Adrian Mark Colyer

Large-scale AOSD for middleware

For a variety of reasons, todays middleware systems are highly complex. This complexity surfaces internally in the middleware construction, and externally in the programming models supported and features offered. We believed that aspect-orientation could help with these problems, and undertook a case study based on members of an IBM® middleware product-line. We also wanted to know whether aspect-oriented techniques could scale to commercial project sizes with tens of thousands of classes, many millions of lines of code, hundreds of developers, and sophisticated build systems. This paper describes the motivation for our research, the challenges involved, and key lessons that we learnt in refactoring both homogeneous and heterogeneous crosscutting concerns in the middleware.

Using AspectJ for component integration in middleware

This report discusses experiences applying AspectJ [1] to modularize crosscutting concerns in a middleware product line at IBM®. Aspect oriented programming techniques were used to cleanly separate platform specific facilities for aspects such as error handling, performance monitoring and logging from base components, permitting those components to be reused in multiple environments. The initiative also guided the design of the AspectJ Development Tools (AJDT) for Eclipse, and influenced the technical direction of the AspectJ implementation.

Aspect-oriented programming with AspectJ

Aspect-oriented programming (AOP) is an exciting new development in the field of software engineering. The open-source AspectJ® project has taken a leading role in defining what an aspect-oriented programming language should look like and in building tools that enable aspect-oriented techniques to be employed in the development of large-scale commercial software. IBM both contributes to the development of AspectJ and uses it internally with its accompanying IDE (integrated development environment) support, AspectJ Development Tools (AJDT). This paper provides an introduction to aspect-oriented programming using AspectJ and AJDT. We also discuss the role that open source (and being an open-source project) has played in the ongoing development of AspectJ, and how this has facilitated a level of collaboration and exploitation that would not have been possible otherwise.

CICS and enterprise JavaBeans

IBM is supporting Enterprise JavaBeansTM (EJB) across its application server products. Together with related JavaTM technologies, EJB provides a standard programming model and set of services across major server platforms. This paper presents an overview of the EJB architecture and describes the technical strategy and design approach for the EJB capability that is being delivered in the latest release of the Customer Information Control System (CICS®). It explores why CICS customers want to use enterprise Java technology, identifies some critical success factors for the CICS support of EJB, and explains its architecture in terms of a portable EJB container executing within the existing CICS run-time infrastructure, focusing on aspects such as transaction management, Java virtual machine reuse, and workload management. Application development tooling is then discussed, together with the strategy for exploiting tools such as VisualAge® for Java. Finally, the paper considers future work and challenges for CICS in this area.

From research to reward: challenges in technology transfer

Over a five-year period, the Applied Science & Technology Group of IBMs Hursley Laboratory in England turned itself from a fully-funded research organisation into an entirely self-funded technology transfer group. Practical experience and insight was gained into the questions of: what the obstacles are that need to be overcome in successful technology transfer; how to find a match between the technology and the customer; and how best to manage risks and expectations. To be successful, a technology transfer group needs to be correctly positioned within its sponsoring organisation, to use management processes that provide flexibility and control, and to develop a sophisticated engagement model for working with its customers.

Aspects: passing fad or new foundation?

Aspect-oriented software development (AOSD) has a lot of interest in the research community. It has also found early adopters in application development and middleware. This panel discusses the potential expansion and use of AOP into mainstream software development.This question is not just directed to the aspect research community, but also to practicing software development teams and organizations. The panel will explore the appropriate position and awareness of aspect-orientation amidst other advances in software engineering; how to prepare organizations for adoption; and what additional research and development is necessary. The panel discussion will help the OO community to understand the appropriate use of aspect-orientation. It will also highlight areas where additional efforts by AOSD researchers and professionals are required.