Leveraging relational technology for data-centric dynamic systems

We base our work on a model called data-centric dynamic system (DCDS), which can be seen as a framework for modeling and verification of systems where both the process controlling the dynamics and the manipulation of data are equally central. More specifically, a DCDS consists of a data layer and a process layer, interacting as follows: the data layer stores all the data of interest in a relational database, and the process layer modifies and evolves such data by executing actions under the control of a process, and possibly injecting into the system external data retrieved through service calls. In this work, we propose an implementation of DCDSs in which all aspects concerning not only the data layer but also the process layer, are realized by means of functionalities provided by a relational DBMS. We present the architecture of our prototype system, describe its functionality, and discuss the next steps we intend to take towards realizing a full-fledged DCDS-based system that supports verification of rich temporal properties.