Interoperability in complex distributed systems

Gordon S. Blair, Massimo Paolucci, Paul Grace, Nikolaos Georgantas

Research output: Chapter in Book/Published conference outputConference publication

Abstract

Distributed systems are becoming more complex in terms of both the level of heterogeneity encountered coupled with a high level of dynamism of such systems. Taken together, this makes it very difficult to achieve the crucial property of interoperability that is enabling two arbitrary systems to work together relying only on their declared service specification. This chapter examines this issue of interoperability in considerable detail, looking initially at the problem space, and in particular the key barriers to interoperability, and then moving on to the solution space, focusing on research in the middleware and semantic interoperability communities. We argue that existing approaches are simply unable to meet the demands of the complex distributed systems of today and that the lack of integration between the work on middleware and semantic interoperability is a clear impediment to progress in this area. We outline a roadmap towards meeting the challenges of interoperability including the need for integration across these two communities, resulting in middleware solutions that are intrinsically based on semantic meaning. We also advocate a dynamic approach to interoperability based on the concept of emergent middleware.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationFormal Methods for Eternal Networked Software Systems - 11th International School on Formal Methods for the Design of Computer, Communication and Software Systems, SFM 2011, Advanced Lectures
PublisherSpringer
Pages1-26
Number of pages26
ISBN (Print)9783642214547
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 22 Jun 2011
Event11th International School on Formal Methods for the Design of Computer, Communication and Software Systems, SFM 2011 - Bertinoro, Italy
Duration: 13 Jun 201118 Jun 2011

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume6659 LNCS
ISSN (Print)0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)1611-3349

Conference

Conference11th International School on Formal Methods for the Design of Computer, Communication and Software Systems, SFM 2011
Country/TerritoryItaly
CityBertinoro
Period13/06/1118/06/11

Keywords

  • adaptive distributed systems
  • complex distributed systems
  • heterogeneity
  • Interoperability
  • middleware
  • semantic interoperability

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