Showing papers on "View model published in 2010"

The 3+1 SysML View-Model in Model Integrated Mechatronics

Abstract: Software is becoming the driving force in today’s mechatronic systems. It does not only realize a significant part of their functionality but it is also used to realize their most competitive advantages. However, the traditional development process is wholly inappropriate for the development of these systems that impose a tighter coupling of software with electronics and mechanics. In this paper, a synergistic integration of the constituent parts of mechatronic systems, i.e. mechanical, electronic and software is proposed though the 3+1 SysML view-model. SysML is used to specify the cen-tral view-model of the mechatronic system while the other three views are for the different disciplines involved. The widely used in software engineering V-model is extended to address the requirements set by the 3+1 SysML view-model and the Model Integrated Mechatronics (MIM) paradigm. A SysML profile is described to facilitate the application of the proposed view-model in the development of mechatronic systems.

An ontology-based Enterprise Architecture

Abstract: The Enterprise Architecture refers to a comprehensive description of all of the key elements and relationships that make up an organization [Harmon, P. (2003). Developing an Enterprise Architecture, Business process trends: Whitepaper]. Through the Enterprise Architecture, enterprises can implement enterprise integration to cope with dynamically changing business environment. Existing Enterprise Architectures, however, lack of semantics for humans and systems to understand them exactly and commonly, which causes communication problems between humans or between systems or between human and system. These communication problems keep enterprises from implementing integration and collaborating with other enterprises. In order to solve this problem, the ontology-based Enterprise Architecture is suggested in this paper. The Enterprise Architecture ontology is composed of ontologies in three levels. Ontologies of business terms are in the first level, ontologies of Enterprise Architecture components are in the second level, and ontologies of relationships among Enterprise Architecture components are in the top level. The ontologies of business terms are defined in the approach of the WordNet, and the ontologies of Enterprise Architecture components and relationships of them are defined in the approach of the SBVR. Through these ontologies, it is expected that humans and systems can understand Enterprise Architectures exactly and commonly, which supports integrations in enterprises and collaborations between enterprises.

Investigating the state-of-the-art in enterprise architecture management methods in literature and practice

Abstract: In recent years, enterprise architecture (EA) management has emerged to one of the major challenges for enterprises. When looking for guidance in this field companies can choose from a variety of EA management approaches, which have been developed by scientists, practitioners, and governmental organizations. However, these approaches differ significantly in a number of characteristics and especially when it comes to methods for the EA management function. There is neither a common understanding of the scope and content of the main activities an EA management function consists of nor has a commonly accepted reference method been developed.

Architecture analysis of enterprise systems modifiability - Models, analysis, and validation

Abstract: Enterprise architecture (EA) models can be used in order to increase the general understanding of enterprise systems and to perform various kinds of analysis. This paper presents instantiated architectural models based on a metamodel for enterprise systems modifiability analysis, i.e. for assessing the cost of making changes to enterprise-wide systems. The instantiated architectural models detailed are based on 21 software change projects conducted at four large Nordic companies. Probabilistic relational models (PRMs) are used for formalizing the EA analysis approach. PRMs enable the combination of regular entity-relationship modeling aspects with means to perform enterprise architecture analysis under uncertainty. The modifiability metamodel employed in the analysis is validated with survey and workshop data (in total 110 experts were surveyed) and with the data collected in the 21 software change projects. Validation indicates that the modifiability metamodel contains the appropriate set of elements. It also indicates that the metamodel produces estimates within a 75% accuracy in 87% of the time and has a mean accuracy of 88% (when considering projects of 2000 man-hours or more).

A Tool for Enterprise Architecture Analysis Using the PRM Formalism

Abstract: Enterprise architecture advocates for model-based decision-making on enterprise-wide information system issues. In order to provide decision-making support, enterprise architecture models should not only be descriptive but also enable analysis. This paper presents a software tool, currently under development, for the evaluation of enterprise architecture models. In particular, the paper focuses on how to encode scientific theories so that they can be used for model-based analysis and reasoning under uncertainty. The tool architecture is described, and a case study shows how the tool supports the process of enterprise architecture analysis.

From Software Architecture Analysis to Service Engineering: An Empirical Study of Methodology Development for Enterprise SOA Implementation

Abstract: This paper presents an integrated service-oriented enterprise system development framework (called the BITAM-SOA Framework) as well as an instantiated design process model (called the Service Engineering Schematic) that was a result from a three-year action research case study with a Fortune 50 company in the financial services industry. The BITAM-SOA Framework and Schematic advance are both business-IT alignment and software architecture analysis techniques supporting the engineering of enterprise-wide service-oriented systems-that is, service engineering.

What Is an Enterprise Architecture Principle

Abstract: Architecture can be defined as the fundamental organization of a system and the principles governing its design and evolution (IEEE 2000). While design representation issues like meta-modeling and notations have been intensely discussed in Enterprise Architecture (EA), design activity issues are often neglected. This is surprising because EA principles play an important role in practice. As a contribution towards a consensus on a clear definition of EA principles, we analyze state-of-the-art on EA principle definitions. Our literature analysis is based on the results of Stelzer’s (2009) broad literature review. Based on five selected approaches, seven common main components of EA principle definitions are identified: (1) An EA principle is based on business strategy and IT strategy; (2) EA design principles refer to the construction of an enterprise while requirements refer to its function; (3) Principles can be attributed to different layers (e.g. business, information system, technology); (4) An EA principle is described in a principle statement saying what to improve; (5) For each principle, a rationale is formulated explaining why the principle is meant to help reaching a pre-defined goal; (6) For each principle, concrete implications or key actions are described explaining how to implement the principle; and (7) For every principle, it should be defined how to determine its fulfillment.

Challenges of involving stakeholders when creating enterprise architecture

Abstract: Although researchers report challenges that occur during enterprise architecture development (in general), there is lack of an elaborate description of those that occur during enterprise architecture creation – particularly if organizational stakeholders are to be deeply involved. Yet understanding challenges of involving organizational stakeholders when creating enterprise architecture is a prerequisite for devising a relevant solution to enterprise architects. An exploratory survey was therefore conducted with the aim of investigating challenges that enterprise architects face when they involve organizational stakeholders during enterprise architecture creation. This paper presents and discusses findings from the survey. The survey results generally indicate why 90% of enterprise architects face challenges when delivering products of enterprise architecture creation, although 96% of architects closely collaborate with organizational stakeholders during enterprise architecture creation.

Towards a theory on collaborative decision making in enterprise architecture

Abstract: Several challenges in enterprise architecture development indicate the need for collaborative decision making to be deployed during architecture creation However, how this should be achieved remains ad hoc This paper, therefore, presents an evolving theory that is currently being used to guide the development of a method for supporting collaborative decision making during enterprise architecture creation The first iteration to evaluate the relevance of the concepts in this theory was done using an exploratory survey, and the findings are briefly presented.

Measurement of enterprise architecture readiness within organizations

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a model for measuring enterprise architecture (EA) readiness in organizations.Design/methodology/approach – This paper reviews the literature of enterprise architecture, defines and extracts factors and indicators of enterprise architecture readiness with factor weighting and indicators. Thereafter the authors propose a model to measure organization EA readiness in practice.Findings – In this paper nine factors and 34 indicators that affect enterprise architecture are defined and an enterprise architecture readiness model is constructed. The model of research is practical, because it specifies readiness of organization in enterprise architecture and helps to define current state of organization via factors and indicators, and from priorities of factors and indicators, alerts organization of an optimization strategy.Research limitations/implications – In order to increase the utility of the model for use in other organizations, further studies can help to r...

Developing next generation ADLs through MDE techniques

Abstract: Despite the flourishing of languages to describe software architectures, existing Architecture Description Languages (ADLs) are still far away from what it is actually needed. In fact, while they support a traditional perception of a Software Architecture (SA) as a set of constituting elements (such as components, connectors and interfaces), they mostly fail to capture multiple stakeholders concerns and their design decisions that represent a broader view of SA being accepted today. Next generation ADLs must cope with various and ever evolving stakeholder concerns by employing semantic extension mechanisms. In this paper we present a framework, called byADL - Build Your ADL, for developing a new generation of ADLs. byADL exploits model-driven techniques that provide the needed technologies to allow a software architect, starting from existing ADLs, to define its own new generation ADL by: i) adding domain specificities, new architectural views, or analysis aspects, ii) integrating ADLs with development processes and methodologies, and iii) customizing ADLs by fine tuning them. The framework is put in practice in different scenarios showing the incremental extension and customization of the Darwin ADL.

Flexible architecture conformance assessment with ConQAT

Abstract: The architecture of software systems is known to decay if no counter-measures are taken. In order to prevent this architectural erosion, the conformance of the actual system architecture to its intended architecture needs to be assessed and controlled; ideally in a continuous manner. To support this, we present the architecture conformance assessment capabilities of our quality analysis framework ConQAT. In contrast to other tools, ConQAT is not limited to the assessment of use-dependencies between software components. Its generic architectural model allows the assessment of various types of dependencies found between different kinds of artifacts. It thereby provides the necessary tool-support for flexible architecture conformance assessment in diverse contexts.

Building an Enterprise Architecture Practice: Tools, Tips, Best Practices, Ready-to-Use Insights

Abstract: This book provides practical advice on how to develop an enterprise architecture practice. The authors developed different tools and models to support organizations in implementing and professionalizing an enterprise architecture function. Coverage applies these tools and models to a number of different organizations and, as a result, will help readers avoid potential pitfalls and achieve success with enterprise architecture.

Multi-domain Modeling of Cyber-Physical Systems Using Architectural Views

Abstract: Designing cyber-physical systems (CPSs) increasingly requires the use of multi-domain models throughout the development process. Ensuring consistent relationships between various system models is an important part of an integrated design methodology. This paper describes an architectural approach to reasoning about relations between heterogeneous system models. The run-time base architecture of the system is used as a unifying representation to compare the structure and semantics of the associated models. Each model is related to the base architecture through the abstraction of an architectural view, which captures structural and semantic correspondences between model elements and system entities. The use of the architectural view framework to relate system models from different domains is illustrated in the context of a quadrotor air vehicle. Keywords-architectural views; multi-domain modeling; cyberphysical systems; component-connector;

The Roles of Principles in Enterprise Architecture

Abstract: Key concepts in enterprise architecture include concerns, principles, models, views and frameworks. While most of these concepts have received ample attention in research, the concept of principles has not been studied much yet. In this paper, we therefore specifically focus on the role of principles in the field of enterprise architecture, where we position enterprise architecture as a means to direct enterprise transformations.

Architecture analysis of enterprise systems modifiability: a metamodel for software change cost estimation

Abstract: Enterprise architecture models can be used in order to increase the general understanding of enterprise systems and specifically to perform various kinds of analysis. The present paper proposes a metamodel for enterprise systems modifiability analysis, i.e. assessing the cost of making changes to enterprise-wide systems. The enterprise architecture metamodel is formalized using probabilistic relational models, which enables the combination of regular entity-relationship modeling aspects with means to perform enterprise architecture analysis. The content of the presented metamodel is validated based on survey and workshop data and its estimation capability is tested with data from 21 software change projects. To illustrate the applicability of the metamodel an instantiated architectural model based on a software change project conducted at a large Nordic transportation company is detailed.

Exemplifying a Framework for Interrelating Enterprise Architecture Concerns

Abstract: In recent years, enterprise architecture (EA) management has gained increasing attention as means to support enterprises in adapting to changing markets and in seizing new business opportunities. A multitude of approaches and frameworks making prescriptions on how to document the different states of the EA have been developed. These approaches target different purposes and correspondingly different concerns (areas of interest) in the architecture. Hence, an enterprise seeking to develop or evolve an organization-specific EA documentation technique most likely runs into difficulties to understand the interdependencies between different frameworks and approaches.

Architecture as Language

Abstract: In this paper, software architects can develop domain specific languages that express the desired architecture during the definition process and use them to describe systems based on the architecture.

Enterprise Architecture and Technical Architecture

Abstract: Enterprise architecture and technical architecture are related yet different: whereas EA focuses on the architecture of a business that uses software-intensive systems, TA focuses on the architecture of the software-intensive systems that are used by a business to makes its mission manifest.

A Tool for Interoperability Analysis of Enterprise Architecture Models using Pi-OCL

Abstract: Decision-making on enterprise-wide information system issues can be furthered by the use of models as advocated by the discipline of enterprise architecture. In order to provide decision-making support, enterprise architecture models should be amenable to analyses. This paper presents a software tool, currently under development, for interoperability analysis of enterprise architecture models. In particular, the ability to query models for structural information is the main focus of the paper. Both the tool architecture and its usage is described and exemplified.

Analyzing security architectures

Abstract: We present a semi-automated approach, SECORIA, for analyzing a security runtime architecture for security and for conformance to an object-oriented implementation. Type-checkable annotations describe architectural intent within the code, enabling a static analysis to extract a hierarchical object graph that soundly reflects all runtime objects and runtime relations between them. In addition, the annotations can describe modular, code-level policies. A separate analysis establishes traceability between the extracted object graph and a target architecture documented in an architecture description language. Finally, architectural types, properties, and logic predicates describe global constraints on the target architecture, which will also hold in the implementation. We validate the SECORIA approach by analyzing a 3,000-line pedagogical Java implementation and a runtime architecture designed by a security expert.

Realizing architecture frameworks through megamodelling techniques

Abstract: Most practising software architects operate within an architecture framework which is a coordinated set of viewpoints, models and notations prescribed for them. Whereas architecture frameworks are defined to varying degrees of rigour and offer varying levels of tool support, they tend to be closed: constituent elements are defined in different non-standard ways, they are not re-usable, and the creation of other frameworks requires a complete rework.With the aim to manage this issue, this paper presents MEGAF, an infrastructure for realizing architecture frameworks, which can be used to create architecture descriptions. It builds upon the conceptual foundations of ISO/IEC 42010 for architecture description. MEGAF is realized through megamodeling techniques and is implemented via Eclipse plugins.

Business Capabilities Centric Enterprise Architecture

Abstract: In the field of Enterprise Architecture, The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) is a well known framework, that links Business Architecture, Data Architecture, Application Architecture, Technology. A key concept within Business Architecture domain is Business Capabilities, that are delivered by Business Component (BC). A BC is a business unit that encompasses a coherent set of activities, supported by assets including people, processes and technology. Current TOGAF version recognizes the BC requirements but misses how to bridge those requirements with a data, application and technology architecture. Defining the bridge is specifically the purpose of our extension called Business Capabilities Centric Enterprise Architecture (BCCE), where we adapt some TOGAF phases, extend the core TOGAF meta-model and add architectural contents. We have validated our approach on a telecommunication example taken from literature. A major benefit of the proposed extension is to link changes of business to data, application and technology architectures.