AspectC++: An integrated approach for static and dynamic adaptationof system software

authored by: Reinhard Tartler, Daniel Lohmann, Fabian Scheler, Olaf Spinczyk
Abstract: Modern computer systems require an enormous amount of flexibility. This is especially the case in low-level system software, from embedded devices to networking services. From literature and practice, various approaches to modularize and integrate adaptations have been investigated. However, most of this work is implemented with dynamic languages that offer extensive run-time support and enable easy integration of such approaches. System software is written in languages like C or C++ in order to minimize utilization of system resources and maximize efficiency. While for these languages highly optimized and reliable compilers are available, the support for static and dynamic adaptation is rather limited. In order to overcome these limitations, we present an adaptation approach that is based on a sophisticated combination of static and dynamic aspect weaving for aspects written in AspectC++. This facilitates the incremental evolution and deployment of system software that has to be "always on". We demonstrate the feasibility of our approach and its applicability to two pieces of system software, namely the Squid web proxy and the eCos operating system, which is used in the domain of resource-constrained deeply embedded systems.
External Organisation(s): Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg)
Type: Article
Journal: Knowledge-based systems
Volume: 23
Pages: 704-720
No. of pages: 17
ISSN: 0950-7051
Publication date: 10.03.2010
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Management Information Systems, Software, Information Systems and Management, Artificial Intelligence
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.knosys.2010.03.002 (Access: Unknown)

BibTeX

@article{0558b9be313243678674de4966fb3767,
title = "AspectC++: An integrated approach for static and dynamic adaptationof system software",
abstract = "Modern computer systems require an enormous amount of flexibility. This is especially the case in low-level system software, from embedded devices to networking services. From literature and practice, various approaches to modularize and integrate adaptations have been investigated. However, most of this work is implemented with dynamic languages that offer extensive run-time support and enable easy integration of such approaches. System software is written in languages like C or C++ in order to minimize utilization of system resources and maximize efficiency. While for these languages highly optimized and reliable compilers are available, the support for static and dynamic adaptation is rather limited. In order to overcome these limitations, we present an adaptation approach that is based on a sophisticated combination of static and dynamic aspect weaving for aspects written in AspectC++. This facilitates the incremental evolution and deployment of system software that has to be {"}always on{"}. We demonstrate the feasibility of our approach and its applicability to two pieces of system software, namely the Squid web proxy and the eCos operating system, which is used in the domain of resource-constrained deeply embedded systems.",
keywords = "Adaptable systems, AOP, AspectC++, C++, Programming languages",
author = "Reinhard Tartler and Daniel Lohmann and Fabian Scheler and Olaf Spinczyk",
note = "Funding information: This work was partly supported by the German Research Council (DFG) under Grant nos. SCHR 603/4 , 603/7-1 , and SP 968/2-1 .",
year = "2010",
month = mar,
day = "10",
doi = "10.1016/j.knosys.2010.03.002",
language = "English",
volume = "23",
pages = "704--720",
journal = "Knowledge-based systems",
issn = "0950-7051",
publisher = "Elsevier",
number = "7",
}