A Model-Driven Methodology Approach for Developing a Repository of Models

Future Generation Computer Systems

2017

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h i g h l i g h t s• Repository design: we describe a design framework and infrastructure to support the model-based repository lifecycle.• Modeling: we propose a modeling language to specify a model-based repository independent from end-development applications and execution platforms.• Tooling: we describe an operational architecture for development tools to support the proposed approach.• Validation: we apply the approach to a resource-constrained embedded system (RCES) in the context of the TERESA project : Railway Systems. Keywords:Modeling artifact Repository Meta-model Model-driven engineering Security & dependability patterns a b s t r a c t Several development approaches have been proposed to cope with the increasing complexity of embedded system design. The most widely used approaches are those using models as the main artifacts to be constructed and maintained. The desired role of models is to ease, systematize and standardize the approach to the construction of software-based systems. To enforce reuse and interconnect the process of model specification and system development with models, we promote a model-based approach coupled with a model repository. In this paper, we propose a model-driven engineering methodological approach for the development of a model repository and an operational architecture for development tools. In addition, we provide evidence of the benefits and feasibility of our approach by reporting on a preliminary prototype that provides a model-based repository of security and dependability (S&D) pattern models. Finally, we apply the proposed approach in practice to a use case from the railway domain with strong S&D requirements. * Fax: +33 (0)5 6150 4173. E-mail address:Hamid@irit.fr. the industrial efficiency, fostering technology reuse across domains (reuse of models at different levels), and thus reducing the amount of effort and time needed to design a complex system.Repositories of modeling artifacts have gained increasingly attention recently to enforce reuse in software engineering. In fact, repository-centric development processes are often adopted in software/system development, such as architecture-or patterncentric development processes.According to Bernstein and Dayal [2], a repository is a shared database of information on engineered artifacts. These researchers state that a repository has (1) a Manager for modeling, retrieving, and managing the objects in a repository, (2) a Database to store the data and (3) Functionalities to interact with the repository. In our work, we go one step further by proposing a model-based repository to support the specifications, definitions and packaging of a set of modeling artifacts to assist the developers of trusted applications for embedded systems. Closely related to our vision is the approach for specifying, designing and implementing a reuse repository presented in [3].

Section: Intended Contributionmentioning

confidence: 80%

A model-driven approach for developing a model repository: Methodology and tool support

Future Generation Computer Systems

2017

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“…For answering RQ1 , we do not consider the creation of the domain models and the development of a reuse mode repository required in our approach. These activities are technically realizable and do not require a feasibility investigation ( Hamid, 2014 ). • RQ2.…”

Section: Research Questionsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…We have previously studied various facets of PBSE to engineer secure and dependable systems. Our prior work includes modeling languages for the specification of security and dependability patterns ( Hamid et al, 2011 ), design and implementation of a reuse model repository ( Hamid, 2014 ). Further, the basic formulation of the need to have a strong approach for supporting the engineering of secure systems has been previously published in a research paper in the international journal of Innovations in Systems and Software Engineering .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Engineering secure systems: Models, patterns and empirical validation

Weber

2018

Computers & Security

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Several development approaches have been proposed to handle the growing complexity of software system design. The most popular methods use models as the main artifacts to construct and maintain. The desired role of such models is to facilitate, systematize and standardize the construction of software-based systems. In our work, we propose a model-driven engineering (MDE) methodological approach associated with a pattern-based approach to support the development of secure software systems. We address the idea of using patterns to describe solutions for security as recurring security problems in specific design contexts and present a well-proven generic scheme for their solutions. The proposed approach is based on metamodeling and model transformation techniques to define patterns at different levels of abstraction and generate different representations according to the target domain concerns, respectively. Moreover, we describe an operational architecture for development tools to support the approach. Finally, an empirical evaluation of the proposed approach is presented through a practical application to a use case in the metrology domain with strong security requirements, which is followed by a description of a survey performed among domain experts to better understand their perceptions regarding our approach.

“…-Using the DSMLs, a modeling artifact expert, with the help of the system and software engineering expert, defines the modeling artifacts and begins populating the repository (4). -Then, a domain process expert adapts the modeling artifacts into a form that is suitable for the system development process (5). For instance, they might be adapted for use within a certain development environment.…”

Section: Motivations and Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The first pillar offers an integrated conceptual design for the specification and development of a model-based repository and its contents; the second pillar offers a concrete and coherent methodology for the development of software systems based on the repository. We have developed a System and software Engineering with Multi-COncerns (SEMCO) framework [5,6] to assist system and software developers in the domain of resource constrained systems to capture, implement and document distributed system applications. SEMCO aims at supporting model-and pattern-based development approaches by defining and providing several artifacts types representing the different related engineering concerns (Security, Dependability, Safety and Resources) and architectural information.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of the SEMCO Model-Based Repository Approach for Software System Engineering

Model and Data Engineering

2017

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We have developed a methodological tool support for software development based on the reuse of dedicated subsystems, that have been pre-engineered to adapt to a specific domain. This paper proposes an empirical evaluation of the proposed approach through its practical application to a use case in the railway domain with strong security and dependability requirements, followed by a description of a survey performed among domain experts to better understand their perceptions regarding our approach. The case study enables us to determine that our approach centered around a model-based repository of patterns leads to a reduction in the number of steps in the engineering process or to their simplification. The survey assists in assessing whether domain experts agree on the benefits of adopting the model-based repository approach in a real industrial context.