Slavica Kordić

A model-driven approach to data structure conceptualization

Reengineering of an existing information system can be carried out: to improve its maintainability, to migrate to a new technology, to improve quality or to prepare for functional enhancement. An important phase of a data-oriented software system reengineering is a database reengineering process and, in particular, its subprocess - a database reverse engineering process. The reverse engineering process contains two main phases: data structure extraction and data structure conceptualization. In the paper we present a blueprint of a model-driven approach to database reengineering process that is one of the results of our research project on model-driven intelligent systems for software system development, maintenance and evolution. Within that process hereinafter we focus on the data structure conceptualization process and propose a model-driven approach to data structure conceptualization. Proposed process is based on model-to-model transformations implemented by means of Atlas Transformation Language.

Development and evaluation of MicroBuilder: a Model-Driven tool for the specification of REST Microservice Software Architectures

ABSTRACT In this paper we present MicroBuilder, the tool used for the specification of a software architecture that follows REST microservice design principles. MicroBuilder comprises MicroDSL and MicroGenerator modules. The MicroDSL module provides the MicroDSL domain-specific language used for the specification of REST microservice software architecture. In this paper we present MicroDSL meta-model, specified in Ecore, together with textual and graphical concrete syntaxes, specified using Xtext and Sirius frameworks respectively. The MicroGenerator module is used to generate executable program code based on MicroDSL specification. In this paper we also present results of the MicroBuilder tool evaluation, alongside the case study which illustrates a usage of MicroBuilder.

Specification and Implementation of the Inverse Referential Integrity Constraint in XML Databases

Constraints are very important part of every database management system (DBMS). There are different taxonomies of constraints in every data model. In this paper we propose a constraint taxonomy for XML data model. One of the constraints that exists in the database design practice is the inverse referential integrity constraint (IRIC). In relational database management systems (RDBMSs) there are techniques for implementation of this type of constraint. Those techniques are procedures and/or triggers. Current XML database management systems (XML DBMSs) support constraints like key, foreign key and unique constraints. IRIC is not implemented in current XML DBMSs. In this paper we also present an approach to the specification of the inverse referential integrity constraint and its implementation for the XML DBMS in the two techniques: XQuery functions and triggers. Those techniques correspond to the characteristics of a selected XML DBMS. The former can be used in those XML DBMSs which do not support triggers, such as eXist DBMS. The latter can be used in XML DBMSs which support triggers, such as Sedna.

Extended Tuple Constraint Type in Relational and XML Data Model: Definition and Enforcement

A database management system (DBMS) should provide capabilities for defining and enforcing certain integrity constraints that must hold for the data recorded in the database. These constraints are derived from the semantics of the data and from the rules of the system under study (SuS) that database represents. Every DBMS is based on a data model that provides the means to achieve data abstraction and to express database schema. Each data model has a specific set of integrity constraints types. Some of constraint types are common for several data models and some of them are typical for a data model. Beyond well-known constraint types there are more complex ones that are difficult to express and enforce within the data model. In this paper we deal with the extended tuple constraint (ETC) type. It is the extension of tuple constraint that is one of constraint types of relational data model. In this paper we explain the usage of extended tuple constraint in relational data model and its implementation in relational DBMSs. XML data model does not recognize ETC type. We specify the extended tuple constraint in XML data model and propose two techniques for implementation of ETC in XML DBMSs. Each of them depends on the characteristics of a selected XML DBMS. We use XQuery functions in eXist DBMS, and triggers in Sedna DBMS.

A model-to-model transformation of a generic relational database schema into a form type data model

An important phase of a data-oriented software system reengineering is a database reengineering process and, in particular, its subprocess - a database reverse engineering process. In this paper we present one of the model-to-model transformations from a chain of transformations aimed at transformation of a generic relational database schema into a form type data model. The transformation is a step of the data structure conceptualization phase of a model-driven database reverse engineering process that is implemented in IIS*Studio development environment.