Using Models at Runtime to Address Assurance for Self-Adaptive Systems

Abstract

Abstract.A self-adaptive software system modifies its behavior at runtime in response to changes within the system or in its execution environment. The fulfillment of the system requirements needs to be guaranteed even in the presence of adverse conditions and adaptations. Thus, a key challenge for self-adaptive software systems is assurance. Traditionally, confidence in the correctness of a system is gained through a variety of activities and processes performed at development time, such as design analysis and testing. In the presence of selfadaptation, however, some of the assurance tasks may need to be performed at runtime. This need calls for the development of techniques that enable continuous assurance throughout the software life cycle. Fundamental to the development of runtime assurance techniques is research into the use of models at runtime (M@RT). This chapter explores the state of the art for using M@RT to address the assurance of self-adaptive software systems. It defines what information can be captured by M@RT, specifically for the purpose of assurance, and puts this definition into the context of existing work. We then outline key research challenges for assurance at runtime and characterize assurance methods. The chapter concludes with an exploration of selected application areas where M@RT could provide significant benefits beyond existing assurance techniques for adaptive systems.

Testing of Autonomous Systems – Challenges and Current State‐of‐the‐Art

“…Further advocates of formal verification, i.e., static analysis, model checking and runtime verification, for testing autonomous systems include (Schumann & Visser, 2006), (Feather, Fesq, Ingham, Klein, & Nelson, 2004), (Cheng, et al, 2014), (De Lemos, et al, 2013) and (Simmons, Pecheur, & Srinivasan, 2000).…”

A survey of autonomic computing methods in digital service ecosystems

“…Some of these quality attributes may be more easily guaranteed at runtime than at design time. In [115], authors discuss several adaptation properties defined as assurance criteria on the adaptation process, and mapped to quality attributes measurable at runtime for both the target system and the adaptation mechanism. However, it is targeting self- adaptive systems and not the DSE domain.…”

“…In order to advance the findings of this survey, the use of solid modeling languages, techniques, tools and practices are highly desirable. Toward this end, models@runtime or runtime models [115] can be a key technique which can be explored toward addressing the shortcomings of the existing primary methods. The requirements reflection method has explored models@runtime to support synchronization between goal-based requirements and the architecture (evolution) and dynamically generate software artefacts at execution time.…”

“…Models@runtime are up-to-date abstractions of the running system [115]. They constitute a core concept for enabling adaptation and tackling uncertainty by reflecting the system and its context at runtime.…”

B-space: dynamic management and assurance of open systems of systems

“…We therefore need to empower systems to assume these new tasks, which, in turn, requires corresponding knowledge as well as mechanisms operating on that knowledge. A general scheme that we deem a promising starting point is the concept of models at runtime [5], which can be utilized to dynamically manage functional properties as well as non-functional properties and assurances [6].…”