Carlos Manuel Rodrigues Machado Autonomic Ubiquitous Computing

5 Low Level Autonomic Management
In this chapter it is shown how the management system can be built in a low-level or local
perspective. The autonomic management system is addressed at the hardware level, i.e., how the
behaviour of the system can be embedded in the environment devices. This approach has
implication on the firmware of the devices of the system and on the system network architecture
capabilities, in order to achieve high robustness with graceful degradation of the whole system in
case of failure of some components.
5.1 Low-Level Management System Principle
The Low-Level Management System implements the Local Perspective View of an Autonomic
Ubiquitous System referred in a previous chapter. This management is focused on the data-flow,
providing the upper-software layers with the means to implement the autonomic management.
The system characteristics to achieve a robust design start shaping the low-level system, i.e.,
the system needs to be distributed, impromptu interoperable 1 , scalable and fault-tolerant. The
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) of a human body serve as an inspiration to functions that the
low-level management system implements. The ANS works as the control system, maintaining
homeostasis 2 in the body, i.e., it performs, without conscious control (automatic control) ensuring
its stability, in response to fluctuations in the outside environment.
The ANS reflex arc is an example of an automatic action process, showing the steps that are
involved in the execution of a reflexive action that must be present in the low-level management of
an autonomic ubiquitous system.
1 Interoperable is the ability of diverse systems and organizations to work together (inter-operate).
2 Human homeostasis refers to the body's ability to refer physiologically its inner environment to ensure its stability in
response to fluctuations in the outside environment and the weather. More information on-line in URL:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_homeostasis
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