1

Context-Aware Adaption of

Software Entities Using Rules

Lauma Jokste, Jānis Grabis

Information Technology Institute, Riga Technical University

Kalku 1, Riga, LV-1658, Latvia

lauma.jokste@rtu.lv, grabis@rtu.lv

22

Used to executed enterprise business

processes

Wide scope

– Many processes

– Many users

– High scalability requirements

High complexity

– Emphasis on internal integration

Enterprise Applications

33

Enterprise Application

44

Based on the MAPE loop

Adaption module is decoupled from the core parts of the enterprise

applications

Adaptation process should be applicable for different

kind of SEs following a uniform design.

A set of approved and reusable adaption actions

Self-learning and knowledge sharing

Unobtrusive adaptation

Adaption Requirements

55

Software EntitiesSoftware entity is an

information or actionable

software artifact including

enterprise data

66

Adaptation Module

77

Context dependency rule

– Association rules relating Software entities

and potential context values SE ⇒ CE(V) – software entity is associate with context

element value

Adaptation rule

– Event-Action-Condition rules indicating

adaption action to be perform if context

situation is observed IF Context Situation THEN Action ON Software Entity

Types Rules

88

Adaption Process

99

E-government system

– Multiple modules

– Range of technologies

Used by >100 municipalities

Limited and unevenly spread maintenance

resources

– How to share the system’s usage knowledge

among municipalities.

Application Example

1010

Software Entities:E-government System

1111

Sample Context Dependency

Rules• ⇒ Lessee profile

(‘active’)E-service: Real

estate rent object list

• ⇒ lessee profile (‘active’)

List column: area

• ⇒Time spent in object list(>180 sec)

Search field

• ⇒ Unsuccessful searches per hour (>10)

Publish online procedure

1212

Sample Adaptation Rules

• THEN highlight rent objects in list WHERE rent object area≥30000 m2

IF lessee profile=’active’

• THEN automatically order list by area column descending

IF lessee profile=‘active’

• THEN highlight search fieldIF time spent in object list >180 sec

• THEN automatic e-mail/text notification to RENT user/-s.

IF unsuccessful searches per

hour>10

1313

Adaptation Example

• ⇒ Unsuccessful searches per hour (>10)

Publish online procedure

• THEN automatic e-mail/text notification to RENT user/-s.

IF unsuccessful searches per

hour>10

1414

Distinctive features– Uniform treatment of SEs constituting the

enterprise applications

– Specification of expected user action to evaluate rules

– Adaption is externalized without affecting development and maintenance of key functionality

Evaluation of adaptation benefits

Performance and technological challenges

Incentives for knowledge sharing

Conclusion

15

Thank you!

This research has received funding from the researchproject "Competence Centre of Information andCommunication Technologies" of EU Structural funds,contract No. .2.1.1/16/A/007 signed between ITCompetence Centre and Central Finance andContracting Agency