Internet of Things Architecture

C.4.3 Virtual Entity and IoT Service Monitoring functional component

C.4.3.1 Use Cases

This section covers the Virtual Entity and IoT Service Monitoring use cases. The
Virtual Entity & IoT Service functional component is responsible for finding and
monitoring dynamic associations between Virtual Entities and services. Static
associations between Virtual Entities and services are valid all the time, e.g., in
cases where the device providing the service is embedded in the Physical Entity
which is the physical counterpart of the Virtual Entity. For dynamic entities this
is not the case, i.e., they can become invalid. A dynamic association may for
example be valid when the device providing the service and the Physical Entity
are in close proximity and become invalid if one of them moves away.

Figure 139 covers the following use cases:

 Assert static Virtual Entity to IoT service association

o This use case is internally triggered by the Virtual Entity & IoT Service

Monitoring functional component.

o The assumption is that the functional component was configured with

respect to the aspects that need to be monitored in order to assert

static associations.

o The Virtual Entity & IoT Service Monitoring unit asserts a static

association between a Virtual Entity and a service.

o As the result of asserting a new static association, the Insert

Association use case of the Virtual Entity Resolution is triggered (see

B.3). Due to the static nature of the association, it does not have to be

monitored.

 Discover associations between Virtual Entities and services

o The use case is internally triggered by the Virtual Entity & IoT Service

Monitoring functional component.

o The assumption is that the component was configured with respect to

aspects that need to be monitored in order to discover dynamic

associations (see Appendix C.3). Important aspects include the

location, proximity, and other context information that is modelled for

Physical Entities and devices hosting resources.

o The Virtual Entity & IoT Service Monitoring discovers new dynamic

associations by which Virtual Entities and services are related.

o As the result of discovering a new dynamic association, the insert

association use case of the Virtual Entity Resolution is triggered (see

B.3). Also, as the association is dynamic, it needs to be monitored.