An adaptive policy-based approach for static and dynamic policy conflict detection: an implementation of location-based system

Abstract

The new paradigm in mobile services lies in providing a location-based user experience and here lies the tremendous scope for expansion of location-based services (LBS). One of the key approaches that have been recognized as an enabler of such a view is policy-based management, which has been mostly acknowledged as a methodology that provides adaptability and support to automatically assign network resources, control Quality of Service and security, by considering administratively specified rules. Whilst current research focuses mostly on rules for low-level device configuration, significant challenges remain to be addressed in order to provide dynamic adaptation of policy in response to changes and ensure that policies will lead to a feasible implementation within the managed environment. In this paper, the emphasis is on building the described environment using today's existing technologies. We use our policy-based framework PobMC to combine mobile (location-based) services, ubiquitous and autonomic computing concepts. The goal is to bring the kind of information rich environment, which is currently limited to computer screens, to the real world. This is achieved by constructing an architecture based on existing wireless network technologies and Web applications. Location information of destinations and users is computed by the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) values of the Wi-Fi sensors, to provide adaptive services over wireless Web. The users use their mobile devices to access these location-based services.