Research Papers
International Journals
J1. Juncal Alonso, Leire Orue-Echevarria, Maider Huarte. ACSmI: A solution to address the challenges of Cloud services federation and monitoring towards the Cloud Continuum. Special issue on “Smart Cloud Applications, Services and Technologies”, International Journal of Computational Science and Engineering. Inderscience. 2021. [H-21, Q3], relates to WP5, KR13.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/8157352
Available online: https://www.inderscience.com/info/ingeneral/forthcoming.php?jcode=ijcse
This paper presents a solution for Cloud Brokerage and monitoring. ACSmI serves as baseline for the implementation of the IEC (Infrastructural Elements Catalogue) and the performance monitoring Key results in PIACERE.
J2. Alonso, J., Orue-Echevarria, L., Osaba, E., López Lobo, J., Martinez, I., Diaz de Arcaya, J., & Etxaniz, I. (2021). Optimization and Prediction Techniques for Self-Healing and Self-Learning Applications in a Trustworthy Cloud Continuum. MDPI Information, 12(8), 308. Publisher MDPI. [Q2], Relates to WP5 & WP6, KR9, KR11, KR13.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/10053859
Open access: https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/12/8/308
In this work, authors describe some of the most important aspects that compose the PIACERE project, in which it is proposed the use of AI-based techniques to assist DevOps teams in the whole lifecycle of infrastructure management.
J3. Bin Xiang, Jocelyne Elias, Fabio Martignon, Elisabetta Di Nitto. Resource calendaring for mobile edge computing: Centralized and decentralized optimization approaches. Computer Networks (ELSEVIER), 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comnet.2021.108426 [H-135, Q1], Gold open access. Relates to WP5, KR9.
Zenodo link: https://zenodo.org/record/5495557#.Yqh-dBNByko
Resource calendaring permits to exploit the intrinsic flexibility in the services demanded by different users, whose starting time can be shifted without penalizing the utility perceived by the user while, at the same time, permitting a better resource utilization in the network. Both the centralized and decentralized optimization approaches for resource calendaring studied in this paper can be used in PIACERE IOP in the edge computing scenarios.
J4. Bin Xiang, Jocelyne Elias, Fabio Martignon, Elisabetta Di Nitto. Joint planning of network slicing and mobile edge computing: models and algorithms. IEEE Transactions on Cloud Computing, 2021. Gold open access. [H-49, Q1], Relates to WP5, KR9.
Available online: https://www.computer.org/csdl/journal/cc/5555/01/09521805/1wkrmdXmjdK
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/record/5495727#.Yqh_ERNByko
Jointly planning the availability of computational resources at the edge, the slicing of mobile network and edge computation resources allows the network operator to fine tune the network operation cost and the total latency experienced by users. The optimization approach for resource planning studied in this paper can be used in PIACERE IOP in the edge computing scenarios.
J5. Bin Xiang, Jocelyne Elias, Fabio Martignon, Elisabetta Di Nitto. A dataset for mobile edge computing network topologies, Data in Brief, Volume 39, 2021, 107557, ELSEVIER BV, ISSN 2352-3409, [H-45, Q4], Gold open access. Relates to WP5, KR9.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/record/6471276#.Yqh_NhNByko
Open access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2021.107557
In the present paper we provide data related to 3 randomly generated topologies, with increasing network size (from 25 to 100 nodes). Moreover, we propose a MEC topology generated from OpenCellID real data and concerning the Base Stations’ location of 234 LTE cells owned by a mobile operator (Vodafone) in the center of Milan. We also provide realistic reference parameters (link bandwidth computation and storage capacity, offered traffic), derived from real services provided by MEC in the deployment of 5G networks.
J6. Juncal Alonso, Leire Orue-Echevarria, Maider Huarte. CloudOps: Towards the Operationalization of the Cloud Continuum: Concepts, Challenges and a Reference Framework. MDPI Applied Sciences [Q2]. MDPI, Basel 2022, 12(9), Relates to WP2, KR13.
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/9/4347/pdf
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/6874682
This paper presents a solution for Cloud Brokerage and monitoring. ACSmI serves as baseline for the implementation of the IEC (Infrastructural Elements Catalogue) and the performance monitoring Key results in PIACERE.
J7. Juncal Alonso, Leire Orue-Echevarria, Ana Isabel Torre, Maider Huarte, Ana Juan, Valentina Casola. Understanding the challenges and opportunities of Multi-Cloud native applications – A systematic literature review. Journal of Cloud Computing, 2021, Springer Science, [IF 4, H-38, SJR 0.976, Q2]. Relates to WP2, KR13.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/10054637
Available online: Understanding the challenges and novel architectural models of multi-cloud native applications – a systematic literature review.pdf
The goal of this study is manifold. Firstly, it aims to characterize the multi-cloud concept from the application development perspective by reviewing existing definitions of multi-cloud native applications in the literature. Secondly, we set up the basis for the architectural characterization of these kind of applications. Finally, we highlight several open research issues drawn up from the analysis carried out.
J8. Juncal Alonso, Radoslaw Piliszek, Matija Cankar. Embracing IaC through the DevSecOps philosophy: Concepts, challenges, and a reference framework. IEEE Software [H-121, Q2] Special issue on Infrastructure-as-Code Unleashed, 40.1 (2022): 56-62. Relates to WP2, KR13.
The paper introduces the challenges of DevSecOps philosophy and its applicability to the development and operation of trustworthy Infrastructure-as-Code. Here all solutions are combined into a single framework covering all crucial steps. Finally, it is discussed how the proposed framework addresses the challenges as well as an initial design for it is outlined.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/10054445
Available online: Embracing IaC Through the DevSecOps Philosophy: Concepts, Challenges, and a Reference Framework | IEEE Journals & Magazine | IEEE Xplore
J9. Michele Chiari, Dino Mandrioli, Francesco Pontiggia, Matteo Pradella. A Model Checker for Operator Precedence Languages. ACM Transactions on Programming Languages and Systems, ACM Digital Library, [H-72, Q2]. Accepted June 2023. Relates to WP4, KR5.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/8223876
Available online: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3608443
This paper presents a model checker, named POMC, for Operator Precedence Language (OPL) programs to prove properties expressed in Precedence Oriented Temporal Logic (POTL). To the best of the authors’ knowledge, POMC is the first implemented and openly available model checker for proving tree-structured properties of recursive procedural programs. They also report on the experimental evaluation they performed on POMC on a nontrivial benchmark.
J10. Michele Chiari, Bin Xiang, Galia Nedeltcheva, Elisabetta Di Nitto, Lorenzo Blasi, Debora Benedetto, Laurentiu Niculut, Igor Skof. DOML – A New Modelling Approach To Infrastructure-as-Code. Special issue of the ELSEVIER Information Systems journal. [IF 3,7 H-92, Q2]. Submitted in Nov. 11, 2023. Relates to WP3 (KR1, KR3, KR4).
The paper introduces the DevOps Modelling Language (DOML), a new Cloud modelling language for infrastructure deployments. Also, it presents the DOML’s principles and discuss the related work on IaC languages. The advantages of DOML for the end-user are demonstrated in comparison with state-of-the-art IaC languages such as Ansible, Terraform, and Cloudify, besides it is shown its effectiveness through several examples and case studies.
International Conferences
C1. Juncal Alonso, Christophe Joubert, Leire Orue-Echevarria, Matteo Pradella, Daniel Vladusic. Programming trustworthy Infrastructure As Code in a Secure Framework. First SWForum workshop on trustworthy software and open source (SWForum.eu). CEUR-WS.org proceedings, ISSN 1613-0073 Vol 2878. 23 March 2021, pp. 16-23. Relates to WP2, KR13.
Green open access. Embargo period of 12 months to upload the paper to Zenodo.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/record/6881894#.YvS6tHZBxPY
Available online: http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-2878/paper2.pdf
This paper presents PIACERE as a whole at conceptual level. The presentation in the workshop has been used to gather feedback on the PIACERE solution and approach.
C2. Galia Novakova Nedeltcheva, Alfonso De La Fuente Ruiz, Leire Orue-Echevarria Arrieta, Nejc Bat, Lorenzo Blasi. Towards Supporting the Generation of Infrastructure as Code Through Modelling Approaches – Systematic Literature Review. 2022 IEEE 19th International Conference on Software Architecture Companion (ICSA-C 2022). First International Workshop on the Foundations of Infrastructure Specification and Testing (FIST 2022). IEEE, Hawaii. 12-14 March 2022. DOI: 10.1109/ICSA-C54293.2022.00048. Relates to WP3, KR1, KR3.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/10054711
Available online: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9779836
The paper presents a structured literature review (SLR) concerning the aspects of Infrastructure as a Code (IaC) languages, modelling approaches supporting the generation of IaC, categories of languages, and their characteristics, and security analysis techniques. An extensive study has been performed on the generation of the Infrastructure as Code modelling approaches that are relevant to PIACERE DOML (DevSecOps modelling language) specifically, in order to study which DOML requirements could be satisfied by each of those approaches.
C3. Michele Chiari, Michele De Pascalis, Matteo Pradella. Static Analysis of Infrastructure as Code: a Survey. 2022 IEEE 19th International Conference on Software Architecture Companion (ICSA-C 2022). First International Workshop on the Foundations of Infrastructure Specification and Testing (FIST 2022). IEEE, Hawaii, virtual. 12-14 March 2022. Relates to WP4, KR5.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/10055508
ArXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2206.10344
Available online: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9779848
This is a literature review on static analysis approaches for IaC, which covers methods based on code smell detection, data mining, and model checking. Its purpose within the project was to analyse the state of the art on static verification tools upon which to build the DOML Model Checker (WP4).
C4. Michele Chiari, Elisabetta Di Nitto, Adrián Noguero Mucientes, Bin Xiang. Developing a New DevOps Modelling Language to Support the Creation of Infrastructure as Code. European Conference on Service-Oriented and Cloud Computing (ESOCC 2022). 22-24 March 2022, virtual. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-23298-5. SpringerLink, Relates to WP3, KR1.
Zenodo: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6697369
Repository: https://www.piacere-doml.deib.polimi.it/publications/ESOCCProjectTrack.pdf
Available online: Developing a New DevOps Modelling Language to Support the Creation of Infrastructure as Code | SpringerLink
This is a short paper giving an overview of the motivations for building the DOML, the principles behind it, and its current structure. In this paper we have not introduced new developments, but its purpose is pure dissemination, to receive feedback on the DOML ideas from an expert external audience.
C5. Osaba, E., Diaz-de-Arcaya, J., Orue-Echavarria, L., Alonso, J., López Lobo, J., Benguría G., & Etxaniz, I. PIACERE Project: Description and Prototype for Optimizing Infrastructure as Code Deployment Configurations. The Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference (GECCO 2022). 9-13 July 2022, hybrid. ACM Digital Library, Relates to WP5, KR13, KR9.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/10054826
Available online: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3520304.3533938
The goal of this technical paper is to describe the preliminary approach followed in PIACERE for carrying out this optimization, and how the IOP fits into the whole PIACERE ecosystem. Additionally, results obtained in a preliminary experimentation are detailed in this study.
C6. N. Petrović, M. Cankar and A. Luzar. Automated Approach to IaC Code Inspection Using Python-Based DevSecOps Tool. 30th Telecommunications Forum (TELFOR 2022), 16-17 Nov. 2022, Belgrad, Serbia. Publisher IEEEXplore, pp. 1-4. doi: 10.1109/TELFOR56187.2022.9983681. Relates to WP5, KR6, KR12.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/7315430
Available online: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9983681
In this paper, we present an open-source Python-based tool with web-based graphical interface which enables automation of static code analysis and checks when it comes to Infrastructure as Code (IaC) scripts. The proposed tool is evaluated in several scenarios when it comes to terraform scripts.
C7. Eneko Osaba, Josu Diaz-de-Arcaya, Juncal Alonso, Jesus L. Lobo, Gorka Benguria, Iñaki Etxaniz. An Evolutionary Computation based Platform for Optimizing Infrastructure-As-Code Deployment Configurations. Eighth International Congress on Information and Communication Technology (ICICT 2023), 20-23 February 2023, London, UK. Springer Link, Relates to WP5, KR9.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/10055124
Available online: An Evolutionary Computation-Based Platform for Optimizing Infrastructure-as-Code Deployment Configurations | SpringerLink
The main motivation of this technical paper is to describe and demonstrate the applicability of the IOP, which is based on EC metaheuristics for dealing with the task of providing the user with optimized Infrastructure-as-Code configurations deployed on the most appropriate infrastructural elements that best meet the predefined requirements. In the paper, we also describe the main optimization problem to solve, deepening its particularities and demonstrating its adaptability to user needs.
C8. Michele Chiari, Bin Xiang, Galia Nedeltcheva, Elisabetta Di Nitto, Lorenzo Blasi, Debora Benedetto, Laurentiu Niculut. DOML – A New Modelling Approach To Infrastructure-as-Code. 35th International Conference on Advanced Information Systems Engineering (CAiSE 2023). 12-16 June 2023, Zaragoza, Spain. Springer, Relates to WP3: KR1, KR3, KR4.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/7884450
Available online: DOML: A New Modelling Approach to Infrastructure-as-Code | SpringerLink
In this paper, we introduce the DevOps Modelling Language (DOML), a new Cloud modeling language for infrastructure deployments. We present the DOML’s principles and discuss the related work on IaC languages. We demonstrate the DOML advantages for the end-user in comparison with state-of-the-art IaC languages such as Ansible, Terraform, and Cloudify, and show its effectiveness through an example.
C9. Alfonso de la Fuente Ruiz, Galia Novakova Nedeltcheva. Game theory strategies for Open-Source Infrastructure-as-Code. IEEE 20th International Conference on Software Architecture Companion (ICSA-C 2023). Second International Workshop on the Foundations of Infrastructure Specification and Testing (FIST 2023). IEEE Xplore Digital Library, L’Aquila, Italy, 14 March 2023. DOI: 10.1109/ICSA-C57050.2023.00075 Relates to WP3, KR1.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/10055136
Available online: Game-theory strategies for open-source Infrastructure-as-Code | IEEE Conference Publication | IEEE Xplore
In this paper, we study the adoption of OSS philosophy by industrial partners from the perspective of game theory, to then draw conclusions on what information to share, when, why, how, and with whom, so that risks are minimized, and benefits are maximized for each, and every partner engaged in IaC-focused collaborative projects that make use of an OSS approach.
C10. Josu Diaz-de-Arcaya, Eneko Osaba, Gorka Benguria, Iñaki Etxaniz, Jesus L. Lobo, Juncal Alonso, Ana I. Torre-Bastida, Aitor Almeida. IEM: A Unified Lifecycle Orchestrator for Multilingual IaC Deployments. FASTContinuum 2023 workshop co-located at ICPE 2023, International Conference on Performance Engineering (ICPE 2023), 16 April 2023, Coimbra, Portugal. ACM Digital Library. DOI: https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3578245.3584938 Relates to WP5, KR10.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/10055200
Available online: IEM: A Unified Lifecycle Orchestrator for Multilingual IaC Deployments | Companion of the 2023 ACM/SPEC International Conference on Performance Engineering
This paper presents the IaC Execution Manager (IEM), a unified framework for the lifecycle management of software components alongside their IaC. Moreover, its benefits in an industrial use case are discussed.
C11. Nedeltcheva, Galia Novakova, Bin Xiang, Laurentiu Niculut, and Debora Benedetto. “Challenges Towards Modeling and Generating Infrastructure-as-Code.” In Companion of the 2023 ACM/SPEC International Conference on Performance Engineering, pp. 189-193. 2023. FASTContinuum 2023 workshop, co-located with the International Conference on Performance Engineering (ICPE 2023), 16 April 2023, Coimbra, Portugal. ACM Digital Library. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3578245.3584937, Published Online: 2023-04-15, Relates to WP3, KR1 & KR3.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/10055255
Available online: Challenges Towards Modeling and Generating Infrastructure-as-Code | Companion of the 2023 ACM/SPEC International Conference on Performance Engineering
This paper aims at describing our experience in applying IaC in cloud-native applications particularly, discussing the key challenges towards modeling and generating IaC faced in the ongoing project PIACERE (Programming Trustworthy Infrastructure-As-Code in a Secure Framework). The concluding insights could be helpful for the wider adoption of IaC by software developers.
C12. M. Cankar, N. Petrovic, J. Pita Costa, A. Cernivec, J. Antic, T. Martincic, D. Stepec. Security in DevSecOps: Applying tools and machine learning to verifications and monitoring steps. FASTContinuum 2023 workshop, co-located with the International Conference on Performance Engineering (ICPE 2023), 16 April 2023, Coimbra, Portugal. ACM Digital Library. DOI: https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3578245.3584943 Relates to WP6, KR6, KR7+KR8, KR14.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/7966321
Available online: https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3578245.3584943
This paper proposes a) IaC Scan Runner, an open-source solution developed in Python for inspecting a variety of state-of-the-art IaC languages in application design time and b) the run time anomaly detection tool called LOMOS. Both tools work in synergy and provide a valuable contribution to a DevSecOps tool set.
C13. Jesus L. Lobo, Ibai Laña, Eneko Osaba, Javier Del Ser. On the Connection between Concept Drift and Uncertainty in Industrial Artificial Intelligence. IEEE Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IEEE CAI 2023). Santa Clara, California, USA, 5-6 June 2023. IEEE, Relates to WP6 (T6.2), KR11.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/10055445
ArXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.07940
Available online: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10195049
This paper presents the relationship between the Concept Drift phenomenon and the uncertainty in streaming regression tasks.
C14. Jan Antić, Joao Pita Costa, Ales Cernivec, Matija Cankar, Tomaz Martincic (2023). Runtime security monitoring by an interplay between rule matching and deep learning-based anomaly detection on logs. 4th International Workshop on Information and Operational Technology Security (IOSEC 2023), IEEEXplore Digital Library. 19 April 2023, Barcelona, Spain. Relates to WP4, KR7+KR8, KR12, KR11.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/10055477
Available online: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10108105
This paper discusses the combination of a static rule-matching approach with dynamic self-supervised machine learning to detect anomalies in logs. One key research question in this field is whether identified anomalies can be transformed into Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) rules (e.g., Wazuh), and how the LOMOS tool can contribute to this process.
C15. Eneko Osaba, Josu Diaz-de-Arcaya, Juncal Alonso, Jesus L. Lobo, Gorka Benguria and Iñaki Echaniz. Multiobjective Optimization Analysis for Finding Infrastructure-as-Code Deployment Configurations. 1st International Conference on Computer and Communications Management (ICCCM 2023) http://www.icccm.org/. 4-6 August 2023, Nagoya, Japan. ACM Digital Library, Relates to WP5, KR9.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/10066862
Available online: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3617733.3617777
This paper is focused on a multiobjective problem related to optimizing Infrastructure-as-Code deployment configurations. A deep analysis is conducted, focusing on the resolution of the problem, in order to determine which is the most appropriate multiobjective method for embedding in the IOP. Nine different evolutionary computation-based multiobjective algorithms are reported in this paper. Findings reached from the tests carried out led to the creation of a multi-algorithm system, capable of applying different techniques according to the user’s needs.
C16. Villanueva, E., Torres, I., Osaba, E., Canzoneri, S., Franchini, A., & Blasi, L. (2023, October). PIACERE Integrated Development Environment. In 3rd Eclipse Security, AI, Architecture and Modelling Conference on Cloud to Edge Continuum (pp. 62-66). ACM Digital Library. Relates to WP3, KR2.
This article presents a model-driven engineering (MDE) integrated development environment (IDE) to assist the DevSecOps (Development Security and Operations) process. This tool has been developed within the PIACERE H2020 project, which proposes a framework composed of a set of tools developed to support all phases of the DevSecOps life cycle including modeling, test/validation, build/generate, deployment, operate and modeling.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/10149210
Available online: https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3624486.3624507
C17. Eneko Osaba, Gorka Benguria, Jesus L. Lobo, Josu Diaz-de-Arcaya, Juncal Alonso, Iñaki Etxaniz. Optimizing IaC Configurations: A Case Study Using Nature-inspired Computing. The 6th International Conference on Computational Intelligence and Intelligent Systems (CIIS 2023), Tokyo, Japan. November 25-27, 2023. www.ciis.net Relates to WP5, KR9.
Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/10171566
ArXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.10767
Available online:
The main objective of this paper is to demonstrate a tool based on nature-inspired computing for solving a specific software engineering problem. In particular, the problem that has been faced consists of optimizing Infrastructure as Code (IaC) deployment configurations. The IaC Optimizer Platform (IOP) is contextualized within the complete platform in which it is embedded, describing how a user can benefit from its use. Also, a real-world use case is presented and solved.