Autonomic Computing

Introduction

In March 2001, IBM Senior Vice President and Director of Research Dr. Paul Horn spoke about the importance and direction of autonomic computing before the National Academy of Engineering conference at Harvard University. He had a very direct message:

“The information technology industry loves to prove the impossible possible. We obliterate barriers and set records with astonishing regularity. But now we face a problem springing from the very core of our success—and too few of us are focused on solving it. More that any other IT problem, this one—if it remains unsolved—will actually prevent us from moving to the next era of computing. The obstacle is complexity . . . . Dealing with the single most important challenge facing the IT ...