Monitoring and Managing Heterogeneous Middleware
Günther Rackl · mediaTUM – the media and publications repository of the Technical University Munich (Technical University Munich) · 2001
The development and deployment of distributed applications still represents a major problem of computer science due to the complex and heterogeneous architectures of modern computing systems.The goal of this thesis is to improve the development and deployment of distributed applications by enhancing the on-line tool support for heterogeneous middleware environments.Our approach to reach this goal is to provide a monitoring and management system that is tailored to the needs of modern middleware applications.Starting with an analysis of current middleware platforms and on-line tools for various application domains, the shortcomings of existing on-line monitoring and management approaches are worked out.Existing on-line tools mostly represent proprietary solutions for particular middleware platforms and are tailored to homogeneous scenarios, while their monolithic and static architecture limits their flexibility and extensibility.From these insights, several requirements for the development of a monitoring and management infrastructure for heterogeneous middleware arise.Approaches for systematically managing complex environments as well as mechanisms for dealing with heterogeneity are essential in this context.Moreover, concepts supporting different kinds of on-line tools and enabling the extensibility of on-line tool environments are indispensable.From these considerations, the MIMO MIddleware MOnitor approach is derived.MIMO is based on a multi-layer monitoring model that classifies observed entities by means of several abstraction layers, a generic monitoring infrastructure, and a sophisticated usage methodology.The prototypical implementation of the MIMO system is evaluated with respect to its applicability within current middleware platforms.Besides the observation of general purpose middleware platforms like CORBA, the application to metacomputing systems, a distributed interactive simulator, and a medical image reconstruction programme is demonstrated.The benefits of the MIMO approach result from the systematic approach for monitoring heterogeneous environments, its capability to support tools for all online phases of the software lifecycle, and the extensible architecture of the monitoring system.Furthermore, the rapid tool development methodology allows to construct new tools or integrate new middleware platforms efficiently.Altogether, the results obtained within thesis represent a major contribution to an enhanced on-line tool support in heterogeneous middleware environments.v Für meine Eltern & für Beate.This thesis would not have been possible without the support of several people.First of all, I would like to thank Prof. Arndt Bode for supporting me throughout the years and for providing an excellent research environment at the LRR.I enjoyed the great freedom to carry out my research and the opportunity to participate in various scientific conferences all over the world.In spite of his numerous obligations