Model-based context-aware deployment of distributed systems

Software deployment deals with the transition of software assets from production to consumers' sites. Distributed systems are created by combination of multiple software components at runtime, possibly running on different devices over a network, making the problem of deployment harder than in the case of centralized systems. This article presents a model for the description of software components, distributed systems, and their dependencies, and a mechanism that uses them to automate the deployment of software units onto devices. These have been implemented and validated in a case study, the digital home, which demonstrated its feasibility.