Middleware

Authors:
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Two fundamental trends influence the way we conceive and construct new computing and information systems. The first is that information technology of all forms is becoming highly commoditized; hardware and software artifacts are getting faster, cheaper, and better at a relatively predictable rate. The second is the growing acceptance of a network‐centric paradigm, where distributed applications with a range of quality of service (QoS) needs are constructed by integrating separate components connected by various forms of communication services. The nature of this interconnection can range from (1) the very small and tightly coupled, such as avionics mission computing systems to (2) the very large and loosely coupled, such as global telecommunications systems. The interplay of these two trends has yielded new architectural concepts and services embodying layers ofmiddleware. These layers are interposed between applications and commonly available hardware and software infrastructure to make it feasible, easier, and more cost‐effective to develop and evolve systems using reusable software. Middleware stems from recognizing the need for more advanced and capable support—beyond simple connectivity—to construct effective distributed systems. A significant portion of middleware‐oriented R&D activities have focused on The identification, evolution, and expansion of our understanding of current middleware services in providing this style of development The need for defining additional middleware layers and capabilities to meet the challenges associated with constructing future network‐centric systems These activities are expected to continue forward well into the 2000s to address the needs of next‐generation distributed applications.The trends outlined above are now yielding additional middleware challenges and opportunities for organizations and developers, both in deploying current middleware‐based solutions and in inventing and shaping new ones. To complete the overview, we summarize key challenges and emerging opportunities for moving forward are summariged, and the role that middleware plays in meeting these challenges.A discussion outlines the fundamental drivers that led to the emergence of middleware architectures and components in the previous decade, and will of necessity lead to more advanced middleware capabilities. We spend the rest of this article exploring these topics in more depth, with detailed evaluations of the current are future status of middleware.