An architectural model for service-based software with ultra rapid evolution

Abstract

There is an urgent industrial need for new approaches to software evolution that will lead to far faster implementation of software changes. For the past 40 years, the techniques, processes and methods of software development have been dominated by supply side issues, and as a result the software industry is oriented towards developers rather than users. Existing software maintenance processes are simply too slow to meet the needs of many businesses. To achieve the levels of functionality, flexibility and time to market of changes and updates required by users, a radical shift is required in the development of software, with a more demand-centric view leading to software which will be delivered as a service, within the framework of an open marketplace. Although there are some signs that this approach is being adopted by industry, it is in a very limited and restricted form. We summarise research that has resulted in a long term strategic view of software engineering innovation. Based on this foundation, we describe more recent work that has resulted in an innovative demand-led model for the future of software. We describe a service architecture in which components may be bound instantly, just at the time they are needed and then the binding may be disengaged. Such ultra late binding requires that many non-functional attributes of the software are capable of automatic negotiation and resolution. Some of these attributes have been demonstrated and amplified through a prototype implementation based on existing and available technology.