Proposal for a formal foundation of RM-ODP concepts

This paper presents an approach for formalizing the RM-ODP (Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing), an ISO and ITU standard. The goal of this formalization is to clarify the RM-ODP modeling framework to make it more accessible to modelers such as system architects, designers and implementers, while opening the way for the formal verification of RM-ODP models, either within an ODP viewpoint or across multiple ODP viewpoints. Our formalization is based on set theory and the usual predicate logic, and is ex-pressed in the Alloy language

"RM-ODP part 2: Foundations" in Alloy

This paper presents the Alloy code for the formalization of “RM-ODP part 2: Foundations”. The formalization is defined and explained in the separate work

Conceptual Modeling of Complex Systems Using an RM-ODP Based Ontology

The development of business and information systems requires a significant amount of modeling. The current modeling languages and tools have difficulties supporting the modeling of systems spanning through multiple organizational levels. The use of inadequate modeling abstractions is one of the important causes for these difficulties. This paper proposes an ontology that defines the concepts needed for object-oriented modeling and gives a graphical example. The ontology is based on RM-ODP and relies on Constructivism and System Theory. The proposed ontology allows the definition of development methods, modeling languages and tools that are applicable to complex systems. This can lead to significant productivity improvements in the business and software development communities

An RM-ODP Based Ontology and a CAD Tool for Modeling Hierarchical Systems in Enterprise Architecture

Enterprise Architecture (EA) requires modeling enterprises across multiple levels (from markets down to IT systems) i.e. modeling hierarchical systems. Our goal is to build a Computer Aided Design (CAD) tool for EA. To be able to build this CAD tool, we need an ontology that can be used to describe hierarchical systems. The Reference Model of Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP) was originally defined for describing IT systems and their environment. RM-ODP can also be suited to general, hierarchical, system modeling and, hence, can be used to model enterprises. In this paper, we first give an overview of our CAD tool and we present then how Part 2 and Part3 of RM-ODP were integrated to define a computer-interpretable ontology that is used in the CAD tool. This ontology is formalized using the Alloy declarative language. Last, we illustrate how the CAD tool can render Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagrams by showing selected aspects of the hierarchical systems

A metamodel for the Unified Modeling Language: critical analysis and solution

Nowadays models, rather than code, become the key artifacts of software development. Consequently, this raises the level of requirements for modeling languages on which modeling practitioners should rely in their work. A minor inconsistency of a modeling language metamodel may cause major problems in the language applications; thus with the model driven systems development the solidness of modeling languages metamodels becomes particularly important. At its current state the UML metamodel suggests a significant area for improvement. In this work we present an alternative metamodel that was inspired by RM-ODP standard and that solves the problems of UML. RM-ODP was mentioned in UML specifications as a framework that has already influenced UML. Our metamodel was formalized, thus its resulting models can be simulated and checked for consistency. So, our proposed solution carrying a constructive potential towards improvement of the UML metamodel, may have a real practical impact on the UML specifications

Formal Foundations of General System Modeling

We present an approach to the definition of an object-oriented modeling paradigm done in the scope of general system modeling. The paradigm includes a formally defined metamodel and its supporting philosophical and natural science foundations. The metamodel exhibits its internal consistency, supported by Russell's theory of types, and its consistency in interpretation of subjects of modeling, supported by Tarski's declarative semantics. We show a concrete example of the metamodel application, realized with the aid of concepts defined by RM-ODP (an ISO/ITU standard defining conceptual framework for modeling of distributed systems). This application was formalized in a computer-interpretable form, which allows for a computer-based verification of RM-ODP models. With the theoretical foundations of our metamodel, we deduce its defined structure and declarative semantics from the fundamentals of philosophy and natural science

A Formal Foundation of the RM-ODP Conceptual Framework

This paper presents an approach for formalizing the RM-ODP (Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing), an ISO and ITU standard. The goal of this formalization is to clarify the RM-ODP modeling framework to make it more accessible to modelers such as system architects, designers and implementers, while opening the way for the formal verification of RM-ODP models, either within an ODP viewpoint or across multiple ODP viewpoints. The result of this work is a consistent formal representation of clauses 5, 6, 8 and 9 of part 2 of RM-ODP in their interrelations, which while being officially declared as one of its goals is currently missing in the standard. Our formalization is based on set theory and the classical predicate logic, and is expressed in the Alloy language