Agree to Disagree: Security Requirements Are Different, But Mechanisms For Security Adaptation Are Not

We describe a dialogue between a proponent and an opponent of the proposition "security is not just another quality attribute in self-adaptive systems". The dialogue is structured in two steps. First, we examine whether security requirements are different from other system-level requirements. Our consensus is that security requirements require specific methods for elicitation, reasoning, and analysis. However, other requirements (such as safety, usability and performance) also require specific techniques. Then, we examine the adaptation mechanisms for security and compare them with other properties. Our consensus is that most adaptation techniques can be applied to maintain security and other requirements alike

Self-adaptive Software Modeling Based on Contextual Requirements

The ability of self-adaptive software in responding to change is determined by contextual requirements, i.e. a requirement in capturing relevant context-atributes and modeling behavior for system adaptation. However, in most cases, modeling for self-adaptive software is does not take into consider the requirements evolution based on contextual requirements. This paper introduces an approach through requirements modeling languages directed to adaptation patterns to support requirements evolution. The model is prepared through contextual requirements approach that is integrated into MAPE-K (monitor, anayze, plan, execute - knowledge) patterns in goal-oriented requirements engineering. As an evaluation, the adaptation process is modeled for cleaner robot. The experimental results show that the requirements modeling process has been able to direct software into self-adaptive capability and meet the requirements evolution

Self-adaptation through incremental generative model transformations at runtime

A self-adaptive system uses runtime models to adapt its architecture to the changing requirements and contexts. However, there is no one-to-one mapping between the requirements in the problem space and the architectural elements in the solution space. Instead, one refined requirement may crosscut multiple architectural elements, and its realization involves complex behavioral or structural interactions manifested as architectural design decisions. In this paper we propose to combine two kinds of self-adaptations: requirements-driven self-adaptation, which captures requirements as goal models to reason about the best plan within the problem space, and architecture-based self-adaptation, which captures architectural design decisions as decision trees to search for the best design for the desired requirements within the contextualized solution space. Following these adaptations, component-based architecture models are reconfigured using incremental and generative model transformations. Compared with requirements-driven or architecture-based approaches, the case study using an online shopping benchmark shows promise that our approach can further improve the effectiveness of adaptation (e.g. system throughput in this case study) and offer more adaptation flexibility

RELAX:a language to address uncertainty in self-adaptive systems requirement

Self-adaptive systems have the capability to autonomously modify their behavior at run-time in response to changes in their environment. Self-adaptation is particularly necessary for applications that must run continuously, even under adverse conditions and changing requirements; sample domains include automotive systems, telecommunications, and environmental monitoring systems. While a few techniques have been developed to support the monitoring and analysis of requirements for adaptive systems, limited attention has been paid to the actual creation and specication of requirements of self-adaptive systems. As a result, self-adaptivity is often constructed in an ad-hoc manner. In order to support the rigorous specication of adaptive systems requirements, this paper introduces RELAX, a new requirements language for self- adaptive systems that explicitly addresses uncertainty inherent in adaptive systems. We present the formal semantics for RELAX in terms of fuzzy logic, thus enabling a rigorous treatment of requirements that include uncertainty. RELAX enables developers to identify uncertainty in the requirements, thereby facilitating the design of systems that are, by denition, more exible and amenable to adaptation in a systematic fashion. We illustrate the use of RELAX on smart home applications, including an adaptive assisted living system

Run-time model evaluation for requirements model-driven self-adaptation

A self-adaptive system adjusts its configuration to tolerate changes in its operating environment. To date, requirements modeling methodologies for self-adaptive systems have necessitated analysis of all potential system configurations, and the circumstances under which each is to be adopted. We argue that, by explicitly capturing and modelling uncertainty in the operating environment, and by verifying and analysing this model at runtime, it is possible for a system to adapt to tolerate some conditions that were not fully considered at design time. We showcase in this paper our tools and research results

Do party-states transform by learning? The structural background of the different transformation paths in view of the Romanian, Hungarian and Chinese cases

Through the introduction of a comparative party-state model, I will first demonstrate that due to specific structural and dynamic constraints, the capacity of party-states to learn is both limited and uneven. Differences in the room for manoeuvre are defined by structural and dynamic specifics of power distribution. These will determine the invariable implementation of structurespecific instruments of resource extraction and distribution and their escalation under external pressure no matter the requirements of adaptation. Accelerated implementation of structure-specific instruments leads to different paths of self-destruction rather than adaptation. Adaptation is therefore structurally constrained and self-consuming in party-states. Second,these theoretical arguments will be empirically demonstrated through the economic policy efforts to adapt to market pressures in three radically different party-states - Romania, Hungary by the end of the 1980s and China from early 1990s.party-state systems, communist systems, comparative partystate model, patterns of power distribution, transformation paths, reforms, collapse, Romania, Hungary, China

Leveraging Self-Adaptive Dynamic Software Architecture

Software systems are growing complex due to the technological innovations and integration of businesses. There is ever increasing need for changes in the software systems. However, incorporating changes is time consuming and costly. Self-adaptation is therefore is the desirable feature of any software that can have ability to adapt to changes without the need for manual reengineering and software update. To state it differently robust, self adaptive dynamic software architecture is the need of the hour. Unfortunately, the existing solutions available for self-adaptation need human intervention and have limitations. The architecture like Rainbow achieved self-adaptation. However, it needs to be improves in terms of quality of service analysis and mining knowledge and reusing it for making well informed decisions in choosing adaptation strategies. In this paper we proposed and implemented Enhanced Self-Adaptive Dynamic Software Architecture (ESADSA) which provides automatic self-adaptation based on the runtime requirements of the system. It decouples self-adaptation from target system with loosely coupled approach while preserves cohesion of the target system. We built a prototype application that runs in distributed environment for proof of concept. The empirical results reveal significance leap forward in improving dynamic self-adaptive software architecture