project directions

1
project directions

• Evan Magill
• University of Stirling

2
context

• SEBPC
• IT
• business
• CS
• feature interaction
• communications
• CS

3
context

• compatibility between separately developed
  software components across a distributed system
• communications networks - an underlying infra
  structure
• legacy

4
original aims

• To develop an automated hybrid approach for
  detecting and resolving feature interaction
• specification
• formal proofs
• modelling
• run-time
• a-priori
• adaptive
• AI
• distributed database approaches
• architectural

hybrid
5
original aims

• to apply and evaluate the new technique to
  software embedded in a real switching environment
  provided by (Mitel)

• modelling- formal, generic definitions of
  interaction- formal proof- automate
  reasoning

6
related work

• DESK
• modelling of run-time approach
• use of roll-back
• handles legacy systems
• existing and new software handled as black boxes

7
DESK

• legacy is simply another feature
• basic call is another feature

Feature 1
Feature n
basic call
feature manager
hardware system
8
DESK behaviour tree
9
current aims

• access to switch as proved difficult
• main goals unaffected

n-way interactions
Prune commit
DESK
generate resolution rules
view of tree
10
current status - tasks
Glasgow
Stirling
model DESK to provide theory of features
establish insight algorithms features
run-time
off-line
Provide state machines from DESK
refine theory
Changing form of rules
generate pragmatic rules
alter DESK to accept resolution rules
deduce rules
experiment
11
current status - papers

• A Hybrid Approach to Software Interworking
  Problems Managing Interactions between Legacy
  and Evolving Telecommunications Services. M.
  Calder, E. Magill D. Marples. IEE Proceedings -
  Software , 146(3) Apr99, pp 167-180.
• Modelling Legacy Telecommunications Switching
  Systems for Interaction Analysis. M. Calder
  and S. Reiff. Systems Engineering for Business
  Process Change, P. Henderson (ed.), Springer
  Verlag, 2000, pages 182-195.
• Identifying Resolution Choices for an Online
  Feature Manager. S. Reiff. Feature Interactions
  in Telecommunications and Software Systems VI,
  M. Calder and E. Magill (eds.), IOS Press
  Amsterdam, 2000, pages 113-128.
• Theory and Practice of Enhancing a Legacy
  Software System. By M. Calder, E. Magill, S.
  Reiff-Marganiec and V. Thayananthan. In press
  Systems Engineering for Business Process Change
  2.
• The Application of Model-Checking to Verification
  Problems in Telephone Switching Systems. By S.
  Reiff and M. Calder. Proceedings of the 6th
  Workshop on Automated Reasoning - Bridging the
  gap between theory and practice. 6th - 9th April
  99, Edinburgh (UK).

Details at http//www.dcs.gla.ac.uk/research/hfig/