EU-Contract Project

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Contract based Systems Engineering Methods for Veri!able Cross-Organisational Networked Business Applications


The Project


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IST-CONTRACT Project Parameters


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IST-CONTRACT Project Parameters

IST Framework 6 STREP Project Funded from the 5th Call IST

Focus: Contracts for Distributed

Applications Engineering Contracts as a basis for formal

veri!cation e-business applications

Project ID: FP6-034418

Area: Digital Business Ecosystems

Costs: Total Cost: 2,509,156 Euro

Req. Cont: 1,850,000 Euro

Dates: Start: 1st Sept 2006

End: 31st May 2009


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IST-CONTRACT Project Partners


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IST-CONTRACT Project Partners

Universitat Politècnicade Catalunya

Fujitsu EST Gmbh Czech Technical University of

Prague King's College London Imperial College London 3scale Networks S. L. CertiCon A. S. Lostwax Media Ltd. Y‘All B. V.


Why Contracts?


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The problem: Engineering applications in Cross Organisational Service Oriented Computing environments


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The problem: Engineering applications in Cross Organisational Service Oriented Computing environments

The behaviour of a software application depends upon: Code, Execution Context (environment), Inputs

In a multi-organisational Distributed Business Application

application: No-one has access to all the code

No-one has access to all the execution context

(Possibly) no-one has access to all inputs

Question: How do you predict the potential run-time

behaviour of such applications?


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Project Core Idea


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Project Core Idea

Normal Veri!cation approaches for software will not work without full source code access. In Contract:

Instead of predicting actions w.r.t code, predict actions w.r.t obligations, rights, permissions

in Contracts Impacts:

Short term: application design tool

Longer term: formal verification of distributed business

applications


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Where are the Contracts?


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Where are the Contracts?

Contracts: Are the explicit, tangible representation of service interdependencies

Make explicit the obligations of each of the parties in the transactions Make explicit what each system can expect from another

Bind together: The electronic interaction (web services) with

The business obligation with

Prediction as to whether the system will function to get the job

done


Project Results


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What does the Project Deliver?


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Contract Framework – formal theoretical framework for distributed business application modelling based on the interchange of (electronic) contracts

Contracting Language – speci!cations of how the actors

should interact electronically and how they should communicate

Contract Execution Environment for Web services – to create and execute contract-mediated business interactions

Verification, Monitoring and Analysis tools – to analyze and inspect deployed systems


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Overall Contract Framework


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Overall Contract Framework


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Contract Framework: novel features


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Compatible with, and superset of, WS-Agreement


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Representation of applications based on state-of-the-art research on Normative Systems


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Considers arbitrary contract-related states, not just violation or success, to avoid possible future violations


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Considers arbitrary contract-related states, not just violation or success, to avoid possible future violations

Being extended to cope with complex, partially observable environments

Architecture itself de!ned in a contractual way


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New Electronic Contracting Language


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New Electronic Contracting Language

‣ Language based in latest Normative Systems research‣ Includes semantic-rich service-to-service interaction, based on

intentions and commitments‣ This allows the de!nition of formal semantics ease veri!cation

‣ Language covers all levels of communication‣ Not only centered in the expression of electronic contracts‣ A language to express statements about contracts‣ Protocols for contract handling ‣ Includes connection with domain (context) models and ontologies

‣ Language allows for full contracts and contract templates


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Contracting Language Communication Model


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Contracting Language Communication Model

Domain Ontology Layer

Contract Layer

Message Content Layer

Message Layer

Interaction Protocol Layer

Context Layer

DomainOntology

ContractualOntology

A contract: “the workshop is obliged torepair the car in 2 days”

Domain terms: car, workshop, repair

Statements / actions related to contracts: cancel(contract C1)

Message envelope + intentionality: from service S1 to service S2 …Request[cancel(contract C1)]

Protocolhandling: S1

S2Request

Agree

Interactioncontext:


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Electronic Contracts: components


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Electronic Contracts: components


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Electronic Contract: example

<ISTContract> ContractName="AftercareContract" StartingDate="2007-01-01T00:00:00+01:00" EndingDate="2008-01-01T00:00:00+01:00" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="http://www.ist-contract.org/schemas/ISTContract.xsd"> <Contextualization> ... </Contextualization> <Definitions> ... </Definitions> <Clauses> ... </Clauses></ISTContract>


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<ContractParties> <Agent AgentName="KLM"> < AgentReference>http://www.ist-contract.org:8080/services/KLM </AgentReference> <AgentDescription>Royal Dutch Airlines</AgentDescription> </Agent> …</ContractParties>…<RoleEnactmentList> <RoleEnactmentElement AgentName="KLM" RoleName=“Operator"/> …</RoleEnactmentList>


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<ContractParties> <Agent AgentName="KLM"> < AgentReference>http://www.ist-contract.org:8080/services/KLM </AgentReference> <AgentDescription>Royal Dutch Airlines</AgentDescription> </Agent> …</ContractParties>…<RoleEnactmentList> <RoleEnactmentElement AgentName="KLM" RoleName=“Operator"/> …</RoleEnactmentList>

<Clause>…<ExplorationCondition> <BooleanExpression> Before(2007-07-1T15:30:30+01:00) </BooleanExpression> </ExplorationCondition> <DeonticStatement> <Modality><OBLIGATION></Modality> <Who> <RoleName>Operator</RoleName> </Who> <What> <ActionExpression> PayForEngine(amount, engine, Operator, EngineManufacturer) </ActionExpression> </What> </DeonticStatement></Clause>


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Example of deployment


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Analyzer

Notary

(Observer+

Monitor)

Contract Repository

Contract manager

bookSeller bookBuyer

Sensor Sensor


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Analyzer

Notary

(Observer+

Monitor)

Contract Repository

Contract manager

bookSeller bookBuyer

Sensor Sensor


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Verification Tool


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Verification Tool

Off-line tool implements verification mechanisms for contract-governed systems.


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Verification Tool


Capable to verify system behaviours through notions of compliance/violations of intended behaviours.


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Verification Tool



Based in the formal framework and the contract language semantics.


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Verification Tool




Ability to check systems with large state spaces


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Verification Tool




Ability to check systems with large state spaces Capable to generate counterexamples when dangerous

or conflicting situations are detected


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Verification Tool




Ability to check systems with large state spaces Capable to generate counterexamples when dangerous

or conflicting situations are detected User friendly GUI


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Verification Tool components/process


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Verification Tool components/process


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Service Monitoring Tool


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Checks conformance of an individual service execution to specification (contracts) at runtime.


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Specifically, monitors compliance/violations of obligations of contract clauses which serve as warning to the service.


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Capable to monitor service behaviours over large state spaces.


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Capable to monitor service behaviours over large state spaces.

Shown useful for monitoring multiple, long running contracts in parallel


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Service Monitoring Process


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Service Monitoring Process


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Global Monitoring Tool


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Global Monitors detect and report on violations and fulfilment of contract clauses, specially those specifying complex behaviours of contract party agents.


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Global Monitors detect and report on violations and fulfilment of contract clauses, specially those specifying complex behaviours of contract party agents. Disjunctions and conjunctions of circumstances


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Global Monitors detect and report on violations and fulfilment of contract clauses, specially those specifying complex behaviours of contract party agents. Disjunctions and conjunctions of circumstances Synchronisation of multiple agents’ actions


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Accurate monitoring ensures enforcement mechanisms (sanctions) are only applied when appropriate..


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Accurate monitoring ensures enforcement mechanisms (sanctions) are only applied when appropriate..

Gives confidence to contract parties that the whole business interaction will evolve as expected.


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Global Monitor process


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Gets inputs from the Observers


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Tracks the status of each clause of the running contract:


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Tracks the status of each clause of the running contract: A is pre-activation


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Tracks the status of each clause of the running contract: A is pre-activation B is activated but not fulfilled


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Tracks the status of each clause of the running contract: A is pre-activation B is activated but not fulfilled C is fulfilled


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Tracks the status of each clause of the running contract: A is pre-activation B is activated but not fulfilled C is fulfilled

If in state B but cannot move to state C (because of deadline expiring), then have violated clause

A B Cdeliver (Seller, Buyer, Goods)‏ deadline: T + 3 days observer: OrderObserver

order (Buyer, Seller, Goods, T)‏ deadline: N/A observer: OrderObserver


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Contract Editor


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Contract Editor

Editor to compose contract templates and instances according to the Contracting Language


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Contract Editor


Functions over contracts and contract templates:


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Contract Editor


Functions over contracts and contract templates: storage


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Contract Editor


Functions over contracts and contract templates: storage retrieval


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Contract Editor


Functions over contracts and contract templates: storage retrieval modification


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Contract Editor


Functions over contracts and contract templates: storage retrieval modification deletion


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Contract Editor


Functions over contracts and contract templates: storage retrieval modification deletion

Publishing of templates and instances into a contract environment by means of the Contract Store


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Contract Analyser


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Contract Analyser

Enables the administrator to inspect the runtime state and behaviour of a contract-based system


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Contract Analyser


Collects information from several sources and presents them in an integrated view


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Contract Analyser


Collects information from several sources and presents them in an integrated view contracts deployed in the system and their status


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Contract Analyser


Collects information from several sources and presents them in an integrated view contracts deployed in the system and their status contract-related actions performed in the system


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Contract Analyser


Collects information from several sources and presents them in an integrated view contracts deployed in the system and their status contract-related actions performed in the system communication between contract parties


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Contract Analyser


Collects information from several sources and presents them in an integrated view contracts deployed in the system and their status contract-related actions performed in the system communication between contract parties contract-fulfilment state


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Contract Analyser – Information Sources


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Contract Analyser – Information Sources


[Here CTU video on Contract cycle and

analysis]


Practical Scenarios


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Project Practical Scenarios


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Project Practical Scenarios

Modular Certification Testing Provided by CertiCon

Example: European Computer

Driving license

Aerospace Aftermarket Provided by Lost Wax

Aerospace engine aftermarket

planning and management

Car Insurance Brokerage Provided by Y’All

Car insurance damage claims – contracting between insurers, garages and the client


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1. Modular Certification Testing


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Developed by CertiCon A. S. for multi level heterogeneous licensing environments

WASET is an information system run by CertiCon to support administration of the process

Used for computer literacy testing ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence) in cooperation with Czech Society for

Cybernetics and Informatics (CSKI) – national ECDL licensee. CertiCon A.S. provides business and IT support for CSKI via WASET system

1. Modular Certification Testing


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1. Modular Certi!cation Testing


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Test Centres

TestersTest Rooms

Candidate

Elementary Service Providers

National licensee Provides certi!cation

Test room Provides equipped test room Certi!ed by national licensee

Tester Supervises test session Certi!ed by national licensee

Test Center Certi!ed national licensee Organize test session Sells testing to candidate

National licensee


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Test Centres

TestersTest Rooms

Candidate


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Test Centres

TestersTest Rooms

Candidate


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Scenario for CONTRACT project focuses on subset of contracts

Certification Test Contract• Parties

– Accredited Test Center– Certi!cation Candidate

Test Room rental Contract• Parties

– Accredited Test Center– Accredited Test Room

Operator

Test Centres

TestersTest Rooms

Candidate


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2. Aerospace Aftermarket


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4011/23/08


Aerogility tool: What-if? Scenarios & Business Simulations

AerogilityAftermarket Model


4011/23/08


Aerogility tool: What-if? Scenarios & Business Simulations

AerogilityAftermarket Model

DECISION SUPPORT

WHAT IF SCENARIOS Explore new policies Identify innovations Experiment with configurations

COMPARE THROUGH SIMULATIONS Assess decision impact Work through decision options Challenge assumptions

BENCHMARK WITH METRICS Validate Profit and KPI goals Financial benchmarking Assess investment business cases


4111/23/08


Currently Aerogility:

CONTRACT project enhances Aerogility:

Leading to an adaptive future:


4111/23/08


MODEL …understand the balance of resources, evaluate options, decisions, run what-ifs

MONITOR …integrate operational data and processes, monitor the Aftermarket for decision support

MANAGE …drive existing systems and processes with adaptive intelligent software

Currently Aerogility:

CONTRACT project enhances Aerogility:

Leading to an adaptive future:


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• Benefits of including CONTRACT technology in Aerogility:

• Detecting upcoming conflicting obligations.

• Aid managers decision-making through better information:

• What is the impact of resolving an issue - are conflicts being deferred leading to future difficulties?

• Have we some leverage in one contract that would prevent us breaking another?

• How can future iterations of a contract be modified to better suit our business?


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3. Car Insurance Market


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Repair contract – Sequence chart



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Repair contract – Sequence chart

Customer IC RCDS

Report damage Assess & delegateRepair intake

Request proposalsSend proposal

Judge proposals &select RC

Deliver car Get car & repair

Judge invoice Send invoiceGet invoice, pay,

handle invoice withconsumer

Send invoice

Pick up car Deliver car



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Benefits for industry



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Claim-handling process improved:• Saves money• More efficient




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Claim-handling process improved:• Saves money• More efficient

Automated negotiations between ICs and RCs:• Higher quality• Less dependent on human intervention• Wider variety of repair options• Higher customer satisfaction




Summary


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CONTRACT in a NUTSHELL


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CONTRACT in a NUTSHELL

There is a need for mechanisms that ease the engineering of applications in Cross Organisational Service Oriented Computing environments”

Contracts are the explicit, tangible representation of service interdependencies

Idea: formal verification over contracts, obligations etc. rather than over internal code is the way to build sound distributed applications in service oriented environments.

CONTRACT has created concrete methods and tools which enable the use of contracts, obligations and agreements in order to structure the design and execution of sound applications in Digital Business environments


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www.ist-contract.org

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.Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Technology

EU-Contract Project