Managing dynamic reconfiguration in component-based systems

We propose a meta-framework called 'Plastik' which i) supports the specification and creation of runtime component-framework-based software systems and ii) facilitates and manages the runtime reconfiguration of such systems while ensuring integrity across changes. The meta-framework is fundamentally an integration of an architecture description language (an extension of ACME/Armani) and a reflective component runtime (OpenCOM). Plastik-generated component frameworks can be dynamically reconfigured either through programmed changes (which are foreseen at design time and specified at the ADL level); or through ad-hoc changes (which are unforeseen at design time but which are nevertheless constrained by invariants specified at the ADL level). We provide in the paper a case study that illustrates the operation and benefits of Plastik.