Multi-View Software Architecture Design: Case Study of a Mission-Critical Defense System

Abstract

An architecture outlines what a system can or cannot do. Attention to software architecture is essential for successful product developments. Therefore, software architecture development is a crucial phase in software development process. As the software intensive systems become complex, software architects face with the challenges of dealing with multiple sometimes conflicting concerns at the same time. Satisfaction of quality requirements can be achieved via a good software architecture design. Since the quality requirements are multi-faceted, the software architects have to consider many diverse aspects and provide a software architectural solution that can optimally satisfy functional and quality requirements. Such a solution requires a multi-view software architecture design as the result of a systematic architecture development process. Case studies are helpful in bridging the gap between academia and industry. Research studies including carefully designed case studies will help practitioners to understand the theoretical concepts and apply novel research findings in their practices. Hence, in this study, we explain a multi-view software architecture design process with the help of a mission-critical defense system development case study. In the study, we explain the multi-view software architecture design step by step starting with identifying the system context, requirements, constraints, and quality expectations. We further outline the strategies, techniques, designs, and rationales used to satisfy a diverse set of requirements with a particular software architecture pattern. We also introduce a novel architectural style, named as "star-controller architectural style". We explain the use of the style with a related discussion.

Early Validation of Cyber-Physical Space Systems via Multi-Concerns Integration

“…Such multiple-view conceptions have led to the interaction and integration of different viewpoints contributing to resulting requirements specifications [22]. Multi-view reasoning has also been adopted in architectures with multiple and potentially conflicting concerns for quality requirements [23]. Apart from requirements, complex software development must deal with more massive problem domain knowledge.…”

A Semantic Metadata Enrichment Software Ecosystem (SMESE) Based on a Multi-Platform Metadata Model for Digital Libraries

“…They begin by identifying the system context, requirements, constraints, and quality expectations, but do not describe the end products of the SECO architecture. They also introduce a novel architectural style, called "star-controller architectural style" [34] where synchronization and control of the flow of information are handled by controllers. However, a major drawback of this style is that failure of one controller disables all the subcomponents attached to that controller.…”

“…They also discuss how software engineering practice is affected by describing the creation and evolution of a central SECO architecture, namely Net4Care, that serves as a reference architecture and learning vehicle for telemedicine and for the actors within a single software organization. Demir [34] also proposes a software architecture that is strongly related to a defence system and limited to military personnel. Their multi-view SECO architecture design is described step by step.…”

A Semantic Metadata Enrichment Software Ecosystem based on Metadata and Affinity Models

“…Demir [27] also proposes a software architecture that is strongly related to a defence system and limited to military personnel. Their multi-view of the SECO architecture is described step by step.…”