Behavioral Specification Based Runtime Monitors for OSGi Services

Abstract constraint specifications – such as interoperability contracts – of the behavior of a system are frequently stated as requirements during early design phases. During the development process, these abstract specifications get refined until one reaches a deployable implementation. Especially in systems with components being dynamically added or replaced, it is critical that the constraints stated are met by the running system. The size of abstract constraint specifications is typically very small compared to the final implementation. In this paper, we sketch a process, where abstract constraint specifications are used as a basis for runtime monitors and checks. These monitors and checks ensure that in cases of deviations from the original specification, the system takes compensating actions such as turning the system into a safe state. We particularly focus on systems where components can be exchanged, added or removed during runtime. We discuss a concrete application scenario: The usage of specificationbased monitors for OSGi-based services in the domain of home automation.