P ORTOLAN: a Model-Driven Cartography Framework

Processing large amounts of data to extract useful information is an essential task within companies. To help in this task, visualization techniques have been commonly used due to their capacity to present data in synthesized views, easier to understand and manage. However, achieving the right visualization display for a data set is a complex cartography process that involves several transformation steps to adapt the (domain) data to the (visualization) data format expected by visualization tools. To maximize the benefits of visualization we propose Portolan, a generic model-driven cartography framework that facilitates the discovery of the data to visualize, the specification of view definitions for that data and the transformations to bridge the gap with the visualization tools. Our approach has been implemented on top of the Eclipse EMF modeling framework and validated on three different use cases

A Model-Driven Methodology Approach for Developing a Repository of Models

International audienceTo cope with the growing complexity of embedded system design, several development approaches have been proposed. The most popular are those using models as main artifacts to be constructed and maintained. The wanted role of models is to ease, systematize and standardize the approach of the construction of software-based systems. In order to enforce reuse and to interconnect the process of models’ specification and the system development with models, we promote a model-based approach coupled with a repository of models. In this paper, we propose a Model-Driven Engineering methodological approach for the development of a repository of models and an operational architecture for development tools. In particular, we show the feasibility of our own approach by reporting some preliminary prototype providing a model-based repository of security and dependability (S&D) pattern models

Metamodel-based model conformance and multiview consistency checking

Model-driven development, using languages such as UML and BON, often makes use of multiple diagrams (e.g., class and sequence diagrams) when modeling systems. These diagrams, presenting different views of a system of interest, may be inconsistent. A metamodel provides a unifying framework in which to ensure and check consistency, while at the same time providing the means to distinguish between valid and invalid models, that is, conformance. Two formal specifications of the metamodel for an object-oriented modeling language are presented, and it is shown how to use these specifications for model conformance and multiview consistency checking. Comparisons are made in terms of completeness and the level of automation each provide for checking multiview consistency and model conformance. The lessons learned from applying formal techniques to the problems of metamodeling, model conformance, and multiview consistency checking are summarized

Generation of Network Service Descriptors from Network Service Requirements

Network Function Virtualization (NFV) is a new paradigm in Network Service (NS) provisioning. European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) proposed and standardized an architectural framework for NFV. By leveraging virtualization and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) technologies, NFV decouples network functionality from hardware infrastructure. This enables the automated provisioning of NSs and reduces the capital and operational costs for service operators. NFV Management and Orchestration (NFV-MANO) is a functional block in the NFV framework, and it is responsible for the deployment and life-cycle management of NSs. With NFV, the telecommunication industry is moving towards zero-touch, i.e. automation of all the processes. In order to orchestrate and manage an NS, NFV-MANO requires the NS’s deployment template. This template is referred to as NS Descriptor (NSD) and contains all the details for deployment and orchestration of the NS. De-signing such a descriptor requires the design of the NS, which is actually out of the NFV scope. Traditionally, service operators’ experts design NSs and NSDs. However, this design activity is time-consuming and error-prone; moreover, it is not fitting the Telecom’s vision of zero-touch. In this thesis, we will propose an approach to automate the process of NS and NSD design. The approach starts from a set of requirements provided as Network Service Requirements (NSReq). The NSReq describes the required network service at a high level of abstraction and focuses on the functional, architectural, and non-functional characteristics. With the help of an ontology representing the knowledge from Telecom standards and previous successful experiences, we decompose the NSReq. We select the set of Virtual Network Functions (VNF) from a catalog to design the NS. Considering all the levels of decomposition and the VNF’s dependencies captured from the ontology, we design all the possible for-warding graphs that can form an NS. We design each forwarding graph through different steps at different abstraction levels, i.e. functional, architectural, and VNF levels. According to each forwarding graph, we design an NSD along with the traffic flows in the NS. We re-fine each NSD by dimensioning its VNFs using the non-functional requirements in the NSReq. Accordingly, we refine the deployment flavor of each NSD. We have developed a prototype tool as a proof of concept for our proposed approach which we will discuss later in this thesis

An MDE-based framework to support the development of Mixed Interactive Systems

International audienceIn the domain of Human Computer Interaction (HCI), recent advances in sensors, communication technologies, miniaturization and computing capabilities have led to new and advanced forms of interaction. Among them, Mixed Interactive Systems (MIS), form a class of interactive systems that comprises augmented reality, tangible interfaces and ambient computing; MIS aim to take advantage of physical and digital worlds to promote a more transparent integration of interactive systems with the user's environment. Due to the constant change of technologies and the multiplicity of these interaction forms, specific development approaches have been developed. As a result, numerous taxonomies, frameworks, API and models have emerged, each one covering a specific and limited aspect of the development of MIS. To support a coherent use of these multiple development resources and contribute to the increasing popularity of MIS, we have developed a framework based on Model-Driven Engineering. The goal is to take advantage of Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) standards, methodology and tools to support the manipulation of complementary Domain Specific Languages (DSL), to organize and link the use of different design and implementation resources, and to ensure a rationalized implementation based on design choices. In this paper, we first summarize existing uses of MDE in HCI before focusing on five major benefits MDE can provide in a MIS development context. We then detail which MDE tools and resources support these benefits and thus form the pillars of the success of an MDE-based MIS development approach. Based on this analysis, we introduce our framework, called Guide-Me, and illustrate its use through a case study. This framework includes two design models. Model transformations are also included to link one model to another; as a result the frameworks coverage extends from the earliest design step to a software component-based prototyping platform. A toolset based on Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF) that supports the use of the framework is also presented. We finally assess our MDE-based development process for MIS based on the five major MDE benefits for MIS