Optimizing layered middleware

Middleware is often built using a layered architectural style. Layered design provides good separation of the different concerns of middleware, such as communication, marshaling, request dispatching, thread management, etc. Layered architecture helps in the development and evolution of the middleware. It also provides tactical side-benefits: layers provide convenient protection boundaries for enforcing security policies. However, the benefits of this layered structure come at a cost. Layered designs can hinder performance-related optimizations, and actually make it more difficult to adapt systems to conveniently address late-bound requirements such as dependability, access control, virus protection, and so on. We present some examples of this issue, and outline a new approach, under investigation at UC Davis, which includes ideas in middleware, architectures, and programming models.