Specification and verification of reconfiguration protocols in grid component systems

In this work we present an approach for the formal specification and verification of the reconfiguration protocols in Grid component systems. We consider Fractal, a modular and extensible component model. As a specification tool we invoke a specific temporal language, separated clausal normal form, which has been shown to be capable of expressing any ECTL+ expression thus, we are able to express the complex fairness properties of a component system. The structure of the normal enables us to directly apply the deductive verification technique, temporal resolution defined in the framework of branching-time temporal logic

Behavioural Models for Distributed Fractal Components

This paper presents a formal behavioural specification framework together with its applications in different contexts for specifying and verifying the correct behaviour of distributed Fractal components. Our framework allows us to build behavioural models for applications ranging from sequential Fractal components, to distributed objects, and finally distributed components. Our models are able to characterise both functional and non-functional behaviours, and the interaction between the two concerns. Finally, this work has resulted in the development of tools allowing the non-expert programmer to specify the behaviour of his components, and automatically, or semi-automatically verify properties of his application

Model-checking Distributed Components: The Vercors Platform

This article presents a component verification platform called Vercors providing means to analyse the behaviour properties of applications built from distributed components. From the behavioural specification of primitive components, and from the architectural description of the composite components, our tools build models encoding the interactions between the components, suitable for analysis by model-checking tools. The models are hierarchical and parameterized, expressing in a compact way the system behaviour. Then we have tools for instantiating those parameterized models using finite abstractions, and producing input for state-of-the-art verification tools. Our current work also targets the generation of models that include controllers modelling the dynamic management of architectural transformation of an application, such as changes in bindings or replacement of sub-components. We describe the existing tools, give tracks for further developments and show how realistic case-studies can be model-checked using our platform

Behavioural models for distributed Fractal components

International audienc

A graphical specification environnement for GCM component-based applications

National audienceAccording to the paradigm of component-based software engineering a software system can be represented as a set of independent reusable modules which communicate with each other. The OASIS team is working on a Grid Component Model (GCM) which defines how a distributed component-based application should be designed, deployed and developed. This work is focused on the modeling aspect of GCM-based applications. First, we define a formal model for the GCM-based applications architecture. Second, we provide a formalized set of consistency constraints for the GCM-based architecture validation. The created set consists of the validation rules gathered from different sources. Finally, we implement a graphical editor for the GCM-based applications architecture and behavior specifications. It has an architecture validation module which allows to verify the formalized set of constraints

A Theory of Interface Modeling of Component-Based Software

Abstract, rCOS Automata-based Model of Components, Trace-based Model of Components Coordination, Conclusion and Futur Wor

Behavioural models for hierarchical components

Abstract. We describe a method for the specification and verification of the dynamic behaviour of component systems. Building applications using a component framework allows the developers to specify the architecture, the deployment, the life-cycle of the system with well-defined formalisms, and to gain productivity by reusing existing components. But then one wants to make sure that the application built from existing components is safe, in the sense that its parts fit together appropriately and behave together smoothly. Each component must be adequate to its assigned role within the system, and the update or replacement of a component should not cause deadlock or failure of the rest of the system. The usual notion of type compatibility of interfaces is not sufficient; we need to capture the dynamic interaction between components, and typically to avoid deadlocks or unexpected behaviours in the system. In this work, we focus on hierarchical component systems. We describe both the functional behaviour and the non-functional features (life-cycle management) of components in terms of synchronised transition systems; we define a notion of correct component composition; then we show how we can prove, using (compositional) model-checking techniques, temporal properties of a component system. Transformations of a system, for example replacement of a sub-component, are expressed as transformations of its behavioural semantics, allowing to prove preservation of some properties, or the validity of new properties after transformation.