Key Deliverables

A list of deliverables, which document the key outcomes of S-Cube.

[CD-JRA-1.3.5] Integrated principles, techniques and methodologies for specifying end-to-end quality and negotiating SLAs and for assuring end-to-end quality provision and SLA conformance — by Osama Sammodi — last modified Jun 09, 2011 15:33

The aim of this deliverable is twofold: (1) It provides an updated overview of the research challenges of WP-JRA-1.3 (“End-to-End Quality Provision & SLA Conformance”). (2) It reports on results for run-time quality assurance, quality prediction (to enable proactive adaptation) and automated and proactive negotiation, where first improvements based on the validation results are incorporated. Work related to these principles and techniques, carried out by S-Cube NoE participants and published in books, journals and conference proceedings, is summarized and assessed with respect to the coverage of the research challenges for this workpackage.

CD JRA 1.1.5 Analysis on how to exploit codified HCI and codified context knowledge for SBA engineering — by Osama Sammodi — last modified May 17, 2010 16:00

Deliverable CD-JRA-1.1.5 is a paper-based deliverable comprised of seven research papers. All papers deal with the exploitation of codified context knowledge. It can clearly be seen that on the one hand the different research communities interpret “context” differently ranging from HCI aspects to engineering aspects relevant for SBAs. On the other hand our analysis of the relation of the approaches to the life cycle model shows that the approaches try to integrate different phases of the life-cycle and, thus, S-Cube is now focussing more on integrated research, which covers more than one phase of the life-cycle of SBAs.

CD-IA-1.1.1 Comprehensive Overview of the State of the Art on Service-based Systems — by Andreas Gehlert — last modified May 19, 2009 10:14

This deliverable describes the state-of-the-art in service-based systems in the form of a Knowledge Model (KM) for S-Cube, explaining its purpose and its individual components. It also identifies previous approaches from related EU projects and international activities that have resulted in the definition of a large body of concepts relating to software services research. These approaches are scrutinized, adapted and reused to the extend possible as part of the S-Cube KM. In addition, it summarizes and cross-correlates the major research findings of the state-of-the-art deliverables in S-Cube, and shows how they contribute towards building an initial version of the KM. Finally, it describes the connection of the S-Cube KM to a number of knowledge sources and knowledge-intensive activities within S-Cube and its usage by both internal and external users.

CD-IA-1.1.2 Separate Knowledge Models for Functional Layers — by Benedikt Liegener — last modified May 19, 2009 10:14

This deliverable presents S-Cube’s vision for its Knowledge Model (KM) and reports on the developments to the KM content and structure since its previous version (September 2008). The major work achieved during this period was to develop a new version of the KM which builds on the previous content.

CD-IA-1.1.5 Consolidated convergence knowledge model — by Dustin Hebgen — last modified Jun 09, 2011 20:27

This deliverable describes the work done to achieve a Consolidated Convergence Knowledge Model as required at M33. Consolidation of the Knowledge Model is obtained on the basis of the results of the research agenda alignment, and of the new research results achieved by the different research work-packages. The current deliverable constitutes a follow-up of deliverable CD-IA-1.1.3, and offers an assessment of the KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) defined for the evaluation of the consolidation of the Knowledge Model.

CD-IA-2.1.4 Mobility programme determined based on the S-Cube Convergence Knowledge Model — by Dustin Hebgen — last modified Jun 09, 2011 20:29

This deliverable updates the figures provided in deliverable CD-IA-2.1.3 “Initial assessment of results of a separate mobility program for researchers and students” about how the scientific subjects for mobility and the S-Cube integration framework elements have been covered by the mobility initiatives. The reference period goes from month 1 to month 29. It also proposes a restructuring of the scientific subjects for mobility based on the current focus of S-Cube and on the information recorded in the Knowledge Model. Finally, the deliverable provides some guidelines for the future mobility initiatives.

CD-IA-2.2.5 Final version of the methodology for describing pilot cases — by Dustin Hebgen — last modified Jun 09, 2011 20:31

This deliverable introduces the final version of the methodology for describing pilot cases starting from the first version described in the Deliverable CD-IA-2.2.2. This new version has strict relationships with other S-Cube Integrated Activities: IA-1.1 for the Knowledge Model and IA-3.1 for the Integrated Research Framework. The methodology is also available as a Wiki available at http://scube-casestudies.ws.dei.polimi.it that forms integral and substantial part of this document.

CD-IA-3.1.1 Integration Framework Baseline — by Benedikt Liegener — last modified May 19, 2009 10:13

This document describes the baseline of the S-Cube Integrated Research Framework. The objective of this framework, which will be constantly and incrementally refined and extended throughout the whole life of the project, is to provide a holistic vision that integrates, aligns and coordinates the research efforts and results of the joint research activities undertaken in JRA-1 and JRA-2. The baseline for the Integrated Research Framework described in this document consists of a set of views which define different perspectives on the S-Cube research: conceptual framework, reference life-cycle, logical run-time architecture, logical design environment. In this deliverable, we provide a description of these views and a first definition of the interfaces between the elements of the framework. We map the research efforts undertaken in the different joint research activities into these views. Finally, we define responsibilities for the different research work-packages, and relationships among them, in terms of their contributions to these views.

CD-IA-3.1.5 Consolidated Revised Integration Framework — by Dustin Hebgen — last modified Jun 09, 2011 20:33

In this deliverable we introduce the revised version of the S-Cube Integrated Research Framework (IRF). Based on the internal validation presented in the deliverable CD-IA-3.2.2 as well on the improvements implemented by the planned readjustment of S-Cube’s Joint Programme of Activities, the research challenges and research questions included in the first version of the IRF (see CD-IA-3.1.3) had been updated with respect to the research focus of the Joint Research Activities. This effort aims at reducing the complexity of the IRF and also to ensure its consistency. In addition, a first attempt to identify the relationship between the research challenges and questions in the IRF and the Future of Internet vision is discussed.

CD-IA-3.2.4 Results of the Second Validation — by Dustin Hebgen — last modified Jun 09, 2011 20:36

In this document, Deliverable CD-IA-3.2.4 “Results of the Second Validation” we report the validation of the integration of the IRF building blocks, i.e., the results of task T-IA-3.2.1. This deliverable describes the vision and strategy of the work package WP-IA-3.2 (using the Description of Work Amendment #4 as basis). A description of the work package’s roadmap until the end of the S-Cube project is given, including the validation strategy and the interaction with other WPs. The validation method is introduced and applied to the IRF. The results of this application are listed. Finally, the summarized results and the conclusions are presented.

CD-JRA-1.1.2 Separate Design Knowledge Models for Software Engineering and Service Based Computing — by Benedikt Liegener — last modified Jun 16, 2009 14:18

This deliverable presents two distinct bodies of knowledge: the first one is for service oriented computing based on a proposed life cycle that incorporates adaptation-specific phases. Each phase is discussed in depth, and methods, techniques and tools for it are presented. Furthermore, cross-phase aspects are investigated. The other body of knowledge concerns more traditional software engineering and business process methodologies, examined from the perspective of service based applications. A number of preliminary results on the synergy between the two areas are also presented as a stepping stone for the following deliverables.

CD-JRA-1.1.4 Coordinated design knowledge models for software engineering and service-based computing — by Osama Sammodi — last modified May 17, 2010 15:59

In this deliverable, we discuss the need for the S-Cube life-cycle and the development of enhancements to support its implementation. We introduce the area of Service-Oriented Systems Engineering (SOSE) and discuss on how it is different from Traditional Software Engineering (TSE), while still recognising that both of these disciplines have important inputs to make to the development of Service-Oriented Systems. We progress with further development of the S-Cube life-cycle focusing on requirements, design and adaptation. From the requirements perspective, we investigate context-aware requirements discovery and specification, exploring whether existing models can be applied to improve requirements specification. From the design perspective, we suggest design principles and guidelines that are suitable to enable adaptation. From the adaptation perspective, we investigate SOSE and TSE to present practices for adaptation. Finally, we propose a unified formal model for dealing with the effects of iterative and localized changes between any two interacting service consumers and providers

CD-JRA-1.1.6 SBA engineering principles comprehensively exploiting HCI and Contextual Knowledge — by Dustin Hebgen — last modified Jun 09, 2011 20:39

In this deliverable, we present the research that has been performed in the last year around the S-Cube life-cycle and some related service engineering aspects. Some of the presented contributions validate and extend the S-Cube life-cycle and integrate it with new knowledge about user tasks, inherited from the HCI literature, and context. A special attention is also posed to the problem of service evolution. The various facets of this evolution are considered and a formal framework that allows a definition of service compatibility is provided. A formal framework is also used as the basis for an approach that supports the design and runtime self-adaptation of SBAs. As one of the main goals of industry is to reuse their assets in order not to lose their investments, an important issue for the practical adoption of SBAs is to understand how migration from traditional to SBA systems can be achieved. In this deliverable we present a first step toward a systematization of this field.

CD-JRA-1.2.2 Taxonomy of Adaptation Principles and Mechanisms — by Benedikt Liegener — last modified Jun 16, 2009 14:19

The deliverable presents the vision on the adaptation and monitoring research highlighting the research challenges, objectives, and an integrated adaptation and monitoring framework adopted within this workpackage. Starting from this framework, the refined conceptual models and taxonomies of SBA monitoring and adaptation are provided. The deliverable also demonstrates how the presented taxonomies are instantiated across functional SBA layers and involved research disciplines.

CD-JRA-1.2.4 Integrated adaptation and monitoring principles, techniques and methodologies across functional SBA layers — by Osama Sammodi — last modified May 17, 2010 16:04

This deliverable aims to present the research progress of the project partners since the establishment of the baseline cross-layer adaptation and monitoring techniques and methodologies in deliverable PO-JRA-1.2.3. This progress was focusing on the integration of the different monitoring and adaptation approaches applied by the different layers of the service-based applications. The first integration results cover several aspects of the SBA life-cycle. These research results are presented through the summaries of joint papers of the project partners

CD-JRA-1.2.5 Comprehensive, integrated adaptation and monitoring principles — by Dustin Hebgen — last modified Jun 09, 2011 20:49

This deliverable presents the research results obtained within the scope of workpackage WP-JRA-1.2 towards the comprehensive integrated adaptation and monitoring principles, techniques and methodologies across functional layers, proactive and context-aware adaptation. To bring the results together and to provide a coherent view on the different techniques using common realizing architecture a set of integration scenario has been defined and elaborated. Based on the integrated mode l defined in previous documents, these scenarios aim to define the reference architecture and approach relating various contributions, as well as to define the concrete interfaces and dependencies between them. The scenario presented in this deliverable refer to the some of the key research problems studied in the scope of the workpackage and the project, namely cross-layer quality driven monitoring and adaptation, proactive adaptation and context-aware monitoring and adaptation.

CD-JRA-1.3.2 Quality Reference Model for SBA — by Benedikt Liegener — last modified May 19, 2009 10:10

The aim of this deliverable is two-fold. Firstly, it depicts the research vision of the workpackage, including the research challenges that will be addressed by the S-Cube consortium. Secondly, the deliverable aims at defining the S-Cube quality reference model. This reference model is intended to provide the S-Cube consortium with a unified terminology for describing different quality attributes of service-based applications. To this end, important quality models from service-oriented computing, business process management, grid computing and software engineering are analyzed. The quality attributes which are defined in these models and which are relevant for S-Cube are extracted and synthesized into the S-Cube quality reference model.

CD-JRA-1.3.3 Initial Concepts for Specifying End-to-End Quality Characteristics and Negotiating SLAs — by Osama Sammodi — last modified May 17, 2010 16:05

The aim of this deliverable is two-fold. Firstly, it aims at defining the initial concepts for specifying and negotiating end-to-end quality, i.e., a service quality meta-model suitable for the definition and negotiation of service quality specifications and SLAs. The research method for creating this quality meta-model follows a design approach. Initially, requirements are collected dictating the information, structure, and constraints that this meta-model should capture. Then, based on these requirements, the meta-model is designed and finally created. Secondly, this deliverable aims at proposing a methodology for decomposing end-to-end quality into quality specifications for individual SLAs. The research method for achieving this goal follows a hybrid approach: a proof-of-concept and a paper-based approach. In particular, the meta-model’s effectiveness and sufficiency is highlighted by modeling a composite service negotiation scenario and its result, which is a decomposition of end-to-end quality into quality specifications of individual SLAs. Then, initial attempts (materialized in papers of WP members) are provided that address (composite) service negotiation.

CD-JRA-1.3.4 Initial Set of Principles, Techniques and Methodologies for Assuring Quality — by Osama Sammodi — last modified Jan 18, 2011 14:29

The aim of this deliverable is twofold: (1) It provides an updated overview of the research challenges of WP-JRA-1.3 (“End-to-End Quality Provision & SLA Conformance”). (2) It reports on an initial set of principles and techniques for assuring the end-to-end quality and of monitoring SLAs. Work related to these principles and techniques, carried out by S-Cube NoE participants and published in books, journals and conference proceedings, is summarized and assessed with respect to the coverage of the research challenges for this workpackage.

CD-JRA-2.1.2 Initial Models and Mechanisms for Quantitative Analysis of Correlations Between KPIs, SLAs and Underlying Business Processes — by Benedikt Liegener — last modified May 19, 2009 10:10

In this deliverable we present initial models and mechanisms for quantitative analysis of correlations between KPIs, SLAs and underlying business processes. We use service network (SN) models for quantitative analysis based on KPIs and SLAs, which enables strategic decisions for participants such as determination of optimal product prices or outsourcing decisions. In order to perform the analysis on the SN abstraction level and implement its results in operational business processes, SNs have to be connected to the BPM stack. We therefore introduce the SN4BPM architecture describing an enhanced BPM layering and lifecycle where SNs constitute a separate layer on top of the established BPM stack. In that context, we describe in particular a model-driven approach to generating abstract business process models from Service Network Models and vice versa. Finally, we deal with monitoring in the cross-organizational setting of service networks.