Queue-priority optimized algorithm: a novel task scheduling for runtime systems of application integration platforms

The need for integration of applications and services in business processes from enterprises has increased with the advancement of cloud and mobile applications. Enterprises started dealing with high volumes of data from the cloud and from mobile applications, besides their own. This is the reason why integration tools must adapt themselves to handle with high volumes of data, and to exploit the scalability of cloud computational resources without increasing enterprise operations costs. Integration platforms are tools that integrate enterprises’ applications through integration processes, which are nothing but workflows composed of a set of atomic tasks connected through communication channels. Many integration platforms schedule tasks to be executed by computational resources through the First-in-first-out heuristic. This article proposes a Queue-priority algorithm that uses a novel heuristic and tackles high volumes of data in the task scheduling of integration processes. This heuristic is optimized by the Particle Swarm Optimization computational method. The results of our experiments were confirmed by statistical tests, and validated the proposal as a feasible alternative to improve integration platforms in the execution of integration processes under a high volume of data.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Task scheduling characterisation in enterprise application integration

Cloud computing allows enterprises to incorporate applications and computational resources as services, and thus, enterprises can concentrate on their business processes, without concerning the development, configuration and maintenance of these applications and resources. Integration platforms are one of these services that allow enterprises to integrate applications in order to reduce the maintenance costs and operations of the integration of on-premises platforms. However, high performance on resources offered by the cloud, demands improvement in task scheduling of integration platforms. Our literature review has identified a lack of studies in the field of enterprise application integration, focusing on specificities and vulnerabilities of the task scheduling of integration processes. This is a pioneer work regarding the characterisation of the scheduling of tasks of integration processes. We propose a ranking according to their conceptual models and apply this ranking to five integration processes. Then, we have statistically analysed the influence of each component of their conceptual models on the performance of the execution of these integration processes. We characterise the task scheduling of integration processes and presented a mathematical equation for the makespan as a function of the components of this characterisation. This study can guide software engineers in the optimal task scheduling for integration processes, which can improve the performance runtime systems regarding using the computational resources and result in minimisation of costs of companies.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Integration process simulator: A tool for performance evaluation of task scheduling of integration processes

Due to large volumes of data from Cloud Computing and from the Internet of Things, the companies’ software ecosystem requires an efficient integration of applications and services. Performance improvement from integration platforms’ runtime systems is directly related to task scheduling strategies from integration processes. It is still a challenge to find the proper heuristic for a given integration process subject to high inbound data rates. This article proposes a simulation tool for the field of Enterprise Application Integration, which implements different scheduling heuristics and allows the extraction of performance metrics. Three task scheduling heuristics were simulated during the integration process, and the results were evaluated through statistical tests.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Risk factors for chronic non communicable diseases in Mombasa, Kenya: Epidemiological study using WHO stepwise approach

Objective: To describe the prevalence and distribution patterns of the major common risk factors for non communicable diseases among the people living in Mombasa, Kenya. Methods: Using the WHO STEPwise approach, risk factors for non communicable diseases were analyzed for 305 people aged between 13 to 67 years. The study sample was arrived at through convenient stratification of the population according to age and setting followed by random selection of the participants. Results: The most common individual risk factors registered were physical inactivity, hypertension and overweight/obesity accounting for 42%, 24% and 11% of the sample respectively. Participants who possessed a single risk factor profile were 42% and those who had multiple risk factors were approximately 17%. Hypertension and physical inactivity were the most common multiple risk factor pattern possessed by 7.5% of the participants who had at least one of the investigated risk factors for CNCDs. Socio-demographic characteristics including male gender, increasing age, being a student and low socio-economic status were found to be positive predictors of CNCDs Conclusion: The burden of CNCDs risk factors is unequally distributed among Mombasa residents. The poorest quintile posses the worst risk factor profile compared to their privileged counterparts. The implementation of WHO STEPwise approach was feasible since it revealed a comprehensive picture of the at-risk groups thus forming a vital baseline framework for target-specific and cost-effective CNCDs control and prevention interventions. Keywords: Chronic non communicable diseases, Risk factors, Health promotion, Epidemiology, Mombas

A cloud-based integration platform for enterprise application integration: a model-driven engineering approach

This article addresses major information systems integration problems, approaches, technologies, and tools within the context of Model-Driven Software Engineering. The Guaraná integration platform is introduced as an innovative platform amongst state-of-the-art technologies available for enterprises to design and implement integration solutions. In this article, we present its domain-specific modeling language and its industrial cloud-based web development platform, which supports the design and implementation of integration solutions. A real-world case study is described and analyzed; then, we delve into its design and implementation, to finally disclose ten measures that empirically help estimating the amount of effort involved in the development of integration solutions.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Modelagem de preços de provedores de IaaS utilizando regressão múltipla

Uma alternativa para usuários reduzirem custos de aquisição e manutenção de infraestrutura computacional para desenvolver, implementar e executar suas aplicações é a computação em nuvem. Os serviços de computação em nuvem são oferecidos por provedores e podem ser classificados em três modalidades: Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) e Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS). Em IaaS, os provedores oferecem os serviços divididos em instâncias e o usuário tem à disposição uma máquina virtual com os recursos computacionais que desejar a um determinado valor. O principal desafio enfrentado pelas empresas é escolher, além do provedor, a instância que melhor se adapta as suas necessidades. Frequentemente, estas empresas precisam de uma grande infraestrutura computacional para gerir e aperfeiçoar seus processos de negócio e, diante do alto custo para manter uma infraestrutura local, têm migrado suas aplicações para a nuvem. Este trabalho busca fornecer subsídios capazes de auxiliar as empresas no processo de seleção do melhor provedor/instância para implantar e executar suas soluções de integração na nuvem. Para isso, um estudo preliminar para a elaboração de uma nova proposta de modelagem dos preços das instâncias de máquinas virtuais usando regressão linear é apresentado. Nesta abordagem são considerados os provedores Amazon EC2, Google Compute Engine e Microsoft Windows Azure.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Performance evaluation of thread pool configurations in the run-time systems of integration platforms

Companies’ software ecosystem – composed of local applications and cloud computing services – is made up by the connection of integration platforms and applications. Run-time systems are arguably the most considerable components for integration platforms performance. Our literature review has identified that most integration run-time systems adopt a global pool as configuration for threads. However, it is possible to configure local thread pools to increase the performance of run-time systems. This article brings a comparison between two configurations of thread pools simulating the execution of a real integration problem. Results show that the execution performance through the local pool configuration exceeds the performance through the global pool in high workload scenarios. These results were reviewed by rigorous statistical analysis.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Public school and education as a practice of cooperation. Another globalization is possible.

La lucha por la escuela pública es un proceso que se desarrolla no sólo desde el marco de la escuela sino desde la propia sociedad que pretende generar ese tipo de escuela. Este artículo reflexiona sobre un modelo de educación deseable, basado en una racionalidad cooperativa, con vistas a la emergencia de otro mundo posible, como alternativa al actual escenario mundial, producto de la globalización neoliberal hegemónica, basada en el individualismo, la competitividad y la mercantilización de la vida. En este sentido, basamos nuestras propuestas en los principios éticos y políticos de una educación cooperativa que promueva la inclusión de todos los seres humanos y la responsabilidad para con la naturaleza y las generaciones futuras.The fight for public school is a process that develops not only within the school but at the society that aims to generate that kind of school. This article reflects on a model of desirable education, based on a cooperative rationality, aimed at the emergence of another possible world, as an alternative to the current global scenario, which is a product of the hegemonic neoliberal globalization, based on the individualism, the competitiveness and the mercantilization of the life. In this sense, we base our proposals on the ethical and political principles of a cooperative education that promotes the inclusion of all human beings and the responsibility for nature and future generations.La lutte pour l’école publique est un processus qui se développe non seulement au sein de l’école, mais de la société qui vise à générer ce genre d’école. Cet article reflète sur un modèle d’éducation souhaitable, fondée sur une rationalité coopérative, qui vise l’émergence d’un autre monde possible, comme une alter- native à la situation mondiale actuelle, produit de la mondialisation néolibérale hégémonique, basée sur l’individualisme, la compétitivité et la marchandisation de la vie. en ce sens, nous basons nos propositions sur des principes éthiques et politiques d’une éducation coopérative qui favorise l’inclusion de tous les êtres humains et la responsabilité pour la nature et les générations futures