System of Systems and Emergence. Part 1: Principles and Framework

The paper is in two parts and in Part (1) attempts to formalise the loose concept of "System of Systems" (SoS) within the context of Systems Theory whilst in Part (2) explores and develops a conceptual framework for emergence that is suitable for further development. We view the notion of SoS as an evolution of the standard notion of systems and provide an abstract and generic definition that is detached from the particular domain. To achieve this we deal first with the abstraction of the fundamental components of the system, describe the different aspects of the structure of a composite system and then embark on the task to explain the difference of the new notion, to the standard notion of Composite Systems. We present a new abstract definition of the notion of System of Systems as an evolution of the notion of Composite Systems, empowered by the concept of autonomy and participation in tasks referred to as plays which are usually linked to games. The notion of the play is introduced as an extension of the notion of the system and involves the notion of autonomous agents in place of objects and the notion of scenario in place of interconnection topology. This new definition characterises SoS as a development of the Composite System notion where now the subsystems act as autonomous intelligent agents in a multi-agent system play based on a scenario that possibly involves a game. The notion of emergence is considered within both the framework of Composite and SoS and it is linked to the problem of defining functions on a given system and evaluating their values. The emergence is thus presented as the defining signature of a system including System of Systems

A novel "resilience viewpoint" to aid in engineering resilience in systems of systems (SoS)

Designing evolutionary systems to meet stakeholder expectations on safety, reliability and overall resilience is of great importance in an age of interconnectivity and high dependency systems. With incidents and disruptions becoming more frequent in recent years, the requirement for systems to demonstrate high levels of resilience given the economic, political and temporal dimensions of complexity, resilience is of great significance today. Systemic resilience is of high importance at the global level. Therefore, the role of the system engineer and architect is becoming more demanding due to the need to consider requirements from a broader range of stakeholders and to implement them into early conceptual designs. The early modeling process of all systems is common ground for most engineering projects, creating an architecture to both understand a system and to design future iterations by applying model-based processes has become the norm. With the concept of systems-ofsystems (SoS) becoming common language across multiple engineering domains, model-based systems engineering techniques are evolving hand-in-hand to provide a paradigm to better analyse current and future SoS. The intrinsic characteristics of the constituent systems that make up the SoS make the challenge of designing and maintaining the reliability and resilience of a systems extremely difficult. This paper proposes a novel viewpoint, within an architecture framework (based around DoDAF, MoDAF and UPDM) to aid systems architects explore and design resilient SoS. This is known as the Resilience Viewpoint. Much of the research in the area is focussed on critical infrastructure (CI), looking at telecommunication networks, electric grid, supply networks etc, and little has been done on a generalizable tool for SoS architecture analysis, especially using existing modeling languages. Here, the application of the ‘Resilience Viewpoint’ is demonstrated using a case study from an integrated water supply system of systems, to portray its potential analytical capabilities

Revisiting the Question: Are Systems of Systems just (traditional) Systems or are they a new class of Systems?

This paper revisits a question asked and debated widely over the past decade: are Systems of Systems (SoS) just traditional systems or are they a new class of systems? Many have argued that SoS are a new class of systems, but little research has been available to provide evidence of this. In this paper we share highlights of recent research to show SoS not only have a different structure than systems and thus need to be engineered differently, but also may possess different attributes for beyond first use properties (the “illities”) such as flexibility and adaptability as compared to systems. By examining historical examples and by using a maritime security SoS as a research test bed, this paper shows that the “ility” called survivability had some design strategies that were directly mapped from systems and also allowed new strategies that only made sense for a SoS (e.g. vigilance). The paper also shows that some design strategies have a different implementation and meaning (e.g. margin) at the level of a system compared to SoS level. We conclude the answer to the question “Are SoS’s just systems?” is both yes and no. They are manifestly systems but possess properties not found in traditional systems. This is shown to true of the meta-property of survivability as applied against a directed SoS

DISCOVERING THE CORE LOGIC AND PURPOSE OF ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE AS A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO BUSINESS EXECUTION

siirretty Doriast

A framework for optimal scheduling of eletric vehicles and demand response to smart grids

Orientador : Prof. Dr. Clodomiro Unsihuay VilaDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Tecnologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Elétrica. Defesa: Curitiba, 26/02/2015Inclui referênciasÁrea de concentraçãoResumo: As microredes e os sistemas de distribuição têm uma posição de importância no sistema de energia, sendo os principais pontos de ligação entre a energia em grandes quantidades e os consumidores finais. Devido à convergência de várias tendências próprias do setor, as redes inteligentes estão emergindo como uma solução para a modernização da rede elétrica, integrando percentagens cada vez maiores de fontes de energia renováveis e intermitentes, armazenamento de energia e veículos elétricos, assim como o compromisso de oferecer aos consumidores maior controle no seu consumo de energia. Esta dissertação apresenta uma metodologia computacional que estabelece um agendamento ótimo para a resposta à demanda no caso de uma casa padrão inserida em um ambiente de microrede, além de determinar o seu impacto sobre a rede de distribuição de energia elétrica ao longo de um horizonte de 24 horas por dia. Este trabalho apresenta também um Sistema de Sistemas (SoS) contextualizado para uma operação ótima de redes de distribuição ativas. O SoS proposto define tanto a companhia de distribuição (DISCO) e a microrede (MGs) como sistemas autônomos, e reconhece o processo de troca de informações entre eles. O algoritmo matemático proposto utiliza um processo de otimização separado que visa maximizar o benefício de cada sistema independente. Adicionalmente, um algoritmo de optimização hierárquica é apresentado para coordenar os sistemas independentes e para determinar o ponto de funcionamento óptimo da rede ativa de distribuição baseada no SoS. O modelo proposto considera uma ênfase especial sobre as variáveis que afetam o comportamento total do sistema, tanto para o fornecedor de energia como para o consumidor final. O problema de otimização proposto é dividido em dois itens: o problema da resposta à demanda baseado no tempo para um horizonte diário, que é modelado como uma programação linear inteira mista e o segundo problema é o problema de rede radial que é modelado com um fluxo de potência ótimo. A metodologia proposta permite um agendamento otimizado para a resposta à demanda ao nível de usuário final e considera simultaneamente seu impacto na rede de distribuição. Além, nesta dissertação foram analisados os benefícios da programação da resposta à demanda, micro-geração distribuída e integração de veículos elétricos modelado na microrede. Um caso de estúdio contendo três distintos cenários revela a utilidade e eficácia do modelo proposto. Em primeiro lugar, mostrando o funcionamento normal, sem qualquer tipo de otimização, em segundo lugar, conduzindo um processo de otimização dentro da microrede com a inserção do veículo elétrico apenas modelado como uma carga e gerenciando o sistema de distribuição, e em terceiro lugar considerando a inserção de geração renovável distribuída, e processos tanto de carga como descarga dos veículos elétricos. Finalmente, foi efetuado um processo de otimização para a junção da microrede e da rede de distribuição. Palavras-chave: Rede inteligente. Veículo elétrico. Fluxo de potência ótimo. Programação linear inteira mista. Sistema de distribuição.Abstract: Microgrids and distribution systems holds a very important position in the power system since are the main points of link between bulk power and consumers. Due to the convergence of several trends in the energy sector, smart grids are emerging as a solution for the modernization of the electric grid, integrating large shares of distributed and intermittent renewable energy sources, energy storage and electric vehicles, as well as the promise to give consumers more control on their energy consumption. This dissertation presents a computational method for an optimal scheduling for demand response and electric vehicle for a typical house under a microgrid environment and its impact on the electric power distribution network along a 24 hours-daily horizon. The proposed method is a System of Systems (SoS) based framework for optimally operating active distribution grids. The proposed SoS framework defines both; distribution company (DISCO) and microgrids (MGs) as autonomous systems, and recognizes the exchange information process among them. The proposed mathematical algorithm uses a separated optimization process that aim maximizing the benefit of each independent system. A hierarchical optimization algorithm is presented to coordinate the independent systems and to find the optimal operating point of the SoS-based active distribution grid. Therefore, the proposed model considers a special emphasis on variables that impact the total behavior of the system for both the energy supplier and the final consumer. The proposed optimization problem is divided in two sub-problems: the demand response problem-based time for a daily horizon, that is modeled as a mixed integer linear programming and the second problem is the electric distribution network problem that is modeled with an optimal power flow. The proposed method allows an optimized schedule of demand response to end-user level and considers their impacts on the distribution network simultaneously. It also examined the additional benefits of demand response programming, micro-distributed generation, integration of electric vehicles modeling in the microgrid. A case of study containing three scenarios reveals the usefulness and effectiveness of the proposed model. Firstly showing the normal operation without any type of optimization, secondly conducting an optimization process inside of the microgrid with the insertion of the electric vehicle just modeled as a load and managing the distribution system, thirdly inserting renewable distributed generation, electric vehicles for both process: charging and discharging. Finally, making the optimization process for the junction of the microgrid and the distribution network. Key-words: Smart grid. Electric Vehicle. Optimal power flow. Mixed integer linear programming. Distribution system

Identifying and Mitigating Security Risks in Multi-Level Systems-of-Systems Environments

In recent years, organisations, governments, and cities have taken advantage of the many benefits and automated processes Information and Communication Technology (ICT) offers, evolving their existing systems and infrastructures into highly connected and complex Systems-of-Systems (SoS). These infrastructures endeavour to increase robustness and offer some resilience against single points of failure. The Internet, Wireless Sensor Networks, the Internet of Things, critical infrastructures, the human body, etc., can all be broadly categorised as SoS, as they encompass a wide range of differing systems that collaborate to fulfil objectives that the distinct systems could not fulfil on their own. ICT constructed SoS face the same dangers, limitations, and challenges as those of traditional cyber based networks, and while monitoring the security of small networks can be difficult, the dynamic nature, size, and complexity of SoS makes securing these infrastructures more taxing. Solutions that attempt to identify risks, vulnerabilities, and model the topologies of SoS have failed to evolve at the same pace as SoS adoption. This has resulted in attacks against these infrastructures gaining prevalence, as unidentified vulnerabilities and exploits provide unguarded opportunities for attackers to exploit. In addition, the new collaborative relations introduce new cyber interdependencies, unforeseen cascading failures, and increase complexity. This thesis presents an innovative approach to identifying, mitigating risks, and securing SoS environments. Our security framework incorporates a number of novel techniques, which allows us to calculate the security level of the entire SoS infrastructure using vulnerability analysis, node property aspects, topology data, and other factors, and to improve and mitigate risks without adding additional resources into the SoS infrastructure. Other risk factors we examine include risks associated with different properties, and the likelihood of violating access control requirements. Extending the principals of the framework, we also apply the approach to multi-level SoS, in order to improve both SoS security and the overall robustness of the network. In addition, the identified risks, vulnerabilities, and interdependent links are modelled by extending network modelling and attack graph generation methods. The proposed SeCurity Risk Analysis and Mitigation Framework and principal techniques have been researched, developed, implemented, and then evaluated via numerous experiments and case studies. The subsequent results accomplished ascertain that the framework can successfully observe SoS and produce an accurate security level for the entire SoS in all instances, visualising identified vulnerabilities, interdependencies, high risk nodes, data access violations, and security grades in a series of reports and undirected graphs. The framework’s evolutionary approach to mitigating risks and the robustness function which can determine the appropriateness of the SoS, revealed promising results, with the framework and principal techniques identifying SoS topologies, and quantifying their associated security levels. Distinguishing SoS that are either optimally structured (in terms of communication security), or cannot be evolved as the applied processes would negatively impede the security and robustness of the SoS. Likewise, the framework is capable via evolvement methods of identifying SoS communication configurations that improve communication security and assure data as it traverses across an unsecure and unencrypted SoS. Reporting enhanced SoS configurations that mitigate risks in a series of undirected graphs and reports that visualise and detail the SoS topology and its vulnerabilities. These reported candidates and optimal solutions improve the security and SoS robustness, and will support the maintenance of acceptable and tolerable low centrality factors, should these recommended configurations be applied to the evaluated SoS infrastructure