A formal framework for on-line software version change

The usual way of installing a new version of a software system is to shut down the running program and then install the new version. This necessitates a sometimes unacceptable delay during which service is denied to the users of the software. An online software replacement system replaces parts of t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE transactions on software engineering 1996-02, Vol.22 (2), p.120-131
Main Authors: Gupta, D., Jalote, P., Barua, G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Computer science
Computer science
control theory
systems
Computer systems performance. Reliability
Computer upgrading
Data analysis
Delay
Electronic switching systems
Exact sciences and technology
Online data bases
Senior members
Shutdowns
Software
Software development management
Software engineering
Software systems
Studies
Sufficient conditions
Technological change
Validity
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Summary:The usual way of installing a new version of a software system is to shut down the running program and then install the new version. This necessitates a sometimes unacceptable delay during which service is denied to the users of the software. An online software replacement system replaces parts of the software while it is in execution, thus eliminating the shutdown. While a number of implementations of online version change systems have been described in the literature, little investigation has been done on its theoretical aspects. We describe a formal framework for studying online software version change. We give a general definition of validity of an online change, show that it is in general undecidable and then develop sufficient conditions for ensuring validity for a procedural language.
ISSN:0098-5589
1939-3520
DOI:10.1109/32.485222