Autonomic Computing
Abstract
"Autonomic Computing" is a new vision of computing initiated by IBM. This new paradigm shifts the fundamental definition of the technology age from one of computing, to one defined by data. Access to data from multiple, distributed sources, in addition to traditional centralized storage devices will allow users to transparently access information when and where they need it. At the same time, this new view of computing will necessitate changing the industry's focus on processing speed and storage to one of developing distributed networks that are largely self-managing, self-diagnostic, and transparent to the user.
Description of Autonomic Computing
We are at just such a threshold right now in computing. The millions of businesses, billions of humans that compose them, and trillions of devices that they will depend upon all require the services of the IT industry to keep them running. And it's not just a matter of numbers. It's the complexity of these systems and the way they work together that is creating a shortage of skilled IT workers to manage all of the systems. It's a problem that is not going away, but will grow exponentially, just as our dependence on technology has.The solution is to build computer systems that regulate themselves much in the same way our autonomic nervous system regulates and protects our bodies. This new model of computing is called autonomic computing. The good news is that some components of this technology are already up and running. However, complete autonomic systems do not yet exist.
Autonomic computing calls for a whole new area of study and a whole new way of conducting business We are at just such a threshold right now in computing. The millions of businesses, billions of humans that compose them, and trillions of devices that they will depend upon all require the services of the IT industry to keep them running. And it's not just a matter of numbers. It's the complexity of these systems and the way they work together that is creating a shortage of skilled IT workers to manage all of the systems. It's a problem that is not going away, but will grow exponentially, just as our dependence on technology has.
The term autonomic is derived from human biology. The autonomic nervous system monitors our heartbeat, checks our blood sugar level and keeps our body temperature close to 98.6 °F, without any conscious effort on our part. In much the same way, autonomic computing components anticipate computer system needs and resolve problems -with minimal human intervention. However, there is an important distinction between autonomic activity in the human body and autonomic responses in computer systems. Many of the decisions made by autonomic elements in the body are involuntary, whereas autonomic elements in computer systems make decisions based on tasks you choose to delegate to the technology. In other words, adaptable policy - rather than rigid hard coding determines the types of decisions and actions autonomic elements make in computer systems.
