T. John Brown

Extending BPM Environments of Your Choice with Performance Related Decision Support

What-if Simulations have been identified as one solution for business performance related decision support. Such support is especially useful in cases where it can be automatically generated out of Business Process Management (BPM) Environments from the existing business process models and performance parameters monitored from the executed business process instances. Currently, some of the available BPM Environments offer basic-level performance prediction capabilities. However, these functionalities are normally too limited to be generally useful for performance related decision support at business process level. In this paper, an approach is presented which allows the non-intrusive integration of sophisticated tooling for what-if simulations, analytic performance prediction tools, process optimizations or a combination of such solutions into already existing BPM environments. The approach abstracts from process modelling techniques which enable automatic decision support spanning processes across numerous BPM Environments. For instance, this enables end-to-end decision support for composite processes modelled with the Business Process Modelling Notation (BPMN) on top of existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) processes modelled with proprietary languages.

Towards Utilizing Model-Driven Engineering of Composite Applications for Business Performance Analysis

Composite Applications on top of SAPs implementation of SOA (Enterprise SOA) enable the extension of already existing business logic. In this paper we show, based on a case study, how Model-Driven Engineering concepts are applied in the development of such Composite Applications. Our Case Study extends a back-end business process which is required for the specific needs of a demo company selling wine. We use this to describe how the business centric models specifying the modified business behaviour of our case study can be utilized for business performance analysis where most of the actions are performed by humans. In particular, we apply a refined version of Model-Driven Performance Engineering that we proposed in our previous work and motivate which business domain specifics have to be taken into account for business performance analysis. We additionally motivate the need for performance related decision support for domain experts, who generally lack performance related skills. Such a support should offer visual guidance about what should be changed in the design and resource mapping to get improved results with respect to modification constraints and performance objectives, or objectives for time.

Efficient implementation of a portable parallel programming model for image processing

This paper describes a domain specific programming model for execution on parallel and distributed architectures. The model has initially been targeted at the application area of image processing, though the techniques developed may be more generally applicable to other domains where an algebraic or library-based approach is common. Efficiency is achieved by the concept of a self-optimising class library of primitive image processing operations, which allows programs to be written in a high level, algebraic notation and which is automatically parallelised (using an application-specific data parallel approach). The class library is extended automatically with optimised operations, generated by a transformation system, giving improved execution performance. The parallel implementation of the model described here is based on MPI and has been tested on a C40 processor network, a quad-processor Unix workstation, and a network of PCs running Linux. Timings are included to indicate the impact of the automatic optimisation facility (rather than the effect of parallelisation). Copyright

A high level language for parallel image processing

Abstract Most published research in the field of parallel image processing has tended to be in the areas of parallel architectures and parallel algorithms. Work on the development of software tools such as languages has generally been less extensive. This paper describes some research which is intended to redress the balance a little, by describing I-BOL-an application-specific high level programming language intended for implementing low-level image processing applications on parallel architectures. In particular, I-BOL has been designed to be capable of implementation on distributed memory parallel machines such as transputer networks. This paper introduces the core concepts of I-BOL: its view of an image as a set of tuples; user-defined neighbourhood functions; and I-BOLs facilities for recursive image processing. Solutions to a number of example problems illustrate particular aspects of the notation, including the Distance Transform, Histogram Equalization and the Hough Transform. Some consideration is given to the parallel aspects of the current implementation of I-BOL on a pipeline of transputers. A few performance measurements are quoted, giving execution times for the chosen examples on various sizes of transputer work.

Systematic Usage of Embedded Modelling Languages in Automated Model Transformation Chains

Annotation of programs using embedded Domain-Specific Languages (embedded DSLs), such as the program annotation facility for the Java programming language, is a well-known practice in computer science. In this paper we argue for and propose a specialized approach for the usage of embedded Domain-Specific Modelling Languages (embedded DSMLs) in Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) processes that in particular supports automated many-step model transformation chains. It can happen that information defined at some point, using an embedded DSML, is not required in the next immediate transformation step, but in a later one. We propose a new approach of model annotation enabling flexible many-step transformation chains. The approach utilizes a combination of embedded DSMLs, trace models and a megamodel. We demonstrate our approach based on an example MDE process and an industrial case study.

Adaptable Components for Software Product Line Engineering

This paper explores techniques for implementing adaptable software components. Such techniques can greatly facilitate the implementation of software product lines. The techniques we present allow the construction of large transparently adaptable components via composition and parameterization. Functional and structural adaptation, to any level of nesting, is achieved at the point of instantiation via recursive argument lists whose structure mirrors that of the component. The techniques are currently based on the C++ language, although work is under way to extend them to other languages (particularly Java?).

Towards more flexible architecture description languages for industrial applications

Architecture Description Languages (ADLs) have emerged in recent years as a tool for providing high-level descriptions of software systems in terms of their architectural elements and the relationships among them. Most of the current ADLs exhibit limitations which prevent their widespread use in industrial applications. In this paper, we discuss these limitations and introduce ALI, an ADL that has been developed to address such limitations. The ALI language provides a rich and flexible syntax for describing component interfaces, architectural patterns, and meta-information. Multiple graphical architectural views can then be derived from ALIs textual notation.

A Relational Architecture Description Language for Software Families

Software Product-Line Engineering has emerged in recent years, as an important strategy for maximising reuse within the context of a family of related products. In current approaches to software product-lines, there is general agreement that the definition of a reference-architecture for the product-line is an important step in the software engineering process. In this paper we introduce ADLARS, a new form of architecture Description language that places emphasis on the capture of architectural relationships. ADLARS is designed for use within a product-line engineering process. The language supports both the definition of architectural structure, and of important architectural relationships. In particular it supports capture of the relationships between product features, component and task architectures, interfaces and parameter requirements.

Managing Component Variability within Embedded Software Product Lines via Transformational Code Generation

This paper presents a transformative code generation technique for the static optimization and customization of embedded software. The approach supports the development of product families by separating core functionality from variable facets. The implementation technique utilizes generative programming techniques in order to minimize runtime memory requirements and maximize performance within an embedded environment.