Modularizing variability and scalability concerns in distributed real-time and embedded systems with modeling tools and component middleware

Abstract

Developing real-time software for large-scale distributed real-time and embedded (DRE) systems is hard due to variabilities that arise from (I) integration with various subsystems based on different programming languages and hardware, OS, middleware platforms, (2) fine tuning the system to satisfy a range of customer requirements, such as various quality-of-service (QoS) properties, and (3) changing functional and QoS properties of the system based on available system resources. This paper describes our experience applying model-driven development (MDD) tools and QoS-enabled component middleware technologies to address domain- and middleware-specific variability challenges in an inventory tracking system, which manages the storage and flow of items in warehouses. Our results show that (I) coherent integration of MDD tools and component middleware can provide a productive software process for developing DRE systems by modularizing and composing variability concerns and (2) significant challenges remain that must be overcome to apply these technologies to a broader range of DRE systems