A Survey of Software Architecture Viewpoint Models and StandardNotations

A Survey of Software  Architecture Viewpoint Models 

(----------- Key Points Only ----------)

Overview

•                Surveyed five similar approaches to documenting software architecture

•                To identify:

– Their strengths and weaknesses

– An optimum approach to documenting software architecture

Contents

•                                                     Background:

– Software architecture

– Documentation approaches

•                                                     Survey:

– Comparison Framework

– Review of the five approaches

•                                                     Conclusions

Background

• What is Software Architecture?

•                                    Structures                                                                                                                                                                                             = Components and Connectors

•                                    Styles                                                                                                                                                                                                                        = Constraints on Composition.

•                                    Rationale                                                                                                                                                                                                   = Non-Functional Requirements

Survey

•                                       Framework

– based on IEEE 1471-2000, IEEE (2000).

•                                       Viewpoint Models:

– “4+1” View Model, Kruchten, P. (1997).

– SEI View Model,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Clements, P. et al. (2002b).

– ISO RM-ODP, ISO (1994).

– Siemens Four View Model, Soni, D. et al. (1995).

– Rational ADS, Norris, D. (2004).

Survey - Comparison Framework

•          Stakeholders

eg. Architects, Testers, Managers.

from “Documenting Software Architectures: views and beyond” (Clements et al, 2002a, page 10).

•          Concerns

eg. Performance, Implementation, Privacy.

from “Software Engineering” (Sommerville, 2000, page 101).

•          Structures

eg. Decomposition, Layer, Process

from “Software Architecture in Practice” (Bass et al., 2003, page 39).

Survey – Example Translations

•          Stakeholders

Implementers: Programmers and

Systems Engineers.

•          Concerns

Reliability:Quality of Service, Fault Tolerance,

Availability, and Failure Modes.

•          Structures

Deployment:Hardware and Softwarecomponents.

Survey – Summary of Models

Standard Notations