6 research outputs found
A metamodel-based ASN.1 editor and compiler for the implementation of communication protocols
In der Software-Industrie sind viele metamodell-basierte Werkzeuge entwickelt worden, um die Erstellung von Programmiersprachen und insbesondere domänenspezifischen Sprachen (DSL ) zu unterstützen. Ein Beispiel für diese Werkzeuge ist Eclipse Xtext, welches eine große Popularität im Bereich der modellgetriebenen Softwareentwicklung (MDSE ) besitzt. In diesem Beitrag untersuchen wir, inwieweit Xtext und andere metamodell-basierte Ansätze zur Implementierung eines Editors und Compilers für die ASN.1 Spezifikation, welche von der ITU-T standardisiert wurde, verwendet werden können. Der metamodell-basierte Ansatz zur Implementierung der ASN.1 Spezifikation ermöglicht es, ASN.1-Dokumente softwaretechnisch wie ein Modell behandeln zu können, sodass dieses ASN.1-Modell mit anderen Softwaremodellen (z. B. Zustandsmaschinen)verknüpft werden kann. Unsere Ergebnisse zeigen, dass mit relativ geringem Aufwand eine Basisimplementierung von ASN.1 zu erreichen ist, die bereits eine gute Werkzeugunterstützung liefert. Bei einigen Details der Implementierung gerät man allerdings an die Grenze des Machbaren und diese sind daher sehr schwer zu realisieren. Dies betrifft insbesondere den Parser-Generator und das komplexe Metamodell.In the software industry many metamodel-based tools and approaches have been developed to support the creation of programming and especially domain specific languages (DSL). An example of these tools is eclipse Xtext, which has gained much popularity in the model-driven software engineering (MDSE) community. In this article we investigate whether Xtext and related metamodel-based approaches can also be used to implement the ASN.1 specification that was standardized by the ITU-T. The metamodel-based approach for the implementation of the ASN.1 specification allows to treat ASN.1 documents as software models, so that these ASN.1 models can be interrelated with other models (e.g. state machines). Our results show that relatively little efforts are required to create a basic implementation of this standard with good tool support. However, some details of the implementation are quite difficult to realize because they touch the limits of feasibility. This concerns in particular the parser generator and the complex metamodel
Early Checking of SysML Models Applied to Protocols
The paper shares an experience in using SysML and the free, open-source software TTool for protocol modelling and communication architecture validation. A dialogue between a pilot and a control tower serves as running example to demonstrate the benefits of complementary model analysis techniques: simulation, model checking, and verification by abstraction. The proposed method may be adapted to other modelling languages and tools
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Towards more effective testing of communications-critical large scale systems
This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.A publication based on the research from this thesis has been published and can be cited as Nabulsi, MA and Hierons, RM (2014), A new test framework for communications-critical large scale systems, IEEE Software, In press. The published version can be accessed via the link below.None of today’s large scale systems could function without the reliable availability of a varied range of network communications capabilities. Whilst software, hardware and communications technologies have been advancing throughout the past two decades, the methods commonly used by industry for testing large scale systems which incorporate critical communications interfaces have not kept pace. This thesis argues for the need for a specifically tailored framework to achieve effective testing of communications-critical large scale systems (CCLSS). The thesis initially discusses how generic test approaches are leading to inefficient and costly test activities in industry. The thesis then presents the form and features of an alternative CCLSS domain-specific test framework, develops its ideas further into a detailed and structured test approach for one of its layers, and then provides a detailed example of how this framework can be applied using a real-life case study. The thesis concludes with a qualitative as well a simulation-based evaluation of the framework’s benefits observed during the case study and an evaluation by expert external participants considering whether similar benefits can be realised if the framework is adopted for the testing of other comparable systems. Requirements data from a second CCLSS is included in the evaluation by external participants as a second smaller case study