The Grumps architecture: run-time evolution in a large scale distributed system

Evans, H., Dickman, P. and Atkinson, M. (2001) The Grumps architecture: run-time evolution in a large scale distributed system. Workshop on Engineering Complex Object-Oriented Solutions for Evolution (ECOOSE), held as part of OOPSLA 2001, Tampa Bay, USA, 15 Oct 2001.

Abstract

This paper describes the first version of the distributed programming architecture for the Grumps1 project. The architecture consists of objects that communicate in terms of both asynchronous and synchronous events. A novel three-level extensible naming scheme is discussed that allows Grumps developers to deploy systems that can refer to entities not identified at the time when the Grumps system and application-level code were implemented. Examples detailing how the topology of a Grumps system may be changed at run-time and how new object implementations may be distributed during system execution are given. The separation of policy from mechanism is shown to be a major part of how system evolution is supported and this is made even more flexible when expressed through the use of Java interfaces for crucial core concepts.

• Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Dickman, Dr Peter
• Authors: Evans, H., Dickman, P., and Atkinson, M.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Computing Science