Autonomic Behaviour in QoS Management

In QoS provisioning adaptation defines an area of overlap between QoS management and autonomic computing. This convergence is highlighted by the adherence of QoS systems to fundamental principles such as transparency, and the ability of QoS mechanisms to adapt seamlessly to prevailing environmental conditions. This characteristic is also underpinned by a combination of monitoring and management mechanisms, features that are inherent to autonomic behaviour. This paper is concerned with an investigation into the autonomic behaviour of QoS management systems. Relevant QoS mechanisms are identified and their functionality mapped onto autonomic behaviour. In a wider context, the components of a specific QoS architecture, ITSUMO, are considered from the perspective of autonomic control. Furthermore, as part of an ongoing research project, an evaluation mechanism is presented as a fundamental component in the architectural support for autonomic behaviour.