Linking Yourdon and SDL to support telecommunication systems production

Abstract

It is noted that CASE (computer-aided software engineering) toolsets which can provide fully integrated support from models of the real world through to physical implementation are now beginning to emerge. However, these toolsets are largely restricted to date-dominated systems with simple control elements, and to cases where the final implementation will be on a DBMS (database management system). For developers who must deal with more complex control elements such as telecommunications systems, CASE toolsets have significant limitations. British Telecom is attempting to address some of the weaknesses by combining structured analysis notations with SDL (Specification and Description Language) task-level notations, and automatic source code production from the task level. The authors outline the causes for, this program and give the results from the early projects that have led to this approach.<>