SmartSLA: A Graphical Modeling-Based Approach to SLA Management with Automatic Code Generation on Blockchain Platforms

SmartSLA is an innovative model-driven framework that automates the generation and deployment of blockchain-based Service Level Agreements (SLAs) in cloud environments. It addresses the limitations of manual and centralized SLA management—such as lack of transparency, high complexity, and susceptibility to human error—by integrating Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) with blockchain technology. The framework consists of three core components: (1) an Ecore-based metamodel that formally defines SLA elements and policies, (2) a graphical modeling editor for intuitive SLA design, and (3) an automated code generator that produces executable Solidity contracts for Ethereum deployment. The framework’s applicability was evaluated through eight industrial case studies across diverse cloud domains, including networking, storage, IoT, and disaster recovery. Results demonstrate full automation of the SLA lifecycle with substantial reduction in design effort and consistent model-to-code transformation accuracy. Structural comparisons with five existing modeling languages confirm balanced design quality, achieving moderate maintainability, high understandability, and sufficient extensibility. By bridging SLA specification and blockchain enforcement, SmartSLA provides a unified, scalable, and transparent solution for automated SLA management, strengthening operational reliability and advancing the integration of MDE and blockchain in industrial cloud ecosystems.