Software cybernetics to infuse adaptation intelligence in networked systems

Abstract

Future network systems are expected to have various levels of adaptation capabilities: at parametric level, service-level, and application-level. These capabilities are often realized in multiple system layers, with the control logic needed for a specific capability residing in the application agents interfacing with the underlying network system services. We employ a software cybernetics approach, where an intelligent physical system module (IPW) embodies the core adaptation functionality to respond to the changing environment conditions and user inputs. The IPW exhibits an intelligent behavior over a limited operating region of the system. And, it is augmented by a supervisory module (ICW) that houses external feedback loops for situational assessment of the changing environment conditions. Our autonomic management of various hierarchical control loops comes under the ambit of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS). The ICW patches the IPW with suitable control parameters and rules/procedures when the system operating conditions change. The paper illuminates our concept of IPW with a software engineering-oriented case study of multi-source video transfer over a bandwidth-limited network path.