Resolving component deployment & configuration challenges for enterprise DRE systems via frameworks & generative techniques

• Authors: Gan Deng
• Venue: Proceedings of the 28th international conference on Software engineering
• Year: 2006

Component-based software engineering (CBSE) is increasingly being adopted for large-scale software systems, particularly for enterprise distributed real-time and embedded (DRE) systems. One of the most challenging-and often most neglected-problems in CBSE for enterprise DRE systems is the system (re)deployment and (re)configuration (D&C) process, where the increasing heterogeneity and versatility of application domains requires supports for an unprecedented level of configurability and adaptability. Existing D&C technologies suffer from two major problems: (1) insufficient module-level reusability and ability to evolve in the face of functionality evolution and diversification due to the interaction of too many orthogonal concerns imposed by a wide range of application requirements and (2) significant inherent and accidental complexities stemming from inadequate design tools. To address these problems, my research focuses on improving both computing performance and human productivity associated with the D&C of component-based enterprise DRE systems. To improve computing performance, my research has systematically identified bottlenecks with conventional D&C approaches and provides an aspect-oriented approach to decouple "extrinsic" orthogonal D&C concerns from "intrinsic" core D&C infrastructure, thereby enabling different crosscutting D&C concerns to be weaved independently to create a light-weight, highly optimized and extensible D&C infrastructure. To improve human performance, my research provides model-driven tools and analysis techniques to alleviate key inherent and accidental complexities in the D&C process.