Configuration management of compiled software artifacts (programs, libraries, icons, etc.) is a growing problem as software reuse becomes more prevalent. For an application composed from reused libraries and modules to function correctly, all of the required files must be available and be the correct version. In this paper, we present a simple scheme to address this problem: content-derived names (CDNs). Computing an object’s name automatically using digital signatures greatly eases the problem of disambiguating multiple versions of an object. By using content-derived names, developers can ensure that only those software components that have been tested together are permitted to run together.
Jeffrey K. Hollingsworth, Ethan L. Miller