Coupling Component Systems towards Systems of Systems

TL;DR

This paper explores how standard system architecting techniques can be effectively reused to improve performance, safety, and fault detection in large-scale, evolving systems of systems (SoS).

Contribution

It investigates the application of existing architecting methods to enhance the management and reliability of coupled, evolving SoS, addressing issues like service availability and responsibility transfer.

Findings

Reusing standard techniques can improve fault detection in SoS.

Architecting approaches help maintain service availability during system evolution.

Addressing contracting and responsibility transfer is crucial for SoS reliability.

Abstract

Systems of systems (SoS) are a hot topic in our "fully connected global world". Our aim is not to provide another definition of what SoS are, but rather to focus on the adequacy of reusing standard system architecting techniques within this approach in order to improve performance, fault detection and safety issues in large-scale coupled systems that definitely qualify as SoS, whatever the definition is. A key issue will be to secure the availability of the services provided by the SoS despite the evolution of the various systems composing the SoS. We will also tackle contracting issues and responsibility transfers, as they should be addressed to ensure the expected behavior of the SoS whilst the various independently contracted systems evolve asynchronously.