A Distributed Object Linker for Neptune Using the Eclipse Modelling Framework

Neptune provides a framework for developing autonomic software systems, using the web service model to provision for and assemble applications. Challenges present in all but the most trivial of service assemblies concern: determination of required service types, location of suitable service instances, and guaranteeing behaviour adheres to any specified policy. The Neptune model is concerned with specification of individual services and resources, along with their requirements and abilities. The Neptune engine, using this information is responsible for automated assembly of these services, given an abstract software specification. This paper reports on the development of a small-scale reference implementation comprising the main Neptune data model (built around the EMF data model) and a small-scale object / service linker.