A Policy-based Approach to Composite Service Assurance for Ubiquitous Computing

The provision of services in ubiquitous computing environments, or smart spaces, presents a number of unique management challenges. One of these challenges is to assure that the quality of service perceived by smart space users can be managed to meet user and provider goals. Such assurance will be complicated by the fact that many smart space services are composed, possibly dynamically, of a number of other services each of which must be managed in a coordinated fashion to achieve the desired level of Service. This paper provides an overview of the issues involved in managing such composite services within a smart space environment. The paper then outlines a proposed architecture that facilitates Policy Based Management of these services. A case study that illustrates how such services can be used, and the utility of the management system in using them, is then presented. Finally results from preliminary work conducted in this area are presented and discussed.