Design data validation tool for use in enterprise architecture modeling

• US 7,203,929 B1
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Gifford, Thomas C., Vinodkrishnan, Nalledath P., Srinivasan, Lavanya, Telford, Courtlan
• Primary Examiner(s): INGBERG, TODD D
• Application Number:
  US10/431,773
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 717/108, 717/126, 717/124, 717/125, 717/127, 717/133, 719/328
• US Class Current: 717/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques

Abstract

A selected scenario of a design ICD document for an integrated enterprise is validated by examining each IDL call of each sequence diagram forming part of the selected scenario. A list of data attributes contained in one or more of the IDL calls are generated and each IDL call associated therewith is generated. A physical location to which each such IDL call is mapped is then associated with the IDL call. By analyzing the IDL calls and associated physical locations on a data attribute-by-data attribute basis, inconsistencies in the physical mapping of the data attributes to the databases forming an IIS for the integrated enterprise may be identified and subsequently corrected.

Claims

1. For a portion of an enterprise network having at least two applications tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium and an IIS comprised of one or more databases, a method of validating said portion of said enterprise network by modeling the interface of IDL call structure to a physical location of said one or more databases forming said IIS, comprising:

analyzing at least one modeled IDL call to/from said IIS on a data attribute-by-data attribute basis;

analyzing a map of each one of said at least one analyzed modeled IDL call to a physical location within said one or more databases forming said IIS; and

associating said data attributes of said analyzed modeled IDL calls with said physical locations to which said analyzed modeled IDL calls are mapped, and storing said associations of said data attributes of said modeled IDL calls with physical locations on a computer readable medium.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzed modeled IDL calls include data producing IDL calls and data consuming IDL calls and further comprising:

identifying, on a data attribute-by-data attribute basis, inconsistencies between said mapping of said data producing IDL calls and said data consuming IDL calls.

3. The method of claim 2, and further comprising modifying said map based upon said identified inconsistencies between said mapping of said data producing IDL calls and said data consuming IDL calls.

4. The method of claim 3, and further comprising modifying said at least one modeled IDL call based upon said identified inconsistencies between said mapping of said data producing IDL calls and said data consuming IDL calls.

5. For a portion of an integrated enterprise network having at least two applications tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium and an US comprised of one or more databases, a method of validating said portion of said enterprise network by modeling the Interface of IDL call structures to a physical layer location of said one or more databases forming said IIS, comprising:

constructing a first document, said first document describing a plurality of modeled IDL calls to/from said IIS of said integrated enterprise;

constructing a second’

document, said second document mapping said plurality of modeled IDL calls to said physical layer of said one or more databases forming said IIS;

generating, from said first document, a list of data attributes contained in one or more of said plurality of modeled IDL calls;

associating;

with each data attribute contained in said list of data attributes, a list of modeled IDL calls in which said data attribute is contained;

for each modeled IDL call associated with one of said data attributes contained in said list of data attributes, retrieving;

from said second document, a physical location with said at least one database forming said US to which said modeled IDL call is mapped; and

for each physical location, retrieved from said second document, to which one of said modeled IDL calls associated with one of said data attributes contained in said list of data attributes, associating said physical location with said one of said modeled IDL calls and said one of said data attributes, and storing said associations of said data attributes of said modeled IDL calls with physical locations on a computer readable medium.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said first document is comprised of a plurality of sequence diagrams, each containing at least one modeled IDL call, and wherein generating, from said first document, a list of data attributes contained in one or more of said plurality of modeled IDL calls further comprises:

selecting a scenario comprised of at least one of said plurality of sequence diagrams; and

examining each one of said at least one modeled IDL calls of each one of said at least one sequence diagrams of said selected scenario; and

adding, to said list of data attributes, each data attribute contained in at least one of said at least one modeled IDL calls of at least one of said at least one sequence diagrams of said selected scenario.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said first document is a design ICD document for said integrated enterprise.

8. The method of claim 5, and further comprising:

for each one of said data attributes contained in said list of data attributes, identifying inconsistencies between said modeled IDL calls associated with said data attribute and said physical locations associated with said modeled IDL calls.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said identified inconsistencies include inconsistencies between which physical database said modeled IDL calls associated with said data attribute are directed.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said identified inconsistencies include inconsistencies between which table, maintained within a physical database, said modeled IDL calls associated with said data attribute are directed.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said identified inconsistencies include inconsistencies between which column, within a table maintained within a physical database, said modeled IDL calls associated with said data attribute are directed.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said first document is comprised of a plurality of sequence diagrams, each containing at least one modeled IDL call, and wherein generating, from said first document, a list of data attributes contained in one or more of said plurality of modeled IDL calls further comprises:

selecting a scenario comprised of at least one of said plurality of sequence diagrams; and

examining each one of said at least one modeled IDL calls of each one of said at least one sequence diagrams of said selected scenario; and

adding, to said list of data attributes, each data attribute contained in at least one of said at least one modeled IDL calls of at least one of said at least one sequence diagrams of said selected scenario.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said first document is a design ICD document for said integrated enterprise.

14. A device for validating an integrated enterprise, said integrated enterprise having first and second applications and an IIS comprised of at least one database, said device comprising:

a UML tool for constructing a model of said integrated enterprise by modeling the interface of IDS calls between said at least two applications and said IIS; and

a tool for analyzing said model of said integrated enterprise, said tool identifying inconsistencies between modeled IDL calls associated with data attributes for said model of said integrated enterprise and physical locations associated with said modeled IDL calls, and storing said inconsistencies on a computer readable medium.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said UML tool is used to construct a first document containing associations between modeled IDL calls and data attributes of said model of said integrated enterprise.

16. The device of claim 14, and further comprising an IBAR tool for constructing a second document containing associations between said modeled IDL calls of said model of said integrated enterprise and physical locations within said at least one database forming said IIS.