UML for ODP viewpoint specifications

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UML for ODP viewpoint specifications

• Bryan Wood
• Convenor, JTC1/SC7/WG19
• Bryan.Wood_at_Open-IT.co.uk

ITU-T/SG 17 Geneva, 27 November 2002
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Standardization for Open Distributed Processing
(ODP)

• Initiated in JTC 1/SC 21 (Open Systems
  Interconnection, Database and Open Distributed
  Processing) and ITU-T SG7 (Data networks and open
  system communications)
• Now the responsibility of JTC 1/SC 7 (Software
  and System Engineering) and ITU-T SG 17
• Close collaboration with the Object Management
  Group (OMG)
• OMG PAS submissions in the context of ODP
  standardization
• RM-ODP a specification framework for domain
  groups
• ODP concepts reflected in MDA

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What is RM-ODP?

• Reference Model of Open Distributed Processing (
  ISO/IEC 10746 ITU-T Rec. X.901-5)
• Part 1 Introduction
• Part 2 Foundations
• precise object modelling concepts
• Part 3 Architecture
• viewpoints, viewpoint specifications and
  transparencies
• Part 4 Architectural semantics
• formalism
• Part 5 QoS in ODP (under development)

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What is RM-ODP?

• A framework for ODP standardization and system
  specification covering all aspects of distributed
  systems - enterprise, system, technology
• comprehensive and coherent object-oriented
  modelling concepts
• viewpoints
• viewpoint specifications

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Modelling concepts

• Underlying concepts
• entity, abstraction, system, architecture
• Basic modelling concepts
• action, object, environment (of an object),
  interface, location (in space/time)
• Specification concepts
• composition/decomposition (of objects), type (of
  an ltXgt), ltXgttemplate, role

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More modelling concepts

• Organisational concepts
• configuration (of objects), ltXgt domain
• Policy concepts
• contract, QoS, environment contract,
  prescriptions on behaviour (obligations,
  permissions, prohibitions), policy

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Viewpoints

• Different abstractions of the same system
• reflect different concerns
• expressed in terms of specific viewpoint concepts
• Powerful mechanism for dealing with the
  complexity of distributed systems

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Different Concerns
System
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Viewpoint Specifications

• Descriptions of different viewpoints on a system
• related and mutually consistent
• Using specific viewpoint languages
• based on the foundation modelling concepts

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Viewpoint specifications
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The enterprise specification

• Specifies the roles played by an IT system in its
  organisational environment
• An object model of a social/commercial
  organisation in terms of
• enterprise objects
• community (of enterprise objects)
• objectives
• structure (roles)
• behaviour
• policy

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Viewpoint specifications
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The information specification

• Specifies system behaviour abstracted from
  implementation
• An object model of the IT system describing the
  information and processing of information in
  terms of
• information objects
• invariant, static and dynamic schema
• behaviour actions
• actions changes of state
• activities (use cases) sequences of actions

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Viewpoint specifications
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The computational specification

• Specifies computational objects - units of
  distribution and portability
• An object model of the IT system describing the
  structure of processing in terms of
• computational objects (interfaces and
  invocations)
• interfaces operations supported
• invocations operations invoked
• activities sequences of invocations
• computational binding

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Viewpoint specifications
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The engineering specification

• Specifies the mechanisms and services that
  provide the required distribution transparencies
  and QoS constraints.
• An object model of the system describing the
  infrastructure supportingthe computational
  structure
• infrastructure objects
• basic engineering objects

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The technology specification

• Specifies the procurable pieces from which the
  system is built.
• An object model of the system describing the
  configuration of hardware and software
  components that comprise the system

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A System specification
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UML for ODP viewpoint specifications

• A proposed standard covering
• 1) the expression of a system specification in
  terms of RM-ODP viewpoint specifications using
  defined UML/UML extensions and concepts (e.g.
  structuring rules, technology mapping,
  relationship with MDA etc.)
• 2) relationships between the resultant RM-ODP
  viewpoint specifications
• 3) relationships between RM-ODP viewpoint
  specifications and model driven architectures
  such as the OMG MDA

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Why UML for ODP viewpoint specifications?

• RM-ODP defines concepts and framework for system
  specification
• RM-ODP does not define notation for specification
  (modelling)
• UML defines notation for specification
  (modelling)
• UML does not define concepts and framework for
  system specification

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Why a Specification Framework?

• Needed by system specifiers
• Needed for communication between system
  specifiers
• Needed for communication between stakeholders and
  implementors
• Needed for a stable business functionality
  description
• independent of technology and technology change
• Needed for mission critical business systems

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Sources

• UML profile for Enterprise Distributed Object
  Computing (EDOC)
• European research projects
• Synapses - developing a distributed architecture
  bsaed on the RM-ODP to enable healthcare
• COMBINE - investigating the organisation and
  process for component-based system developed
• Japanese Association of Healthcare Information
  System Industry (JAHSI) of a Japanese Hospital
  Information Reference Enterprise Model
• Industrial Practice

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Timetable - Targets

• Start of Project May 2003
• SC7 WD May 2004 SC7 meeting
• 1st CD Dec 2004
• FCD May 2005 SC7 meeting
• FDIS Dec 2005
• IS May 2006 SC7 meeting

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Questions ?
- SG 17 interest?