An Architecture Framework for Orchestrating Context-Aware IT Ecosystems: A Case Study for Quantitative Evaluation ^†

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Systems Engineering
• Information Technology

Background:

• The proliferation of smart devices and the Internet of Things (IoT) have led to an expansion of Information Technology (IT) service areas.
• Traditional single-system service provision is insufficient for complex, interconnected environments.
• The IT ecosystem, a system of systems with autonomous components, has emerged to address these challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose an architecture framework for IT ecosystems that supports dynamic configuration changes.
• To ensure the autonomy of individual systems within the ecosystem.
• To enable sustainable service provision by adapting to environmental context changes.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel architecture framework for IT ecosystems.
• Integration of sensor data collection for situational context recognition.
• Simulation of an IT ecosystem for unmanned forest management for feasibility evaluation.

Main Results:

• The proposed framework facilitates dynamic configuration adjustments in response to environmental changes.
• Autonomous adaptation of individual systems within the IT ecosystem is maintained.
• Quantitative evaluation demonstrated the framework's capability for continuous and sustainable service delivery.

Conclusions:

• The proposed architecture framework effectively supports dynamic configuration changes in IT ecosystems.
• The framework ensures system autonomy while enabling adaptation to diverse environmental contexts.
• This approach is crucial for maintaining sustainable IT services in complex, evolving environments.