Runtime metrics collection for middleware supported adaption of mobile applications

This paper proposes, implements, and evaluates in terms of worst case performance, an online metrics collection strategy to facilitate application adaptation via object mobility using a mobile object framework and supporting middleware. The solution is based upon an abstract representation of the mobile object system, which holds containers aggregating metrics for each specific component including host managers, runtimes and mobile objects. A key feature of the solution is the specification of multiple configurable criteria to control the measurement and propagation of metrics through the system. The MobJeX platform was used as the basis for implementation and testing with a number of laboratory tests conducted to measure scalability, efficiency and the application of simple measurement and propagation criteria to reduce collection overhead.