Middleware 2004

Middleware systems consist of programming models, abstractions, protocols, and services designed to aid in the design, development, integration, and deployment of distributed applications within heterogeneous computing environments. Conceptually, middleware serves as a software layer above the networking substrate and operating system, and below distributed applications. However, the boundaries of this layer are often blurred, with middleware functionalities shifting across these layers. Common middleware abstractions and services include remote communication, publish/subscribe, messaging, and distributed transactions. Research in middleware builds on a diverse array of concepts and techniques from various fields such as programming languages, distributed systems, operating systems, networking, and data management. The 5th International Middleware Conference in Toronto, Canada, aimed to be a leading event for middleware research and technology in 2004, following successful previous conferences in locations like the Lake District, UK, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The conference covered a wide range of topics, including the design, implementation, and evaluation of distributed systems platforms and architectures for emerging computing environments. It featured research on middleware for peer-to-peer computing, mobility, replication, transactions, publish/subscribe systems, routing protocols, application servers, resource manageme