Development and Evaluation of a Holistic, Cloud-Driven and Microservices-Based Architecture for Automated Semantic Annotation of Web Documents
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Development and Evaluation of a Holistic, Cloud-driven and Microservices-based Architecture for Automated Semantic Annotation of Web Documents Oluwasegun Adedokun Adedugbe Staffordshire University A Doctoral Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of Staffordshire University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 2019 i Abstract The Semantic Web is based on the concept of representing information on the web such that computers can both understand and process them. This implies defining context for web information to give them a well-defined meaning. Semantic Annotation defines the process of adding annotation data to web information for the much-needed context. However, despite several solutions and techniques for semantic annotation, it is still faced with challenges which have hindered the growth of the semantic web. With recent significant technological innovations such as Cloud Computing, Internet of Things as well as Mobile Computing and their various integrations with semantic technologies to proffer solutions in IT, little has been done towards leveraging these technologies to address semantic annotation challenges. Hence, this research investigates leveraging cloud computing paradigm to address some semantic annotation challenges, with focus on an automated system for providing semantic annotation as a service. Firstly, considering the current disparate nature observable with most semantic annotation solutions, a holistic perspective to semantic annotation is proposed based on a set of requirements. Then, a capability assessment towards the feasibility of leveraging cloud computing is conducted which produces a Cloud Computing Capability Model for Holistic Semantic Annotation. Furthermore, an investigation into application deployment patterns in the cloud and how they relate to holistic semantic annotation was conducted. A set of determinant factors that define different patterns for application deployment in the cloud were identified and these resulted into the development of a Cloud Computing Maturity Model and the conceptualisation of a “Cloud-Driven” development methodology for holistic semantic annotation in the cloud. Some key components of the “Cloud-Driven” concept include Microservices, Operating System-Level Virtualisation and Orchestration. With the role Microservices Software Architectural Patterns play towards developing solutions that can fully maximise cloud computing benefits; CloudSea: a holistic, cloud-driven and microservices- based architecture for automated semantic annotation of web documents is proposed as a novel approach to semantic annotation. The architecture draws from the theory of “Design Patterns” in Software Engineering towards its design and development which subsequently resulted into the development of twelve Design Patterns and a Pattern Language for Holistic Semantic Annotation, based on the CloudSea architectural design. As proof-of-concept, a prototype implementation for CloudSea was developed and deployed in the cloud based on the “Cloud- Driven” methodology and a functionality evaluation was carried out on it. A comparative ii evaluation of the CloudSea architecture was also conducted in relation to current semantic annotation solutions; both proposed in academic literature and existing as industry solutions. In addition, to evaluate the proposed Cloud Computing Maturity Model for Holistic Semantic Annotation, an experimental evaluation of the model was conducted by developing and deploying six instances of the prototype and deploying them differently, based on the patterns described in the model. This empirical investigation was implemented by testing the instances for performance through series of API load tests and results obtained confirmed the validity of both the “Cloud-Driven” methodology and the entire model. Keywords: Semantic Web, Semantic Annotation, Holistic Semantic Annotation, Cloud Computing, Cloud Computing Capability Model, Cloud Computing Maturity Model, Cloud- Driven, CloudSea, Microservices, Design Patterns. iii Acknowledgements Firstly, I will like to give God thanks for His many blessings and the opportunity to have embarked on this academic journey as well as the grace to bring it to completion. Father in Heaven may your name be praised forever, Amen. Sincere gratitude goes to my principal supervisor Professor Elhadj Benkhelifa for his immense contribution to the success of this work. Your support, encouragement and advice are so priceless. I also wish to express my sincere appreciation to my second supervisor Dr. Russell Campion for his continued support in diverse ways all through this journey. I wish to express my gratitude as well to the authorities at Staffordshire University for the scholarship I received towards tuition for the entire period of my PhD studies. Many thanks! Furthermore, I wish to thank my family; my darling wife for all her support and ‘holding forth’ while I pursued this degree – thanks sweetheart, I appreciate it all! Thanks to my sweet mother for all her prayers and words of encouragement. You’re such a wonderful mummy! Thanks to my lovely daughter; Michelle and dear son; Jayden. Thanks to my dear sisters, brother, sisters- in-law and brothers-in-law for all their support and encouragement. Thanks to my Parents-in- law for their support, encouragement and prayers. Thanks to my family at large, to friends and well-wishers too numerous to mention in every way you have offered some support! iv Dedication This is dedicated to my late Father; Prince Johnson Adedapo Adedugbe who passed on to glory on 22nd September 2018, less than a year to the completion of my PhD studies. His desire for me to obtain this degree is beyond what my words can describe, and he so much looked forward to celebrating its completion with me but that was not meant to be. Your passion for quality education and decency of lifestyle are great values that I will always remember and appreciate. Thanks for being such a great daddy, Dad. v List of Publications Conferences: Adedugbe, O., Benkhelifa, E. and Campion, R., 2017, October. Towards Cloud Driven Semantic Annotation. In 2017 IEEE/ACS 14th International Conference on Computer Systems and Applications (AICCSA) (pp. 1378-1384). IEEE. Adedugbe, O., Benkhelifa, E. and Campion, R., 2018, October. A Cloud-Driven Framework for a Holistic Approach to Semantic Annotation. In 2018 Fifth International Conference on Social Networks Analysis, Management and Security (SNAMS) (pp. 128-134). IEEE. Benkhelifa, E., Rowe, E., Kinmond, R., Adedugbe, O.A. and Welsh, T., 2014, August. Exploiting Social Networks for the Prediction of Social and Civil Unrest: A Cloud-Based Framework. In 2014 International Conference on Future Internet of Things and Cloud (pp. 565-572). IEEE. Journals: Adedugbe, O., Benkhelifa, E. and Campion, R., Jayawickrama, U., 2019. Leveraging Cloud Computing for the Semantic Web: Review and Trends. Soft Computing Journal (Submitted) vi Table of Contents Abstract .................................................................................................................................. ii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................... iv Dedication .............................................................................................................................. v List of Publications................................................................................................................ vi Table of Contents ................................................................................................................. vii List of Figures ..................................................................................................................... xiv List of Tables ...................................................................................................................... xvii List of Abbreviations ........................................................................................................... xix Chapter 1: Introduction .................................................................................................... 21 1.1 Research Motivation ................................................................................................ 21 1.2 Research Aim and Objectives .................................................................................. 23 1.3 Research Hypothesis ................................................................................................ 24 1.4 Research Methodology ............................................................................................. 24 1.4.1 Design Science Research in Information Systems............................................ 24 1.4.2 Philosophical Ground of DSR .......................................................................... 26 1.4.3 DSR Three and Four-Cycle Views ................................................................... 27 1.4.4 DSR Process Model .......................................................................................... 29 1.4.5 DSR Cognitive Stages....................................................................................... 34 1.4.6 DSR Knowledge Contribution Framework ...................................................... 35 1.5 Research Contributions to Knowledge ..................................................................... 36 1.6 Thesis Structure .......................................................................................................