Autonomic Computing-a Means of Achieving Dependability?

Autonomic Computing is emerging as a significant new approach to the design of computing systems. Its goal is the development of systems that are selfconfiguring, self-healing, self-protecting and selfoptimizing. Dependability is a long-standing desirable property of all computer-based systems. The purpose of this paper is to consider how Autonomic Computing can provide a framework for dependability

Towards an Autonomic Computing Environment

Autonomic Computing is a promising new concept in system development. It aims to (i) increase reliability by designing systems to be self-protecting and self-healing; and (ii) increase autonomy and performance by enabling systems to adapt to changing circumstances, using self-configuring and self-optimizing mechanisms. This paper discusses the type of system architecture needed to support such objectives

Autonomic Computing Correlation for Fault Management System Evolution

This paper discusses the emerging area of autonomic computing and its implications for the evolution of faultmanagement systems. Particular emphasis is placed on the concept of event correlation and its role in system self-management. A new correlation analysis tool to assist with the development, management and maintenance of correlation rules and beliefs is described

The multi-peak adaptive landscape of crocodylomorph body size evolution

Background: Little is known about the long-term patterns of body size evolution in Crocodylomorpha, the > 200-million-year-old group that includes living crocodylians and their extinct relatives. Extant crocodylians are mostly large-bodied (3–7 m) predators. However, extinct crocodylomorphs exhibit a wider range of phenotypes, and many of the earliest taxa were much smaller ( Results: Crocodylomorphs reached an early peak in body size disparity during the Late Jurassic, and underwent an essentially continual decline since then. A multi-peak Ornstein-Uhlenbeck model outperforms all other evolutionary models fitted to our data (including both uniform and non-uniform), indicating that the macroevolutionary dynamics of crocodylomorph body size are better described within the concept of an adaptive landscape, with most body size variation emerging after shifts to new macroevolutionary regimes (analogous to adaptive zones). We did not find support for a consistent evolutionary trend towards larger sizes among lineages (i.e., Cope’s rule), or strong correlations of body size with climate. Instead, the intermediate to large body sizes of some crocodylomorphs are better explained by group-specific adaptations. In particular, the evolution of a more aquatic lifestyle (especially marine) correlates with increases in average body size, though not without exceptions. Conclusions: Shifts between macroevolutionary regimes provide a better explanation of crocodylomorph body size evolution on large phylogenetic and temporal scales, suggesting a central role for lineage-specific adaptations rather than climatic forcing. Shifts leading to larger body sizes occurred in most aquatic and semi-aquatic groups. This, combined with extinctions of groups occupying smaller body size regimes (particularly during the Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic), gave rise to the upward-shifted body size distribution of extant crocodylomorphs compared to their smaller-bodied terrestrial ancestors.</p