Methods for mapping state machines in MODEL DRIVEN ARCITECTURE

Abstract

Model Driven Architecture (MDA) is an initiative of the Object Management Group that uses models as the first class artifacts in the software development process. MDA aims at deriving values from models that capture the system structural and behavioral aspects. One of the values of models is to derive an implementation from models in an automated fashion. Automation enables rapid response to changes, increases the efficency of software development and decreses its cost. The derivation involves a Platform Independent Model PIM, a targeted Platform Specific Model PSM and mapping transformation rules between the PIM and the PSM. The PIM washes away the technical details and focuses on the business logic of the system where as the PSM contains the technical detailed information. The main challenge is the transformation from PIM to PSM (different models). In practice the transformation process from PIM to PSM might be a lot more complex and challenging. Between the models, gaps can exist because of the difference in the abstraction layers exhibited in the models. The gaps may not be small enough to perform a direct transformation. Moreover there is still difficulties when the application behavior is addressed in MDA. In most cases, behavioral models are used for other purposes like documentation rather than complementing the structural models to facilitate automatic software generation. The problem is the lack of mechanisms for mapping behavior models from an abstraction level to another. This research study proposes a method for mapping UML behavior models from PIM to PSM. Both the PIM and the PSM are augmented with UML class model and state machine behavioral model. A transformation framework, taxonomy and guidelines were identified beside the suitable languages and tools based on MDA best practices and standards. The PIM models for two application domains were built using MDA compliant modeling tool. The PSM model for a standard messaging oriented platform was developed and used along with the proposed transformation framework to map the PIM models to the PSM. The work is completed by including the PSM to code translation. The resulted artifacts were transferred to an execution environment to run the program. The proposed method achieved an acceptable degree of automation of the software application development using the MDA approach.