. Perry , Alexander L. Wolf, Foundations for the study of software architecture, ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Notes, v.17 n.4, p.40-52, Oct. 1992 [doi>10.1145/141874.141884]
• 13: Roshanak Roshandel , André Van Der Hoek , Marija Mikic-Rakic , Nenad Medvidovic, Mae---a system model and environment for managing architectural evolution, ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology (TOSEM), v.13 n.2, p.240-276, April 2004 [doi>10.1145/1018210.1018213]
• 14: Walter F. Tichy, RCS—a system for version control, Software—Practice & Experience, v.15 n.7, p.637-654, July 1985 [doi>10.1002/spe.4380150703]
• 15: Christopher van der Westhuizen , André van der Hoek, Understanding and Propagating Architecutural Changes, Proceedings of the IFIP 17th World Computer Congress - TC2 Stream / 3rd IEEE/IFIP Conference on Software Architecture: System Design, Development and Maintenance, p.95-109, August 25-30, 2002
• 16: M. Wermelinger, Towards a Chemical Model for Software Architecture Reconfiguration, Proceedings of the International Conference on Configurable Distributed Systems, p.111, March 04-06, 1998

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
        D.2.11 Software Architectures
            Subjects: Languages (e.g., description, interconnection, definition)

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.7 Distribution, Maintenance, and Enhancement
          Subjects: Version control

General Terms:
Design, Management, Reliability

Keywords:
architectural runtime configuration management, dependability, self-adaptive software