Ontology-based modelling of architectural styles

The conceptual modelling of software architectures is of central importance for the quality of a software system. A rich modelling language is required to integrate the different aspects of architecture modelling, such as architectural styles, structural and behavioural modelling, into a coherent framework. Architectural styles are often neglected in software architectures. We propose an ontological approach for architectural style modelling based on description logic as an abstract, meta-level modelling instrument. We introduce a framework for style definition and style combination. The application of the ontological framework in the form of an integration into existing architectural description notations is illustrated

A weighted companion of Ostrowski's inequality using three step weighted kernel

There are numerous works suggesting linking SSM models to information systems (IS) models for information systems development. In these works links between SSM and IS models are established at the conceptual level i.e. they provide ways to utilise SSM models to identify or to derive IS models. However, most of them have not provided a method for representing the links explicitly in the combined model. Consequently, the links become subtle and untraceable, looking at the combined model only at the representation level. This paper proposes an approach based on meta modelling to achieve a uniform and formalised representation of models that combine SSM and IS models. The approach allows one to represent not only SSM and IS modelling concepts but also relationships between the concepts in a meta model using the conceptual modelling language Telos. Telos supports meta models to be flexibly specified and extended to meet specific modelling requirements of a particular project. An exemplary application is presented to demonstrate the operationalisation of the proposed approach and to illustrate the uniform representation of combined models. The example also shows benefits of the formalised representation in terms of computer support for managing and retrieving a combined model's meta data

Application Access Control using Enterprise Models

In this paper a framework for a model-driven control of identity management systems is presented. An important issue in today\u27s information systems security discussion addresses the effective authorisation of users. With established conceptual modelling languages the assignment of roles to the identity management software is an enormous organisational effort. To decrease administration costs we propose a direct connection between the identity management system and enterprise models which contain the organisational responsibilities. Therefore, we have created the modelling approach E³+WS available for the meta-CASE tool cubetto toolset and the Novell Identity Manager

A Model-Based Approach Towards the Conceptualization of Digital Twins: The Case of the EU-Project COGITO

In agile business ecosystems, digitalization is a key enabler for agility and flexibility. However, digital transformation is often challenging for instance due to unclear definitions and a lack of problem understanding. In this work this complexity is addressed with a model-based approach for conceptualizing digitalization and related meta modelling activities to enable the conceptual integration of diverse concepts. Existing modelling approaches – BPMN and ArchiMate – are leveraged with domain specific considerations that are relevant for the digitalization. The construction use case from the European project COGITO serves as a foundation for ideation and first requirements engineering. Physical experiments in the OMiLAB Innovation Environment are used as an experimental method towards identifying relevant digital twinning concepts, while modelling methods can be seen as an integration platform for physical and digital elements. Key digitalization aspects towards digital twinning are discussed and conceptualized in a meta model

Full meta objects for flexible geoprocessing workflows: profiling WPS or BPMN?

The design and execution of scientific workflows is an important and necessary function within many disciplines. In the geospatial community, workflows are used to generate and quality assure new spatial datasets based on sequences of processing steps or complex modelling. Using BPMN for representing these workflows allows stakeholders to discuss the scientific conceptual approach behind this modelling whilst also being able to execute its encoding in XML. Previous research has focused on developing frameworks, including a BPMN workflow engine, capable of orchestrating OGC Web Processing Services and thus enabling construction of interoperable workflows comprised of distributed resources. These could populate, for example, the GEOSS repository. However, to date, such work has focused on executing workflows with direct access to the pre-defined data inputs and outputs, with a lack of flexibility and efficiency in semantic interoperability or data management during composition and execution. This article suggests a meta-approach based on two possible configurations that enable workflow orchestration at a meta level using a direct coupling with a metadata catalogue. The designs of a Web Processing Service profile and of a BPMN profile are presented as potential approaches to abstract the data interchange between the processing steps of a workflow. The paper concludes with a discussion of how these approaches may be extended and how complete workflows might be registered and managed using catalogues services

On the semantics of redefinition, specialization and subsetting of associations in UML (extended version)

The definition of the exact meaning of conceptual modeling concepts is considered a relevant issue since it enhances their effective and appropriate use by designers and facilitates the automatic processing of the models where they are included. Three related concepts that permit to improve the definition of an association in UML and which still lack of a formal semantic definition are: association redefinition, association specialization and association subsetting. This paper formalizes their semantics and points out the similarities and differences that exist among them. The formalization we propose is based on the meta-modelling approach and a semantic domain composed of a set of basic UML concepts and OCL expressions, which have a previous formal definition in the literature and which are well-understood.Preprin

Towards a genereric 3D urban information meta-model

peer reviewedThe need of 3D urban spatial data infrastructures (3D SDI) is now almost commonly accepted. However, their implementation suffers from a lack of standardisation. This is usually due to an underestimation of the initial conceptual step, where modelling options should be clearly stated. In this article, we present a modelling ontological approach inspired by our experience in spatial data acquisition techniques. In this ontology, one considers that the universe is composed of free space and occupied space and that their interface is the only measurable feature. On that basis, we present a generic 3D urban spatial information meta-model. This meta-model is compared to the City GML standard through the study of the building object. Expect from some level-ofdetail issues, both models are compatible

Evolving information systems: meeting the ever-changing environment

To meet the demands of organizations and their ever-changing environment, information systems are required which are able to evolve to the same extent as organizations do. Such a system has to support changes in all time-and application-dependent aspects. In this paper, requirements and a conceptual framework for evolving information systems are presented. This framework includes an architecture for such systems and a revision of the traditional notion of update. Based on this evolutionary notion of update (recording, correction and forgetting) a state transition-oriented model on three levels of abstraction (event level, recording level, correction level) is introduced. Examples are provided to illustrate the conceptual framework for evolving information systems