Service Configuration: A Semantic Model

Service Configuration
A Semantic Model

Demand for Reliability of IT
Providing and defending the reliability of IT systems is the biggest driver of efforts to
manage the way components interact with each other to generate outcomes that are
specific enough and good enough to offer as a service.
Choosing the components and their arrangements calls on both engineering (for viable
functionality) and architecture (for logical feasibility).
However, the necessary choices to be made for reliability are actually about several factors
that are “elements” of the service.
Components are only one kind of factor. Relationships, requirements, circumstances, and
other issues are other types of factors that are also elements.
To manage reliability – by providing, sustaining or restoring it – the “necessary” data is data
about the elements.

Expectations of the Demand
We normally talk about the elements in nearly narrative ways that describe the service.
The semantics of the narration itself tell us how we normally recognize and expect when
something “should” work.
In fact, that recognition “intuitively” tells us why we think our subject of interest – a
service – should work.
Illustrating that recognition tells us how we can represent the service for manageability.
Naturally, management will rely on the representation to identify what it can influence,
and how it can exert the influence in a practical way.
The practicalities are in providing, maintaining or restoring the service. All of those efforts
address the organization of the service elements.

How elements of a service are
logically organized in the service
Model (noun) - a simplified representation of a complex system or entity, especially one
designed to facilitate calculations and predictions.
To derive the organization of a service, we first ask what is meaningful and why, then we
arrange things to show how the meanings are related, demonstrated and used.

A demand-based story
Narrative (of meaning)
• Make sure the needed service is available
and used when and how it is appropriate
• Choose an effective type of service
• Produce the service with the appropriate
resources and form
• Utilize an appropriate resource for the
service
Elements
• Assurance
• Requirements
• Assignments
• Components
©2015 Malcolm Ryder / Archestra Research

Service Type
Functionality– Capability- Tolerance
Service Resource
Activity – Suitability – Responsibility
Service Item Design
Configuration – Effects – Events
Service Operation Model
Continuity – Policy – Exposure
Service Item
DEMAND
component assignment requirement assurance
Factors within the elements…

Example
An example from real life can be used to show this idea.
In the example, we describe a key part of a system, describe how that part provides a
service, and describe the service – relying on key factors that show how things are
expected to work.
All together, those descriptions align (model) the factors in a way that would be maintained
to ensure that desired results are most probable.
Therefore, if undesirable results arose instead, those results might be evidence that
something is out of alignment.
The example is a baseball game in which a coach (the manager) decides to use a certain
type of pitcher in a game situation for a specified outcome.

“I’ve got a left-hander who can throw only fastballs and sliders for no more than four innings.”
Pitcher X
PITCHING
DEFENSE
Service
Sub-service
Sub-sub-service
RESOURCE
SPECIFICATION.
An enablement of a service
is intentional or not,
permanent or not, and risky
or not. Management both
determines and aims for the
positives.
The Manager makes a
decision about when and
why to deploy this resource.
The deployment enables
a service.

Fastballs, sliders
I’ve got a left-hander who can throw only fastballs and sliders for about
20 pitches per inning for no more than four innings.
Pitcher X
Certain basic activity
is available from the
pitcher in question.

Fastballs, sliders
Strikeouts, grounders
(Suitable For)
Application: what should I use him for?
Pitcher X
The available action
will be employed
for a certain effect.

Fastballs, sliders
While leading/tied Strikeouts, grounders
Operation: when should I use him?
Pitcher X
This decision is the
deployment bet…
Fastballs and sliders will
be used to preserve the
tie or the lead – so the
tie/lead will then be
dependent on them

Fastballs, sliders
(Suitable For)
The Gametime (Service) Assignment
Pitcher X
This summarizes
the planned use of
the pitcher.

Suitable For
(tolerances) (capabilities)
(functionalities)
Pitcher X
The Service Requirement
This is the decision model
used, that selects the
right pitcher as a resource
to serve a current need.

Fastballs, sliders
Limits on the Resource Role
Pitcher X
Versus lefty hitters
These circumstances shape the
role that the pitcher will play.

Fastballs, sliders
Suitable For
Versus lefty hitters
(functionalities)
Pitcher X
The Service Specification
Resource + Role + Assignment
This scenario is the “best case” one in which the pitcher is expected to succeed.

Service item as a
resource in a role
for an operation
The pitcher is the item committed to the service needed by the manager.

Configuration For
Certain events Effects including
Service Design of Item
Service
Item

tolerances capabilities
functionalities
Service Type
Service
Item

Suitable For
(functionalities)
Service Resource Model
Service
Item

Configuration For
Certain events
Suitability For
(functionalities)
Service
Item
Effects including
Service Role Model

Configuration For
Certain events
Suitability For
Policy/requirement
(functionalities)
Service
Item
Effects including

Comparison: Generic & Example
Service
Item Pitcher X

An item comes with pre-existing behaviors that can be
subscribed to a given state of need and purpose. The
behaviors come from how the item is built to act.

The required type of service calls for only certain characteristics of an item.
Those characteristics will qualify the item for active service duty. The
qualifications include functionality, capability and tolerances.

An item is not a resource merely because it has some potential;
an item is a resource because it has an assignment.
The qualifications for being the assignment’s resource
include designated activity, suitability and responsibility.

The resource performs the assignment as a role in the prevailing circumstances.
The role requires that the resource’s characteristics will be effective in the circumstances.
The circumstances may be pre-defined as constraints and thresholds of operation.

The constraints and thresholds of operation around performing any role
include continuity, policy and exposure demands or limits. Those are
variables that are themselves under some degree (more or less) of control.
When an experienced baseball manager makes a lineup decision,
and he wants to “get service” from a player, he already has
the entire picture (example at right) of related issues in his head.

Configuration Diagnostics
The configuration of the service must be understood in order to determine what to
do about the service usage results.

Service Type
Functionality – Capability – Tolerance
Service Resource
Service Item Design
Service Item
DEMAND
component assignment requirement assurance
Each higher-level element is supported by one or more types,
and/or instances, of the element below it. Each factor in an
element is both a success factor and a risk factor. All factors
are continuously observable. Any factor may go through a
modification independently of other factors. A recognizable
defect, omission or error may be found at any factor within
any element.

www.archestra.com
mryder@archestra.com

Service Configuration: A Semantic Model

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