Incremental checking of OCL constraints through SQL queries

We propose a new method for efficiently checking OCL constraints by means of SQL queries. That is, an OCL constraint is satisfied if its corresponding SQL query returns the empty set. Such queries are computed in an incremental way since, whenever a change in the data occurs, only the constraints that may be violated because of such change are checked and only the relevant values given by the change are taken into account. Moreover, the queries we generate do not contain nested subqueries nor procedures. In this way, we take advantage of relational DBMS capabilities and we get an efficient check of OCL constraints.Postprint (published version

Adapting integrity checking techniques for concurrent operation executions

One challenge for achieving executable models is preserving the integrity of the data. That is, given a structural model describing the constraints that the data should satisfy, and a behavioral model describing the operations that might change the data, the integrity checking problem consists in ensuring that, after executing the modeled operations, none of the specified constraints is violated. A multitude of techniques have been presented so far to solve the integrity checking problem. However, to the best of our knowledge, all of them assume that operations are not executed concurrently. As we are going to see, concurrent operation executions might lead to violations not detected by these techniques. In this paper, we present a technique for detecting and serializing those operations that can cause a constraint violation when executed concurrently , so that, previous incremental techniques, exploiting our approach, can be safely applied in systems with concurrent operation executions guaranteeing the integrity of the data.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Model query transformation framework- MQT: from EMF-based model query languages to persistence-spefic query languages

Memory problems of XML Metadata Interchange (XMI) (default persistence in Eclipse Modelling Framework (EMF)) when operating large models, have motivated the appearance of alternative mechanisms for persistence of EMF models. Most recent approaches propose using database back-ends. These approaches provide support for querying models using EMF-based model query languages (Plain EMF, Object Constraint Language (OCL), EMF Query, Epsilon Object Language (EOL), etc.). However, these languages commonly require loading in-memory all the model elements that are involved in the query. In the case of queries that traverse models (most commonly used type of queries) they require to load entire model in-memory. This loading strategy causes memory problems when operated models are large. Most database back-ends provide database-specific query languages that leverage capabilities of the database engine (better performance) and without requiring in-memory load of models for query execution (lower memory footprint). For example, Structured Query Language (SQL) is a query language for relational databases and Cypher is for Neo4J databases. In this dissertation we present MQT-Engine, a framework that supports execution of model query languages but with the e ciency (in terms of memory and performance) of a database-specifoc query language. To achieve this, MQT-Engine provides a two-step query transformation mechanism: forst, queries expressed with a model query language are transformed into a Query Language Independent Model (QLI Model); and then QLI Model is transformed into a database-specifoc query that is executed directly over the database. This mechanism provides extensibility and reusability to the framework, since it facilitates the inclusion of new query languages at both sides of the transformation. A prototype of the framework is provided. It supports transformation of EOL queries into SQL queries that are executed directly over a relational Connected Data Objects (CDO) repository. The prototype has been evaluated with two experimental evaluations. First evaluation is based on the reverse engineering domain. It compares time and memory usage required by MQT-Engine and other query languages (EMF API, OCL and SQL) to execute a set of queries over models persisted with CDO. Second evaluation is based on the railway domain, and compares performance results of MQT-Engine and other query languages (EMF API, OCL, IncQuery, SQL, etc.) for executing a set of queries. Obtained results show that MQT-Engine is able to execute successfully all the evaluated experiments. MQT-Engine is one of the evaluated solutions showing best performance results for first execution of model queries. In the case of query languages executed over CDO repositories, it is the faster solution and the one requiring less memory. For example, for the largest model in the reverse engineering case it is up to 162 times faster than a model query language executed at client-side, and it requires 23 times less memory. Additionally, the query transformation overload is constant and small (less than 2 seconds). These results validate the main goal of this dissertation: to provide a framework that gives to the model engineers the ability for specifying queries in a model query language, and then execute them with a performance and memory footprint similar to that of a persistence-specific query language. However, the framework has a set of limitations: the approach should be optimized when queries are subsequently executed; it only supports nonmodification model traversal queries; and the prototype is specific for EOL queries over CDO repositories with DBStore. Therefore, it is planned to extend the framework and address these limitations in a future version.Los problemas de memoria de XMI (mecanismo de persistencia por defecto en EMF) cuando se trabaja con modelos grandes, han motivado la aparición de mecanismos de persistencia alternativos para los modelos EMF. Los enfoques más recientes proponen el uso de bases de datos para la persistencia de los modelos. La mayoría de estos enfoques soportan la ejecución de operaciones usando lenguajes de consulta de modelos basados en EMF (EMF API, OCL, EMF Query, EOL, etc.). Sin embargo, este tipo de lenguajes necesitan almacenar en memoria al menos todos los elementos implicados en la consulta (todos los elementos del modelo en las consultas que recorren completamente el modelo consultado). Esta estrategia de carga de la información para hacer las consultas provoca problemas de memoria cuando los modelos son de gran tamaño. La mayoría de las bases de datos tienen lenguajes específicos que aprovechan las capacidades del motor de la base de datos (mayor rapidez) y sin la necesidad de cargar en memoria los modelos (menor uso de memoria). Por ejemplo, SQL es el lenguaje específico para las bases de datos relacionales y Cypher para las bases de datos Neo4J. Este trabajo propone MQT-Engine, un framework que permite ejecutar lenguajes de consulta para modelos con tiempos de ejecución y uso de memoria similares al de un lenguaje específico de base de datos. MQT-Engine realiza una transformación en dos pasos de las consultas: primero transforma las consultas que han sido escritas con un lenguaje de consulta para modelos en un modelo que es independiente del lenguaje (QLI Model); después, el modelo generado se transforma en una consulta equivalente, pero escrita con un lenguaje específico de base de datos. La transformación en dos pasos proporciona extensibilidad y reusabilidad ya que facilita la inclusión de nuevos lenguajes. Se ha implementado un prototipo de MQT-Engine que transforma consultas EOL en SQL y las ejecuta directamente sobre un repositorio CDO. El prototipo se ha evaluado con dos casos de uso. El primero está basado en el dominio de la ingeniería inversa. Se han comparado los tiempos de ejecución y el uso de memoria que necesitan MQT-Engine y otros lenguajes de consulta (EMF API, OCL y SQL) para ejecutar una serie de consultas sobre modelos persistidos en CDO. El segundo caso de uso está basado en el dominio de los ferrocarriles y compara los tiempos de ejecución que necesitan MQT-Engine y otros lenguajes (EMF API, OCL, IncQuery, etc.) para ejecutar varias consultas. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que MQT-Engine es capaz de ejecutar correctamente todos los experimentos y además es una de las soluciones con mejores tiempos para la primera ejecución de las consultas de modelos. MQTEngine es la opción más rápida y que necesita menos memoria entre los lenguajes ejecutados sobre repositorios CDO. Por ejemplo, en el caso del modelo más grande de ingeniería inversa, MQT-Engine es 162 veces más rápido y necesita 23 veces menos memoria que los lenguajes de consulta de modelos ejecutados al lado del cliente. Además, la sobrecarga de la transformación es pequeña y constante (menos de 2 segundos). Estos resultados prueban el objetivo principal de esta tesis: proporcionar un framework que permite a los ingenieros de modelos definir las consultas con un lenguaje de consulta de modelos y además ejecutarlas con una con tiempos de ejecución y uso de memoria similares a los de un lenguaje específico de bases de datos. Sin embargo, la solución tiene una serie de limitaciones: solo soporta consultas que recorren el modelo completamente y sin modificarlo; el prototipo es específico para consultas en EOL y sobre repositorios CDO (relacionales); y habría que optimizar la ejecución de las consultas cuando estas se ejecutan más de una vez. Se ha planeado resolver estas limitaciones en versiones futuras del trabajo

Linking data and BPMN processes to achieve executable models

We describe a formally well founded approach to link data and processes conceptually, based on adopting UML class diagrams to represent data, and BPMN to represent the process. The UML class diagram together with a set of additional process variables, called Artifact, form the information model of the process. All activities of the BPMN process refer to such an information model by means of OCL operation contracts. We show that the resulting semantics while abstract is fully executable. We also provide an implementation of the executor.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

The Train Benchmark: cross-technology performance evaluation of continuous model queries

In model-driven development of safety-critical systems (like automotive, avionics or railways), well- formedness of models is repeatedly validated in order to detect design flaws as early as possible. In many indus- trial tools, validation rules are still often implemented by a large amount of imperative model traversal code which makes those rule implementations complicated and hard to maintain. Additionally, as models are rapidly increas- ing in size and complexity, efficient execution of validation rules is challenging for the currently available tools. Checking well-formedness constraints can be captured by declarative queries over graph models, while model update operations can be specified as model transformations. This paper presents a benchmark for systematically assessing the scalability of validating and revalidating well-formedness constraints over large graph models. The benchmark defines well-formedness validation scenarios in the railway domain: a metamodel, an instance model generator and a set of well- formedness constraints captured by queries, fault injection and repair operations (imitating the work of systems engi- neers by model transformations). The benchmark focuses on the performance of query evaluation, i.e. its execution time and memory consumption, with a particular empha- sis on reevaluation. We demonstrate that the benchmark can be adopted to various technologies and query engines, including modeling tools; relational, graph and semantic databases. The Train Benchmark is available as an open- source project with continuous builds from https://github. com/FTSRG/trainbenchmark

TINTIN: a Tool for INcremental INTegrity checking of Assertions in SQL Server

We present TINTIN, a tool to perform efficient integrity checking of SQL assertions in SQL Server. TINTIN rewrites each assertion into a set of standard SQL queries that, given a set of insertions and deletions of tuples, allow to incrementally compute whether this update violates the assertion or not. If one of such queries returns a non empty answer, then the assertion is violated. Efficiency is achieved by evaluating only those data and those assertions that can actually be violated according to the update. TINTIN is aimed at two different purposes. First, to show the feasibility of our approach by implementing it on a commercial relational DBMS. Second, to illustrate that the efficiency we achieve is good enough for making assertions to be used in practice.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Traduciendo OCL como lenguaje de consultas y restricciones

Tesis inédita de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Informática, Departamento de Sistemas Informáticos y Computación, leída el 30-06-2017Esta tesis doctoral debe gran parte de su motivación inicial y enfoque final a la discusión muy animada y perspicaz que tuvo lugar durante el seminario “Automated Reasoning on Conceptual Schemas” en Dagstuhl (19-24 Mayo, 2013) [18], en el cual tuvimos la fortuna de participar.Incluso antes de asistir al seminario, sobre la base de nuestra propia experiencia aplicando la metodología de desarrollo dirigida por modelos en el proyecto Action GUI [1],ya estábamos convencidos de la veracidad y la importancia de tres declaraciones claves contenidas en la presentación del mismo, que resumen muy bien las motivaciones finales de esta tesis:“La calidad de un sistema de información se determina en gran medida a principios del ciclo de desarrollo, es decir, durante la especificación de los requisitos y el modelado conceptual, ya que los errores introducidos en estas etapas suelen ser mucho más costosos de corregir que los errores cometidos durante el diseño o la implementación.”“Por lo tanto, es deseable prevenir, detectar y corregir errores tan pronto como sea posible en el proceso de desarrollo evaluando la corrección de los esquemas conceptuales construidos.”“La alta expresividad de los esquemas conceptuales requiere adoptar técnicas de razonamiento automatizadas para apoyar al diseñador en esta importante tarea.”...This doctoral dissertation owes a great deal of its initial motivation and final focusto the very lively and insightful discussion that took place during the Dagstuhl Seminar“Automated Reasoning on Conceptual Schemas” (19-24 May, 2013) [18], which we havethe fortune to participate in.Even before attending the seminar, based on our own experience applying the modeldrivendevelopment methodology within the ActionGUI project [1], we were already convincedof the truthfulness and importance of three key statements contained in the seminar’spresentation, which summarize very well this dissertation’s ultimate motivations:“The quality of an information system is largely determined early in the developmentcycle, i.e., during requirements specification and conceptual modeling, since errorsintroduced at these stages are usually much more expensive to correct than errorsmade during design or implementation.”“Thus, it is desirable to prevent, detect, and correct errors as early as possible in thedevelopment process by assessing the correctness of the conceptual schemas built.”“The high expressivity of conceptual schemas requires to adopt automated reasoningtechniques to support the designer in this important task.”..Depto. de Sistemas Informáticos y ComputaciónFac. de InformáticaTRUEunpu

Towards optimisation of model queries : A parallel execution approach

The growing size of software models poses significant scalability challenges. Amongst these challenges is the execution time of queries and transformations. In many cases, model management programs are (or can be) expressed as chains and combinations of core fundamental operations. Most of these operations are pure functions, making them amenable to parallelisation, lazy evaluation and short-circuiting. In this paper we show how all three of these optimisations can be combined in the context of Epsilon: an OCL-inspired family of model management languages. We compare our solutions with both interpreted and compiled OCL as well as hand-written Java code. Our experiments show a significant improvement in the performance of queries, especially on large models

UQJG: Identifying transactions that collaborate to violate an SQL assertion

An SQL assertion is a declarative statement about data that must always be satisfied in any database state. Assertions were introduced in the SQL92 standard but no commercial DBMS has implemented them so far. Some approaches have been proposed to incrementally determine whether a transaction violates an SQL assertion, but they assume that transactions are applied in isolation, hence not considering the problem of concurrent transaction executions that collaborate to violate an assertion. This is the main stopper for its commercial implementation. To handle this problem, we have developed a technique for efficiently serializing concurrent transactions that might interact to violate an SQL assertion.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft