| If the IT systems of the future are to achieve the goals we have set for autonomous computing, the control loops and their autonomic managers must be able to collaborate, communicate, and negotiate. For example, a Web-based application must access data from a shared database through a Web server, store new data entered by site users, verify the accuracy of that data, and so on. To illustrate the collaboration needed within autonomic managers consider the following example. We have an IT system consisting of a customer order entry application, which accepts online customer orders for products and updates databases that reside on several different servers. As orders are accepted through the order entry application, accepted orders are communicated with the supplier system to order the delivery of the necessary parts to the factory so that the orders can be constructed and delivered to the customer. The supplier data resides on different servers in a different geographical location. The main database is the customer database. If we apply an autonomic architecture to this example, as shown in Figure 8.3, we can illustrate how autonomic managers will communicate with one other. Figure 8.3. In this example, the customer database is managed by six autonomic managers. Note the collaboration and communication required. 
The autonomic managers in this example are: -
The Customer Database is the managed element and manages the file and interaction with the other managers. -
The Database Resource will be the collection point for the transfer of data to and from other autonomic managers. -
Database Management collects information from the customer order application and sends it on to the Database Resource and ultimately the Customer Database resource. -
The Vendor Relationship sends and receives data from the other autonomic managers when requested from the online application. -
Server Management controls access to and from the hardware server. This is a simple example, but it does illustrate how autonomic managers are required to work together, communicate, and negotiate the self-management of an element. |
