A health-check model for autonomic systems based on a pulse monitor

Abstract

Like the autonomic responses in the human body, autonomic computing systems recognize their own health problems and, where possible, respond to correct them. Failing that, external help is required. The purpose of this paper is to consider how autonomic systems might be structured to facilitate health monitoring. The approach uses a 'pulse' monitor for each autonomic element, which provides a reflex reaction facility and basic information on the current state (health) of that element. The pulse mechanism extends the NASA beacon monitor concept. The different ways that pulse information might be communicated and used are examined. The discussion is illustrated with a personal computing example.

Synthesis of application-level utility functions for autonomic self-assessment

“…Our application-level utility functions can automatically compute a value for the current state of operation of the application or task, denoting, for instance, its health or performance. In that sense, our work is perhaps most similar to that of Sterritt and Bustard [26], which also establishes a framework for quantitative (although discrete) self-assessment, by means of a multi-level scalar, called a "pulse". However, in that work the definition of pulse levels for an application, with their semantics and thresholds, is left to the implementer.…”

Task Dependency of User Perceived Utility in Autonomic VoIP Systems

“…Autonomic systems using utility function policies [2,3] require an estimate of an application's performance. Previous work in the area of monitoring the health of autonomic systems involved the use of a pulse to estimate the health of specific autonomic elements [4,5,6].…”