Functionality and partitioning configuration: design patterns and framework

Configuration is often strongly coupled with distribution. In most of the approaches the configurable components are intrinsically deployed on distributed nodes. However, this does not need to be so, functionality configuration can be decoupled from partitioning configuration. In this paper two design patterns which support such decoupling are presented as well as their composition. An object-oriented framework which implements the patterns is also described. The proposed solution simplifies a software development process where traceability, incremental development and application maintenance are key issues. In particular the design patterns provide static and dynamic configuration of component, structure and geometry.