SyD: A Middleware Testbed for Collaborative Applications over Small Heterogeneous Devices and Data Stores

Abstract

Abstract. Developing a collaborative application running on a collection of heterogeneous, possibly mobile, devices, each potentially hosting data stores, using existing middleware technologies such as JXTA, BREW, compact .NET and J2ME requires too many ad-hoc techniques as well as cumbersome and time-consuming programming. Our System on Mobile Devices (SyD) middleware, on the other hand, has a modular architecture that makes such application development very systematic and streamlined. The architecture supports transactions over mobile data stores, with a range of remote group invocation options and embedded interdependencies among such data store objects. The architecture further provides a persistent uniform object view, group transaction with Quality of Service (QoS) specifications, and XML vocabulary for interdevice communication. This paper presents the basic SyD concepts and introduces the architecture and the design of the SyD middleware and its components. We also provide guidelines for SyD application development and deployment process. We include the basic performance figures of SyD components and a few SyD applications on Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) platforms. We believe that SyD is the first comprehensive working prototype of its kind, with a small code footprint of 112 KB with 76 KB being device-resident, and has a good potential for incorporating many ideas for performance extensions, scalability, QoS, workflows and security.

An XML based access control architecture for pervasive computing

“…In our previous works [19], [29] we have designed and implemented a middleware for mobile devices called System on Mobile Devices middleware (SyD). In S-MARKS [2], the need for secure design has been emphasized but XML based access control has not been addressed.…”

Ibis: Real-world problem solving using real-world grids

“…Finally, SyD [9] is a Java-based dual-subsystem middleware for collaborative and distributed applications over mobile and other devices. While SyD seems to be no longer under active development, it is a relevant reference given the fact that an Ibis implementation is available for the Android smart phone platform.…”