Model-based context-aware deployment of distributed systems

Software deployment deals with the transition of software assets from production to consumers´ sites. Distributed systems are created by combination of multiple software components at runtime, possibly running on different devices over a network, making the problem of deployment harder than in the case of centralized systems. This article presents a model for the description of software components, distributed systems, and their dependencies, and a mechanism that uses them to automate the deployment of software units onto devices. These have been implemented and validated in a case study, the digital home, which demonstrated its feasibility.