Policy-centric integration and dynamic composition of autonomic computing techniques

This paper presents innovative work in the development of policy-based autonomic computing. The core of the work is a powerful and flexible policy-expression language AGILE, which facilitates run-time adaptable policy configuration of autonomic systems. AGILE also serves as an integrating platform for other self-management technologies including signal processing, automated trend analysis and utility functions. Each of these technologies has specific advantages and applicability to different types of dynamic adaptation. The AGILE platform enables seamless interoperability of the different technologies to each perform various aspects of self-management within a single application. The various technologies are implemented as object components. Self-management behaviour is specified using the policy language semantics to bind the various components together as required. Since the policy semantics support run-time re-configuration, the self-management architecture is dynamically composable. Additional benefits include the standardisation of the application programmer interface, terminology and semantics, and only a single point of embedding is required.

Challenges to Slovakia and Poland health policy decisions: use of investment treaties to claim compensation for reversal of privatisation/liberalisation policies

Investment treaties, and possibly the EU Treaty itself, are being used by multinational companies Penta and Eureko to try and force the Slovak government to pay compensation for reversing health privatisation and liberalisation policies. Similar action has been used against the Polish government by Eureko to win compensation worth nearly 2 billion Euros and a policy commitment to further privatisation.