A UML profile utilizing enterprise information system configuration

Abstract

Enterprise information system configuration is a complex process dealing with interrelated issues. A four-stage methodology has been proposed in order to effectively explore configuration issues. The main advantage of the proposed methodology is the adoption of a common meta-model for the representation of systems throughout all configuration stages, ensuring interoperability and model consistency. In practice, configuration stages are supported by automated or semi-automated tools, each of which adopts its own meta-model for system representation. In order to apply the methodology using existing autonomous tools, model exchangeability (thus meta-model transformation) and tool co-ordination must be facilitated by standard, open methods. Thus, the common meta-model is implemented in a standard, exchangeable format, as XML. To provide a standard method to visualize the common meta-model, facilitate the designer to interact with it and co-ordinate specific tool invocation, a UML 2.0 profile was defined. Different UML 2.0 diagrams are integrated to support different views of the system. The representation of relationships and restrictions among discrete meta-model entities must be facilitated to identify and explore the dependencies between configuration stages. Constraints are extensively used for this purpose. A case study where the proposed profile utilized the configuration of a large-scale banking system is also presented