Method and apparatus for adaptively coupling processing components in a distributed system

An apparatus for dynamically adaptively coupling a first component and a second component in a distributed system, wherein the second component requests an interaction with the first component, comprising:

• means for sending a service access request to access a first service of the first component, wherein the service access request specifies parameters relating to a proposed level of coupling between the first component and the second component;
• means for receiving a service response from the first component, wherein the service response specifies counter-proposed parameters relating to the proposed level of coupling between the first component and the second component;
• means for determining whether the service response indicates that the first service may be provided;
• and
• means for establishing, if the first service may be provided, an agreed-upon level of coupling between the first component and second component and for interacting with the first component to receive the first service from the first component;
• wherein each component comprises software, hardware, a combination of hardware and software, a router, a module, a process, an agent, an Object Oriented class, an instance of an Object Oriented class, an algorithm, a program, or a system.

A computer-readable storage medium comprising one or more sequences of instructions stored thereon for dynamically adaptively coupling a first component and a second component in a distributed system, wherein the second component requests an interaction with the first component, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the computer-implemented steps of:

• sending a service access request to access a first service of the first component, wherein the service access request specifies parameters relating to a proposed level of coupling between the first component and the second component;
• receiving a service response from the first component, wherein the service response specifies counter-proposed parameters relating to the proposed level of coupling between the first component and the second component;
• determining whether the service response indicates that the first service may be provided;
• and
• if the first service may be provided, then
• establishing an agreed-upon level of coupling between the first component and second component;
• and
• interacting with the first component to receive the first service from the first component;
• wherein each component comprises software, hardware, a combination of hardware and software, a router, a module, a process, an agent, an Object Oriented class, an instance of an Object Oriented class, an algorithm, a program, or a system.

An apparatus for dynamically adaptively coupling a first component and a second component in a distributed system, wherein the second component requests an interaction with the first component, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• a network interface communicatively coupled to a network for receiving packet flows there from;
• a computer-readable storage medium comprising one or more sequences of instructions stored thereon for dynamically adaptively coupling a first component and a second component in a distributed system, wherein the second component requests an interaction with the first component, which instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the computer-implemented steps of:
• sending a service access request to access a first service of the first component, wherein the service access request specifies parameters relating to a proposed level of coupling between the first component and the second component;
• receiving a service response from the first component, wherein the service response specifies counter-proposed parameters relating to the proposed level of coupling between the first component and the second component;
• determining whether the service response indicates that the first service may be provided;
• and
• if the first service may be provided, then
• establishing an agreed-upon level of coupling between the first component and second component;
• and
• interacting with the first component to receive the first service from the first component;
• wherein each component comprises software, hardware, a combination of hardware and software, a router, a module, a process, an agent, an Object Oriented class, an instance of an Object Oriented class, an algorithm, a program, or a system.
• wherein the first component and the second component re-perform the instructions to adapt their interactions and capabilities to face a particular environmental constraint.