Utilizing architectural styles to enhance the adaptation support of middleware platforms

• Authors: Naeem Esfahani;Sam Malek
• Venue: Information and Software Technology
• Year: 2012

Context: Modern middleware platforms provide the applications deployed on top of them with facilities for their adaptation. However, the level of adaptation support provided by the state-of-the-art middleware solutions is often limited to dynamically loading and off-loading of software components. Therefore, it is left to the application developers to handle the details of change such that the system's consistency is not jeopardized. Objective: We aim to change the status quo by providing the middleware facilities necessary to ensure the consistency of software after adaptation. We would like these facilities to be reusable across different applications, such that the middleware can streamline the process of achieving safe adaptation. Method: Our approach addresses the current shortcomings by utilizing the information encoded in a software system's architectural style. This information drives the development of reusable adaptation patterns. The patterns specify both the exact sequence of changes and the time at which those changes need to occur. We use the patterns to provide advanced adaptation support on top of an existing architectural middleware platform. Results: Our experience shows the feasibility of deriving detailed adaptation patterns for several architectural styles. Applying the middleware to adapt two real-world software systems shows the approach is effective in consistently adapting these systems without jeopardizing their consistency. Conclusion: We conclude the approach is effective in alleviating the application developers from the responsibility of managing the adaptation process at the application-level. Moreover, we believe this study provides the foundation for changing the way adaptation support is realized in middleware solutions.