The Role of Models in Self-adaptive and Self-healing Systems

Self-healing and self-adaptive systems dynamically react on changes in the environment. They enable software systems to adjust to new conditions and work optimally even in unstable environments. However, such systems have to cope with an ever increasing complexity and size of software systems. In order to handle such systems, models are an efficient means for analysis, control, and documentation. Furthermore, hierarchically structured models can make self-healing and self-adaptation manageable. In this report, we discuss several questions that address the role of models in self-healing and self-adaptive systems. We outline today's challenges and present different viewpoints on the application and benefit of models.