Addressing the middleware configuration challenges using model-based techniques
02 Apr 2004-pp 166-170
TL;DR: A modeling paradigm called Options Configuration Modeling Language (OCML) is used based on model-based systems engineering to address the concerns of complex middleware configuration in the context of conflguring a QoS-enabled CORBA component middleware.
Abstract: Component middleware, such as J2EE, .Net and CORBA Component Model (CCM) have been increasingly used to develop and deploy large-scale distributed systems in different domains, including defense, enterprise, avionics and industrial process control. The different applications in each of these domains require different levels and types of quality of service (QoS) guarantees from their underlying component middleware. In an effort to support a large number of applications, therefore, component middleware developers provide enormous flexibility in the way the middleware can be configured and fine-tuned for the target application. Application developers, however, resort to ad hoc techniques to configure the middleware, which are tedious and errorprone.This paper describes a novel scheme we are using based on model-based systems engineering to address the concerns of complex middleware configuration. We present a modeling paradigm called Options Configuration Modeling Language (OCML) we have used in the context of conflguring a QoS-enabled CORBA component middleware.
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TL;DR: An approach to identify so-called configurable elements of a workflow modeling language and to add configuration opportunities to workflow models is presented in this paper.
Abstract: Workflow modeling languages allow for the specification of executable business processes. They, however, typically do not provide any guidance for the adaptation of workflow models, i.e. they do not offer any methods or tools explaining and highlighting which adaptations of the models are feasible and which are not. Therefore, an approach to identify so-called configurable elements of a workflow modeling language and to add configuration opportunities to workflow models is presented in this paper. Configurable elements are the elements of a workflow model that can be modified such that the behavior represented by the model is restricted. More precisely, a configurable element can be either set to enabled, to blocked, or to hidden. To ensure that such configurations lead only to desirable models, our approach allows for imposing so-called requirements on the model's configuration. They have to be fulfilled by any configuration, and limit therefore the freedom of configuration choices. The identification of configurable elements within the workflow modeling language of YAWL and the derivation of the new "configurable YAWL" language provide a concrete example for a rather generic approach. A transformation of configured models into lawful YAWL models demonstrates its applicability.
202 citations
Cites methods from "Addressing the middleware configura..."
...Tools as the Adele Configuration Manager [41] or CoSMIC [42] support the definition of dependencies or constraints among artifacts composing a software family....
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TL;DR: Analysis techniques to detect circular dependencies and contradictory constraints in questionnaire models, as well as techniques to incrementally prevent invalid configurations by restricting the space of allowed answers to a question based on previous answers are presented.
Abstract: Variability management is a recurrent issue in systems engineering. It arises for example in enterprise systems, where modules are configured and composed to meet the requirements of individual customers based on modifications to a reference model. It also manifests itself in the context of software product families, where variants of a system are built from a common code base. This paper proposes an approach to capture system variability based on questionnaire models that include order dependencies and domain constraints. The paper presents analysis techniques to detect circular dependencies and contradictory constraints in questionnaire models, as well as techniques to incrementally prevent invalid configurations by restricting the space of allowed answers to a question based on previous answers. The approach has been implemented as a toolset and has been used in practice to capture configurable process models for film post-production.
156 citations
Cites background or methods from "Addressing the middleware configura..."
...[3], [9] and [34]), inconsistent choices are detected and reported a posteriori, with the drawback that users need to backtrack and revise their choices when an inconsistency is found....
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...Another example is the Options Configuration Modeling Language (OCML) of the CoSMIC configurable middleware [34]....
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TL;DR: This article proposes a formal foundation for individualizing configurable process models incrementally, while preserving correctness, both with respect to syntax and behavioral semantics.
Abstract: A configurable process model captures a family of related process models in a single artifact. Such models are intended to be configured to fit the requirements of specific organizations or projects, leading to individualized process models that are subsequently used for domain analysis or solution design. This article proposes a formal foundation for individualizing configurable process models incrementally, while preserving correctness, both with respect to syntax and behavioral semantics. Specifically, assuming the configurable process model is behaviorally sound, the individualized process models are guaranteed to be sound. The theory is first developed in the context of Petri nets and then extended to a process modeling notation widely used in practice, namely Event-driven Process Chains.
122 citations
Dissertation•
01 Jan 2009
TL;DR: An integrated framework to manage the configuration of process models is proposed, formally defined and validated using four scenarios taken from different domains and a comprehensive toolset was implemented to support the validation of the framework.
Abstract: Configurable process models are integrated representations of multiple variants of a process model in a given domain, e.g. multiple variants of a shipment-to-delivery process in the logistics domain. Configurable process models provide a basis for managing variability and for enabling reuse of process models in Process-Aware Information Systems. Rather than designing process models from scratch, analysts can derive process models by configuring existing ones, thereby reusing proven practices. This thesis starts with the observation that existing approaches for capturing and managing configurable process models suffer from three shortcomings that affect their usability in practice. Firstly, configuration in existing approaches is performed manually and as such it is error-prone. In particular, analysts are left with the burden of ensuring the correctness of the individualized models. Secondly, existing approaches suffer from a lack of decision support for the selection of configuration alternatives. Consequently, stakeholders involved in the configuration of process models need to possess expertise both in the application domain and in the modeling language employed. This assumption represents an adoption obstacle in domains where users are unfamiliar with modeling notations. Finally, existing approaches for configurable process modeling are limited in scope to control-flow aspects, ignoring other equally important aspects of process models such as object flow and resource management. Following a design science research method, this thesis addresses the above shortcomings by proposing an integrated framework to manage the configuration of process models. The framework is grounded on three original and interrelated contributions: (i) a conceptual foundation for correctness-preserving configuration of process models; (ii) a questionnaire-driven approach for process model configuration, providing decision support and abstraction from modeling notations; (iii) a meta-model for configurable process models covering control-flow, data objects and resources. While the framework is language-independent, an embodiment of the framework in the context of a process modeling language used in practice is also developed in this thesis. The framework was formally defined and validated using four scenarios taken from different domains. Moreover, a comprehensive toolset was implemented to support the validation of the framework.
90 citations
29 Mar 2008
TL;DR: This paper proposes a foundation for configuring reference process models incrementally and in a way that ensures the correctness of the individualized process models, both with respect to syntax and behavioral semantics.
Abstract: Reference process models capture recurrent business operations in a given domain such as procurement or logistics. These models are intended to be configured to fit the requirements of specific organizations or projects, leading to individualized process models that are subsequently used for domain analysis or solution design. Although the advantages of reusing reference process models compared to designing process models from scratch are widely accepted, the methods employed to configure reference process models are manual and error-prone. In particular, analysts are left with the burden of ensuring the correctness of the individualized process models and to manually fix errors. This paper proposes a foundation for configuring reference process models incrementally and in a way that ensures the correctness of the individualized process models, both with respect to syntax and behavioral semantics. Specifically, assuming the reference process model is behaviorally sound, the individualized process models are guaranteed to be sound.
72 citations
Cites methods from "Addressing the middleware configura..."
...The Adele Configuration Manager [10] and the Cosmic Configurable Middleware [22] use first-order logic to capture constraints....
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References
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"Addressing the middleware configura..." refers methods in this paper
...Serv [1] and Multi-Protocol Label Switching [2] are enabling network service providers to provision and deliver network-level qualityof-service (QoS) to LDQoSS systems....
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...For example, networking technologies such as DiffServ [1] and Multi-Protocol Label Switching [2] are enabling network service providers to provision and deliver network-level qualityof-service (QoS) to LDQoSS systems....
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TL;DR: Model-integrated computing (MIC), an approach to model-based engineering that helps compose domain-specific design environments rapidly and cost effectively, is particularly relevant for specialized computer-based systems domains-perhaps even single projects.
Abstract: Domain-specific integrated development environments can help capture specifications in the form of domain models. These tools support the design process by automating analysis and simulating essential system behavior. In addition, they can automatically generate, configure, and integrate target application components. The high cost of developing domain-specific, integrated modeling, analysis, and application-generation environments prevents their penetration into narrower engineering fields that have limited user bases. Model-integrated computing (MIC), an approach to model-based engineering that helps compose domain-specific design environments rapidly and cost effectively, is particularly relevant for specialized computer-based systems domains-perhaps even single projects. The authors describe how MIC provides a way to compose such environments cost effectively and rapidly by using a metalevel architecture to specify the domain-specific modeling language and integrity constraints. They also discuss the toolset that implements MIC and describe a practical application in which using the technology in a tool environment for the process industry led to significant reductions in development and maintenance costs.
1,394 citations
"Addressing the middleware configura..." refers methods in this paper
...The Options Conflguration Modeling Language (OCML) is a modeling language we have developed using the Generic Modeling Environment (GME) [ 8 ] to address the middleware conflguration challenges....
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01 Jul 2005
67 citations
"Addressing the middleware configura..." refers methods in this paper
...A sample rules governing option dependencies and expressed textually is shown below: Figure 2 depicts a rule for CIAO s ORBAllowReactivationOfSystemIds....
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...OCML is initially designed to be a modeling tool for the configuration of the CIAO [9] component middleware configuration options, however it is generic enough to be used as a modeling tool for different tools and libraries....
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...Figure 3: OCML Rule Example 2 After the CIAO developers design the models for CIAO options and the rules explained above, the model is interpreted and the interpretation process generates the CIAO-speci.c CFG and documentation....
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...This section illustrates through use case scenarios how OCML is used to model CIAO con.guration options....
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...CoSMIC tool suite is developed in association with the CIAO component middleware, which is available for download at www.dre.vanderbilt.edu/CIAO....
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TL;DR: In this paper, distributed real-time and embedded (DRE) systems have become critical in domains such as avionics, flight mission computers, telecommunications (e.g., wireless phone services), tele-medicine...
41 citations
"Addressing the middleware configura..." refers methods in this paper
...We describe the Options Con.guration Modeling Language (OCML) tool that is part of our Model-Driven Middleware (MDM) [6] toolchain called CoSMIC [7]....
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...We describe the Options Configuration Modeling Language (OCML) tool that is part of our Model-Driven Middleware (MDM) [6] toolchain called CoSMIC [7]....
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