Stochastic reo: a case study

QoS analysis of coordinated distributed autonomous services is currently of interest in the area of service-oriented computing and calls for new technologies and supporting tools. In previous work, the first three authors have proposed a compositional automata model to provide semantics for stochastic Reo, a channel based coordination language that supports the specification of QoS values (such as request arrivals or processing rates). Furthermore, translations from this automata model into stochastic models, such as continuous-time Markov chains (CTMCs) and interactive Markov chains (IMCs) have also been presented. Based on those results, we describe in this paper a case study of QoS analysis. We analyze a certain instance of the ASK system, an industrial software system for connecting people offering professional services to clients requiring those services. We develop a model of the ASK system using stochastic Reo. The distributions used in this model were obtained by applying statistical analysis techniques on the raw values that we obtained from the real logs of an actual running ASK system. These distributions are used for the derived CTMC model for the ASK system to analyze and to improve the performance of the system, under the assumption that the distributions are exponentially distributed. In practice, this is not always the case. Thus, we also carry out a simulation-based analysis by a Reo simulator that can deal with non-exponential distributions. Compared to the analysis on the derived CTMC model, the simulation is approximation-based analysis, but it reveals valuable insight in the behavior of the system. The outcome of both analyses helps both the developers and the installations of the ASK system to improve the performance of the system

Architecture Analysis

This chapter also explains what the added value of enterprise architecture analysis techniques is in addition to existing, more detailed, and domain-specific ones for business processes or software, for example. Analogous to the idea of using the ArchiMate enterprise modelling language to integrate detailed design models, the chapter demonstrates that analysis, when considered at a global architectural level, can play a role in the integration of existing detailed techniques or of their results

A Generic Architecture For Demand Response: The ALL4Green Approach

Demand Response is a mechanism used in power grids to manage customers’ power consumption during critical situations (e.g. power shortage). Data centres are good candidates to participate in Demand Response programs due to their high energy use. In this paper, we present a generic architecture to enable Demand Response between Energy Provider and Data Centres realised in All4Green. To this end, we show our three-level concept and then illustrate the building blocks of All4Green’s architectural design. Furthermore, we introduce the novel aspects of GreenSDA and GreenSLA for Energy Provider–Data centre sub-ecosystem as well as Data centre–IT Client sub-ecosystem respectively. In order to further reduce energy consumption and CO2 emission, the notion of data centre federation is introduced: savings can be expected if data centres start to collaborate by exchanging workload. Also, we specify the technological solutions necessary to implement our proposed architectural approach. Finally, we present preliminary proof-of-concept experiments, conducted both on traditional and cloud computing data centres, which show relatively encouraging results

Are formal planners more likely to achieve new venture viability? A counterfactual model and analysis

This study develops and tests a counterfactual model of the relationship between formal written business plans and the achievement of new venture viability. This is important because extant theory remains oppositional, and there is a practical need to provide guidance to founders on the utility of formal plans. To test our model, we use propensity score matching to identify the impact that founder, venture, and environmental factors have on the decision to write a formal plan (selection effects). Having isolated these selection effects, we test whether or not these plans help founders achieve venture viability (performance effects). Our results, using data on 1,088 founders, identify two key results: (1) selection effects matter in the decision to plan; and (2) it pays to plan

Investigating agent-based inter-organizational systems and business network performance: Lessons learned from the logistics sector

Purpose: From the theoretical perspectives of both multi-agent systems and smart business networks, empirical studies analyzing agent-based inter-organizational systems (ABIOS) in a real-life business setting are rare. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of ABIOS on the performance of business networks. Design/methodology/approach: This study presents a theoretical conceptual model portraying the influence of ABIOS on clients’ coordination structure and information architecture; and the impact of those structural alterations on business network performance in terms of the coordination, agility, and informational performances. To validate the model, a cross-case analysis was conducted in three logistics cases, namely, warehousing, freight forwarding, and intermodal transportation. Findings: The application of ABIOS requires adjustments to the information architecture or the coordination structure, or both. Subsequently, those structural adjustments will stimulate improvements in the coordination, agility, and informational performances. Research limitations/implications: The assessment of the clients’ performance improvement is done at the company level not at an aggregate network level. Moreover, the study only covers cases from the logistics sector. Practical implications: This study explains the structural consequences of ABIOS applications. The adoption of an inter-organizational system is a strategic decision that requires support from multi-stakeholders. While the applications of ABIOS can offer performance improvement opportunities, adjustments must be made to the existing coordination structure or the information architecture, or both. Originality/value: This study contributes to the smart business network literature and the ABIOS literature by presenting a validated conceptual model explaining the interplay among ABIOS, the coordination structure, informational structure, and business network performance, namely, the coordination, agility, and informational performances

Investigating agent-based inter-organizational systems and business network performance

Purpose: From the theoretical perspectives of both multi-agent systems and smart business networks, empirical studies analyzing agent-based inter-organizational systems (ABIOS) in a real-life business setting are rare. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of ABIOS on the performance of business networks. Design/methodology/approach: This study presents a theoretical conceptual model portraying the influence of ABIOS on clients’ coordination structure and information architecture; and the impact of those structural alterations on business network performance in terms of the coordination, agility, and informational performances. To validate the model, a cross-case analysis was conducted in three logistics cases, namely, warehousing, freight forwarding, and intermodal transportation. Findings: The application of ABIOS requires adjustments to the information architecture or the coordination structure, or both. Subsequently, those structural adjustments will stimulate improvements in the coordination, agility, and informational performances. Research limitations/implications: The assessment of the clients’ performance improvement is done at the company level not at an aggregate network level. Moreover, the study only covers cases from the logistics sector. Practical implications: This study explains the structural consequences of ABIOS applications. The adoption of an inter-organizational system is a strategic decision that requires support from multi-stakeholders. While the applications of ABIOS can offer performance improvement opportunities, adjustments must be made to the existing coordination structure or the information architecture, or both. Originality/value: This study contributes to the smart business network literature and the ABIOS literature by presenting a validated conceptual model explaining the interplay among ABIOS, the coordination structure, informational structure, and business network performance, namely, the coordination, agility, and informational performances

Tool support

Enterprise architecture, by nature, requires the interconnection and accumulation of large amounts of information from various sources. An enterprise modelling language, such as the one introduced in Chap. 5, can only be successful if supported by adequate tooling. Visualisation and analysis of architectures, as described in Chaps. 8 and 9, respectively, can hardly be carried out by hand and require tools as well. In this chapter, we outline the current state of the art in enterprise archite

A generic architecture for Demand Response: the All4Green approach

Demand Response is a mechanism used in power grids to manage customers’ power consumption during critical situations (e.g. power shortage). Data centres are good candidates to participate in Demand Response programs due to their high energy use. In this paper, we present a generic architecture to enable Demand Response between Energy Provider and Data Centres realised in All4Green. To this end, we show our three-level concept and then illustrate the building blocks of All4Green’s architectural design. Furthermore, we introduce the novel aspects of GreenSDA and GreenSLA for Energy Provider–Data centre sub-ecosystem as well as Data centre–IT Client sub-ecosystem respectively. In order to further reduce energy consumption and CO2 emission, the notion of data centre federation is introduced: savings can be expected if data centres start to collaborate by exchanging workload. Also, we specify the technological solutions necessary to implement our proposed architectural approach. Finally, we present preliminary proof-of-concept experiments, conducted both on traditional and cloud computing data centres, which show relatively encouraging results.Peer Reviewe