A software engineering paradigm as a basis for enterprise integration in (multi-) client/server environments

The ability to build and execute enterprise models including data, service and process models is a topic of growing importance for industry. It addresses the problem to develop reasonable models of the enterprise but has to cope also broadly with implementation and execution issues in heterogeneous environments. With respect to implementation and execution, client/server architectures, request broker mechanisms and distributed data and applications are emerging as the future state-of-the-art. In this context, the existing heterogeneity of technological frameworks as well as coping with legacy systems is a crucial fact. Existing methodologies and tools are not overwhelming these problems. They often do not integrate aspects of enterprise- or process-modelling, CASE (Computer Aided Software Engineering), workflow management and client/server execution. As a consequence, new kinds of architectures are needed. This paper outlines an approach, developed at FAW for the described scenario. The main objective of this solution is to cope with heterogeneity by a neutralizing approach instead of standardization. The described software engineering paradigm supports a model-oriented development of distributed data, services and processes in a uniform way towards a neutralizing execution environment. The FAW software engineering paradigm complies with the specifications of CIMOSA and accomplishes the requirements of the COBRA architecture. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover: RO 9630(95010),2 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

Geschaeftsprozessmanagement, Software-Engineering, Client/Server, Middleware, Vorgangssteuerung und Informationsmanagement - (wie) passt das zusammen?

SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: RO 9630(94025) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Knowledge-based management of distributed resources

SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: RO 9630(91001) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

AMBAS: a CIMOSA compliant execution environment Correspondence of the CIMOSA Integrating InfraStructure and the FAW execution environment AMBAS

AMBAS, the FAW execution environment for heterogeneous distributed systems covers the requirements of the CIMOSA Integrating InfraStructure (IIS) specification. AMBAS fosters enterprise integration based on an enterprise model. It provides transparent and uniform access to the entire body of an enterprise's data and functions (services, applications and processes), which is the main aim of CIMOSA-IIS. This paper describes how AMBAS implements the CIMOSA-IIS specification. In addition to AMBAS, a prototypical software engineering environment (called #OMEGA#mega) is available at FAW, that allows the modelling of data, services, applications and processes and the generation of corresponding executables for AMBAS. In a separate paper it will be shown, that #OMEGA#mega is a CIMOSA compliant Engineering Environment, so that #OMEGA#mega with AMBAS implements the CIMOSA framework. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: RO 9630(95013),2 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

A software engineering strategy for client/server applications

To develop client/server applications and software based business processes executable in heterogeneous distributed environments a specific framework of software engineering is proposed. This FAW software engineering strategy promotes a comprehensive architecture for the engineering and execution of client/server applications. Main conceptual principles are: 1. the use of a combination of object oriented concepts and classical data and function modeling for analysis to gain benefits concerning migration and reuseability. 2. implementation of data and functions as separate parts. 3. to provide a platform to administrate and execute this types of objects (data resp. functions encapsulated as objects with a fixed set of access operators). This execution environment should enable transparent access for clients to data functions provided by servers. Explicit models (communications and infrastructure knowledge) have to be used to solve problems of heterogeneity. FAW provides tool support for the strategy by the neutralizing execution environment AMBAS and the engineering environment #OMEGA#mega. AMBAS is a knowledge based implementation of a COBRA compliant request broker architecture which also allows the integration of non-COBRA execution environments and applications. AMBAS integrates client/server mechanisms, transaction management and workflow management. #OMEGA#mega is the Engineering Environment to develop data, processes or applications executable by AMBAS. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover: RO 9630(94014) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

Federated management of distributed data and services

Over a period of ten years the FAW has developed a Software Engineering Paradigm to develop distributed data, applications and processes for heterogeneous environments. This paradigm is supported by a set of tools that has been implemented as prototypes. These tools and the Software Engineering Paradigm are forming a platform for enterprise integration as specified e.g. in the definition of CIMOSA. Enterprise integration hereby means the strategic aim to continuously develop one productive enterprise data and function model. This is a key for enterprise wide information and resource management. It should be based on a solution for enabling the transparent access to all available data and functions in distributed heterogenous environments via a logical point of information. In this paper the implementation concept for so-called information logistic services - forming the logical point of information - will be described. These services are implementing the information entity in the framework of an integrating infrastructure as it has been described by CIMOSA. Besides the details of its implementation a positioning in an overall implementation architecture for enterprise integration as it has been developed and implemented as prototypes at FAW will be explained as well. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover: RO 9630(97012) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

AMBAS/CORA/#OMEGA#MEGA components of the FAW software engineering and execution strategy

This paper presents an overview of the FAW Software Engineering and Execution Strategy designated to support the development and management of distributed data, methods and processes in heterogeneous computer and network environments. It describes the main components of this strategy and the corresponding tool environment. Following this overview section II gives more technical details of the approach for integrating information, processes and controls. Selected references are attached at the end of the paper document for additional information on the framework presented. The FAW Software Engineering and Execution Strategy has been designed and implemented at FAW resulting three major components: AMBAS (Adaptive Method Base Shell), CORA (Communication and Resource Assistant) and #OMEGA#mega (Operational Modelling Environment and Generator for AMBAS Applications). AMBAS furnishes the execution platform for a sophisticated management and execution of Client/Server-applications and processes operating in heterogeneous environments. CORA is a communication and workflow engine build on top of AMBAS. It supports enterprise and process communication. #OMEGA#mega provides a model-oriented engineering environment (i.e. a CASE tool) for AMBAS applications. These components interoperate through a common repository and a shared information model. The repository provides an enterprise-wide model for data, methods and processes and manages different kinds of technical and organizational knowledge about the enterprise and its infrastructure. Third-party tools are integrated into the FAW stategy by connecting them to the repository and capturing their semantics in terms of the information model. The information model supports different levels of representation (e.g. model, natural language, code) and provides a generic database schema for capturing enterprise information. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover: RO 9630(95012) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman