Patterns of self-management

Abstract

Although each application of self-management techniques encounters problems and solutions unique to the application domain, there are several cross-cutting "patterns of self-management" that can be discerned. Much like programming patterns, these patterns can occur in a variety of different guises, but having a fundamental set of such patterns can be useful for designers beginning to design a self-managed system or to those adapting a system not previously capable of managing itself. Herein I sketch some of these patterns using an "architectural style" designed to express common element types used for self-management, such as probes, gauges, and "effectors."