Effective development of automation systems through domain-specific modeling in a small enterprise context

High development and maintenance costs and a high error rate are the major problems in the development of automation systems, which are mainly caused by bad communication and inefficient reuse methods. To overcome these problems, we propose a more systematic reuse approach. Though systematic reuse approaches such as software product lines are appealing, they tend to involve rather burdensome development and management processes. This paper focuses on small enterprises. Since such companies are often unable to perform a “big bang” adoption of the software product line, we suggest an incremental, more lightweight process to transition from single-system development to software product line development. Besides the components of the transition process, this paper discusses tool selection, DSL technology, stakeholder communication support, and business considerations. Although based on problems from the automation system domain, we believe the approach may be general enough to be applicable in other domains as well. The approach has proven successful in two case studies. First, we applied it to a research project for the automation of a logistics lab model, and in the second case (a real-life industry case), we investigated the approaches suitability for fish farm automation systems. Several metrics were collected throughout the evolution of each case, and this paper presents the data for single system development, clone&own and software product line development. The results and observable effects are compared, discussed, and finally summarized in a list of lessons learned.     

分布式环境下一种基于服务的系统设计方法

基于SOA的软件开发是分布式异构软件系统构造方法和环境的新发展阶段。文章介绍了一种基于SOA的CBSD方法,提出一种基于业务的服务模型,阐述了服务构件的管理和信息交互方式。将业务提炼成服务构件和服务边界组件,用业务服务包重用的思想提出了一种基于服务边界组件的服务组装方法,解决了异构分布式环境下业务重组和软件重用的问题,用实例说明了该方法并进行了分析。     

基于特征分析的军用电子装备仿真训练软件开发环境建模

针对军用电子装备仿真训练软件目前开发中存在的复用率不高、开发效率低等问题,采用领域特征分析的方法,对该类软件的开发领域进行了服务、功能、行为三个层次的活动分析,并建立了该领域仿真对象管理、仿真模型驱动、运行支撑管理等服务的特征模型。实践证明,以此特征模型作为输入建立的集成开发环境,能够较好地解决该领域内软件开发过程中存在的构件重用问题,同时能使软件系统的开发效率得到显著提高。     

Towards a General Component Model for Web-Based Applications

The cost effective development of web applications is perhaps one of the most challenging areas of software engineering today. Not only are the problems to be solved, and the solution technologies to be used, in web application development among the most rapidly changing in the software industry, but the business pressures of cost, quality and time-to-market are among the most extreme. Web application development therefore has potentially the most to gain from software reuse approaches that can offer a greater return on development time than traditional approaches. However, simply combining ideas from these reuse paradigms and traditional web development technologies in ad-hoc ways will not result in sustainable improvements. In this paper we describe a systematic way of combining the benefits of component-based development and model driven architectures, two important reuse approaches, to support the cost effective development and maintenance of web applications. After first defining a suitably abstract component-model, the paper explains how component architectures can be systematically and rigorously modeled using UML. It then describes a powerful technique, known as stratification, for separating the various cross cutting aspects of a web application such that a suitable platform specific architecture can be traceably generated. Finally, the paper introduces a technique for increasing the trustworthiness of components by giving them the capability to check their deployment environment at run-time.     

基于组件的库存信息管理系统

通过Web把企业中分散的子系统集中到单一的应用环境下存在着重复开发现象严重、代码重用率低、功能模块移植的工作量大等问题。针对以上问题，以库存管理为例研究了基于组件的企业Web开发方法，建立了库存管理系统的模型和具体的组件库。     

Striving for correctness

In developing information technology, you want assurance that systems are secure and reliable, but you cannot have assurance or security without correctness. We discuss methods used to achieve correctness, focusing on weaknesses and approaches that management might take to increase belief in correctness. Formal methods, simulation, testing, and process modeling are addressed in detail. Structured programming, life-cycle modeling like the spiral model, use of CASE tools, use of formal methods, object-oriented design, reuse of existing code are also mentioned. Reliance on these methods involves some element of belief since no validated metrics on the effectiveness of these methods exist. Suggestions for using these methods as the basis for managerial decisions conclude the paper.     

Assessing the cost-effectiveness of software reuse: A model for planned reuse

Information systems development is typically acknowledged as an expensive and lengthy process, often producing code that is of uneven quality and difficult to maintain. Software reuse has been advocated as a means of revolutionizing this process. The claimed benefits from software reuse are reduction in development cost and time, improvement in software quality, increase in programmer productivity, and improvement in maintainability. Software reuse entails undeniable costs of creating, populating, and maintaining a library of reusable components. There is anecdotal evidence to suggest that some organizations benefit from reuse. However, many software developers practicing reuse claim these benefits without formal demonstration thereof. There is little research to suggest when the benefits are expected and to what extent they will be realized. For example, does a larger library of reusable components lead to increased savings? What is the impact of component size on the effectiveness of reuse? This research seeks to address some of these questions. It represents the first step in a series wherein the effects of software reuse on overall development effort and costs are modeled with a view to understanding when it is most effective.     

Towards computer-aided configuration design for the life cycle

In modern design, life-cycle concerns such as recycling and service are receiving increased attention. The configuration design phase, where the product and component structure is established, is of particular importance when designing for the life cycle. In this paper, the foundation for a CAD system supporting configuration design for the life cycle is presented. A prototypical CAD system, called CODA (Configuration Design of Assemblies), is under development based on this foundation. A discussion on the supported product and component representation is given, followed by a portrayal of some of the capabilities to support life-cycle design. Specifically, requirements are identified for the information needed to support design for assembly, disassembly, service, recycling, and reuse. A case study involving the (re)design of a hand-held tape recorder with respect to improved disassemblability and recyclability is utilized to highlight some of the capabilities of the current system. With the new product and component representation embodied in CODA, improved support over current CAD systems is provided for configuration design and life-cycle design assessments.     

基于J2EE平台的信息化系统代码生成

企业信息系统在企业的经营管理中发挥着至关重要的作用,然而,在企业信息系统的开发过程中,存在着开发效率低下、系统架构不一致、开发周期长等问题.针对上述问题,设计了一种基于J2EE平台的信息化系统代码生成工具,开发人员只需要进行模型的可视化设计,由代码生成工具完成代码的生成.目前该代码生成工具已应用于实际的开发平台中,实践表明,代码生成工具的使用可以统一企业信息系统的开发架构,大幅度减少开发人员编写重复性代码的工作量,实现设计成果的复用和共享,提高企业信息系统开发的质量和效率.     

一种MAS构件知识复用动态演化模型

为提高企业的知识利用效率,增强企业创新能力,针对企业现有知识和系统,提出将企业知识管理的业务逻辑与知识处理事务分开,建立了基于多智能体和构件知识的知识复用模型,设计了知识管理业务逻辑的规则模型和智能体的活动行为模型,讨论了基于多智能体的规则协调模式,有效地支持知识的动态复用和知识使用过程的动态重组,增强知识管理系统的分布式处理能力和规模可扩展能力.在分布式构件库系统中,智能体通过协作联合完成任务要求.每个智能体拥有自己的知识库,并且具备学习能力,能够更新其知识库以保持执行结果的有效性.     

基于SOA的网格安全技术研究

随着网格技术的不断发展以及对网格研究的不断深入,对网格安全的需求不提高,面向服务的体系结构研究成果为分布式、可扩展性、可跨域管理以及软件的重用与集成提供了一个最佳的解决方案。本文将网格所涉及的安全需求做成服务的形式,设计了一个面向服务的网格安全体系结构,并以网格认证服务为实例,探讨了网格安全服务的设计与重用,它集成了多种常用的认证技术,实现网格安全服务的跨域互操作。     

面向公安监管业务领域的构件库设计

为了实现将面向公安监管业务领域的看守所、拘留所、收容所、戒毒所和安康医院等几个独立的信息管理系统构建成统一的公安行政监管综合信息平台,实现对整体监管信息资源的开发挖掘,采用服务划分的方法对行政监管综合信息平台的各子系统之间功能复用性进行了探究,对构件的分类以及刻面描述方法进行了详细论述,并在此基础上设计了构件库系统体系结构,基于该构件库实现了看守所管理系统。采用该技术方案可以减少综合信息平台的开发周期,降低开发难度,提高软件的质量。     

Architecture-driven component reuse

The evolution of software reuse over the last 30 plus years is drawn upon to show current achievements, a stable model of components, an approach to reusing components based on architectures, an appreciation of human and organisational problems in reuse, accumulating evidence for the value of reuse approaches. The shortfalls of some current OO methods are pointed out. The significance and limitations of software reuse is indicated by situating it in the wider context of learning organisations and knowledge management, and by viewing architecture-driven reuse as routine design. The distinct role of patterns is indicated.     

Software reuse in-the-small: automating group rewarding

In this paper we present a model-independent, multi-level, closed loop approach to software reuse that makes tuning of reuse systems mostly automatic, and includes a reward system for development of reusable components. The proposed techniques are shown to be suitable for development in-the-small by fixing some locally measured reuse coefficients for small teams.     

Building Automated Data Driven Systems for IT Service Management

Enterprises and service providers are increasingly challenged with improving the quality of service delivery while containing the cost. However, it is often difficult to effectively manage the complex relationships among dynamic customer workloads, strict service level requirements, and efficient service management processes. In this paper, we present our progress on building autonomic systems for IT service management through a collection of automated data driven methodologies. This includes the design of feedback controllers for workload management, the use of simulation-optimization methodology for workforce management, and the development of machine learning models for event management. We demonstrate the applicability of the presented approaches using examples and data from a large IT service delivery environment.     

Ten steps towards systematic requirements reuse

Reusability is widely suggested to be a key to improving software development productivity and quality [1,2]. It has been further argued that reuse at the requirements level can significantly increase reuse at the later stages of development [3,4]. However, there is little evidence in the literature to suggest that requirements reuse is widely practised. This paper describes ten practical steps towards systematic requirements reuse based on work at the Rolls-Royce Systems and Software University Technology Centre (UTC) for Rolls-Smiths Engine Controls Ltd (RoSEC) in the domain of aero-engine control systems. We believe these steps have made a significant overall contribution to the 50% reuse figure quoted by the management at RoSEC for current projects within the BR700 family of engine controllers.     

多权限信息系统授权机制的研究与实践

本文针对信息系统中出现的权限管理问题，结合信息系统开发的实践经验，对多权限信息系统中的授权机制问题进行了深入浅出的研究。针对传统授权机制的缺陷，提出了动态授权机制和增强的授权机制，最后遵循软件复用的思想，利用软件构件技术开发了权限管理构件，并在实际的信息系统开发中成功地应用了该技术。     

一种面向复用的增量软件开发过程框架

以复用思想指导软件开发是软件产业发展的趋势,而当前主要面向复用的软件开发方法没有考虑到我国软件企业以中小型为主的现状,缺乏针对性,使得复用在我国软件开发中应用不够广泛。在基于构件开发的基础上提出了一种面向复用的增量软件开发过程框架。该过程框架适于我国中小型软件企业,采用了以体系结构为指导的增量开发模式,涵盖了可复用资产的生产过程和利用可复用资产的软件开发过程。