Architecture-driven modernization

Last updated November 25, 2022

Architecture-driven modernization in computing and computer science, is the name of the initiative of the Object Management Group (see OMG ADM Task Force website) related to building and promoting standards that can be applied to modernize legacy systems. The objective of this initiative is to provide standard representations of views of existing systems, in order to enable common modernization activities, such as code analysis and comprehension, and software transformation.

History

In June 2003, The Object Management Group (OMG) formed a task force to model in the context of existing software systems. Initially, the group was called Legacy Transformation Task Force, but then the name was unanimously changed to Architecture-Driven Modernization Task Force (ADMTF). ADMTF is co-chaired by Djenana Campara, from KDM Analytics and William Ulrich, from Tactical Strategy Group.^[1]
In November 2003, the OMG's Architecture-Driven Modernization Task Force recommended, and the Platform Technical Committee issued, the Knowledge Discovery Metamodel Request For Proposal (RFP).
In February 2005, the OMG's Architecture-Driven Modernization Task Force recommended, and the Platform Technical Committee issued, the Abstract Syntax Tree Metamodel (ASTM) Request For Proposal (RFP). This work is still in progress. OMG has not yet adopted this specification.
In May 2006, the Team's submission—the Knowledge Discovery Metamodel—was adopted by the OMG and moved into the finalization stage of the OMG's standards adoption process. The OMG adopted Specification for KDM became publicly available (OMG document ptc/06-06-07).
In September 2006, the OMG's Architecture-Driven Modernization Task Force recommended, and the Platform Technical Committee issued, the Software Metrics Metamodel (SMM) Request For Proposal (RFP). This work is still in progress.
In March 2007, the KDM Finalization Task Force finished the finalization stage of OMG's standards adoption process. The recommended specification KDM 1.0 is available from OMG.

Knowledge Discovery Metamodel (KDM)

The foundation of the architecture-driven modernization initiative is the OMG specification Knowledge Discovery Metamodel (KDM). Usually the knowledge obtained from existing software is presented in the form of models to which specific queries can be made when necessary. An entity relationship diagram is a frequent format of representing knowledge obtained from existing software. Knowledge Discovery Metamodel defines an ontology for the software assets and their relationships for the purpose of performing knowledge discovery of existing code. The KDM Analytics company maintains an open portal for the Knowledge Discovery Metamodel (see KDM Portal).

Relationship to MDA

Existing (or legacy) software has been one of the biggest obstacles for applying model-driven architecture. The acronym for architecture-driven modernization (ADM) is coincidentally MDA in reverse. MDA is the acronym for OMG's model-driven architecture, which purports the use of models and transformations to deliver new software. ADM is related to the concept of reverse engineering. Software modernization is architecture-driven when there is the need to capture and retool various architectural aspects of existing application environments. This modernization does not preclude source-to-source migrations (where appropriate), but encourages user organizations to consider modernization from an analysis and design based perspective. In doing so, project teams will ensure that obsolete concepts or designs are not propagated into modern languages and platforms. The bottom-line results deliver modernized systems that conform more effectively to current business practices and strategic requirements.^[2]

Vendors

Some of the vendors providing Architecture-Driven Modernization software tooling & methods:

Blu Age
TSRI (The Software Revolution)
Delta Software Technology

Related Research Articles

The Object Management Group (OMG) is a computer industry standards consortium. OMG Task Forces develop enterprise integration standards for a range of technologies.

The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a general-purpose, developmental modeling language in the field of software engineering that is intended to provide a standard way to visualize the design of a system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meta-Object Facility</span> Standard of Object Management Group

The Meta-Object Facility (MOF) is an Object Management Group (OMG) standard for model-driven engineering. Its purpose is to provide a type system for entities in the CORBA architecture and a set of interfaces through which those types can be created and manipulated. The official reference page may be found at OMG's website.

Model Driven Architecture (MDA) is a software design approach for the development of software systems. It provides a set of guidelines for the structuring of specifications, which are expressed as models. Model Driven Architecture is a kind of domain engineering, and supports model-driven engineering of software systems. It was launched by the Object Management Group (OMG) in 2001.

The Object Constraint Language (OCL) is a declarative language describing rules applying to Unified Modeling Language (UML) models developed at IBM and is now part of the UML standard. Initially, OCL was merely a formal specification language extension for UML. OCL may now be used with any Meta-Object Facility (MOF) Object Management Group (OMG) meta-model, including UML. The Object Constraint Language is a precise text language that provides constraint and object query expressions on any MOF model or meta-model that cannot otherwise be expressed by diagrammatic notation. OCL is a key component of the new OMG standard recommendation for transforming models, the Queries/Views/Transformations (QVT) specification.

The common warehouse metamodel (CWM) defines a specification for modeling metadata for relational, non-relational, multi-dimensional, and most other objects found in a data warehousing environment. The specification is released and owned by the Object Management Group, which also claims a trademark in the use of "CWM".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metamodeling</span> Concept of software engineering

A metamodel or surrogate model is a model of a model, and metamodeling is the process of generating such metamodels. Thus metamodeling or meta-modeling is the analysis, construction and development of the frames, rules, constraints, models and theories applicable and useful for modeling a predefined class of problems. As its name implies, this concept applies the notions of meta- and modeling in software engineering and systems engineering. Metamodels are of many types and have diverse applications.

Model-driven engineering (MDE) is a software development methodology that focuses on creating and exploiting domain models, which are conceptual models of all the topics related to a specific problem. Hence, it highlights and aims at abstract representations of the knowledge and activities that govern a particular application domain, rather than the computing concepts.

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QVT (Query/View/Transformation) is a standard set of languages for model transformation defined by the Object Management Group.

The Unified Profile for DoDAF/MODAF (UPDM) is the product of an Object Management Group (OMG) initiative to develop a modeling standard that supports both the USA Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF) and the UK Ministry of Defence Architecture Framework (MODAF). The current UPDM - the Unified Profile for DoDAF and MODAF was based on earlier work with the same acronym and a slightly different name - the UML Profile for DoDAF and MODAF.

A model transformation language in systems and software engineering is a language intended specifically for model transformation.

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The Business Process Definition Metamodel (BPDM) is a standard definition of concepts used to express business process models, adopted by the OMG. Metamodels define concepts, relationships, and semantics for exchange of user models between different modeling tools. The exchange format is defined by XSD and XMI, a specification for transformation of OMG metamodels to XML. Pursuant to the OMG's policies, the metamodel is the result of an open process involving submissions by member organizations, following a Request for Proposal (RFP) issued in 2003. BPDM was adopted in initial form in July 2007, and finalized in July 2008.

Knowledge Discovery Metamodel (KDM) is a publicly available specification from the Object Management Group (OMG). KDM is a common intermediate representation for existing software systems and their operating environments, that defines common metadata required for deep semantic integration of Application Lifecycle Management tools. KDM was designed as the OMG's foundation for software modernization, IT portfolio management and software assurance. KDM uses OMG's Meta-Object Facility to define an XMI interchange format between tools that work with existing software as well as an abstract interface (API) for the next-generation assurance and modernization tools. KDM standardizes existing approaches to knowledge discovery in software engineering artifacts, also known as software mining.

Software mining is an application of knowledge discovery in the area of software modernization which involves understanding existing software artifacts. This process is related to a concept of reverse engineering. Usually the knowledge obtained from existing software is presented in the form of models to which specific queries can be made when necessary. An entity relationship is a frequent format of representing knowledge obtained from existing software. Object Management Group (OMG) developed specification Knowledge Discovery Metamodel (KDM) which defines an ontology for software assets and their relationships for the purpose of performing knowledge discovery of existing code.

The Semantics of Business Vocabulary and Business Rules (SBVR) is an adopted standard of the Object Management Group (OMG) intended to be the basis for formal and detailed natural language declarative description of a complex entity, such as a business. SBVR is intended to formalize complex compliance rules, such as operational rules for an enterprise, security policy, standard compliance, or regulatory compliance rules. Such formal vocabularies and rules can be interpreted and used by computer systems. SBVR is an integral part of the OMG's model-driven architecture (MDA).

MOF Model to Text Transformation Language is an Object Management Group (OMG) specification for a model transformation language. Specifically, it can be used to express transformations which transform a model into text (M2T), for example a platform-specific model into source code or documentation. MOFM2T is one part of OMG's Model-driven architecture (MDA) and reuses many concepts of MOF, OMG's metamodeling architecture. Whereas MOFM2T is used for expressing M2T transformations, OMG's QVT is used for expressing M2M transformations.

References

↑ Why do we need standards for the modernization of existing systems (PDF). Object Management Group. July 15, 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2007. Retrieved May 9, 2007.
↑ Object Management group (October 24, 2005). Second Architecture-Driven Modernization workshop. Archived from the original on February 5, 2007. Retrieved May 9, 2007.

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[1] Why do we need standards for the modernization of existing systems (PDF). Object Management Group. July 15, 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2007. Retrieved May 9, 2007.

[2] Object Management group (October 24, 2005). Second Architecture-Driven Modernization workshop. Archived from the original on February 5, 2007. Retrieved May 9, 2007.

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