Model driven coordination framework for concurrency programming

Abstract

Ensembles of distributed, autonomous and heterogenous entities that are situated in an environment, interacting over both space and time, and striving to uphold some global system coherence, mission, and goal characterize a new class of systems coined Open Computational Systems (OCS). OCS are materializing as a result of various enabling Internet technologies and examples include: ubiquitous computing, proactive computing, autonomic computing, network-centric computing, and network-centric warfare.

OCS require a fundamental shift in the way we think about software development. In order to address these issues we advocate a holistic approach where models and tools come together to provide a platform for the building, understanding and monitoring of software based on the notion of these type of systems.

In this research project, this was investigated by adopting the generative communication paradigm, a framework for entity communication and collaboration that will allow us to construct systems with characteristics of an OCS. Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) technologies (Domain Specific Modelling Languages and Transformation Engines) were used to provision a modelling environment for the construction, visualization and transformation of systems based on the notion of OCS. An initial mechanism was then established, and a prototype built for system understanding, verification and validation.