Specifying integration points of a system-of-systems

• US 8,413,115 B1
• Filed: 08/27/2009
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Hassell, Suzanne P., Stewart, Kristina L., Surprise, Jason M., Marra, Stephen P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Das, Chameli
• Application Number:
  US12/548,481
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/121
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques

Abstract

In accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure, specifying integration points of a system-of-systems includes identifying an integration point that associates interfaces of system components. The integration point is characterized according to the identification to generate a set of attributes describing the interfaces. The integration point is specified according to the set of attributes.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

automatically identifying, using one or more processors, an integration point from one or more diagrams displaying a plurality of nodes each deploying a system component and being assigned to a node type indicating a function or an environment of the node, the plurality of nodes including a first node of a first node type and a second node of a second node type, the integration point associating a plurality of interfaces of a plurality of system components deployed by one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes;

characterizing, using one or more processors, the integration point based at least in part on the node types of the one or more nodes to generate a set of attributes describing the interfaces and compatible with the functions or environments of the one or more nodes, the characterizing including generating a first set of attributes based on determining that the integration point associates a first system component deployed in the first node, and generating a second set of attributes based on determining that the integration point associates a same system component as the first system component deployed in the second node; and

specifying, using one or more processors, the integration point according to the set of attributes including the first or second sets of attributes, the specifying including generating a requirement specification for the integration point to be presented to a user, the requirement specification including an identification of the integration point and at least one of a message structure, a communication protocol, or a performance requirement of the integration point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the integration point further comprising:

identifying one or more types of nodes deploying each system component associated by the integration point.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the characterizing of the integration point further comprises:

characterizing the integration point to indicate a risk level of the integration point.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the integration point further comprises:

identifying each system component as a Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) component or a custom component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the integration point further comprises identifying one or more critical data flows, at least one critical data flow of the one or more critical data flows being associated with a lower maturity level, and wherein the characterizing of the integration point further comprises providing a higher priority to the at least one critical data flow.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the characterizing of the integration point further comprises:

determining a maturity level for one or more protocols layers of the communication protocol.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the characterizing of the integration point further comprises:

determining a maturity level for each interface of the plurality of interfaces.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the characterizing of the integration point further comprises:

characterizing a maturity level for each system component of the plurality of system components.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating of the requirement specification comprises:

generating a separate report for one or more requirements for each of one or more protocol layers of the communication protocol.

10. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media embodied with computer code, when executed by a computer, operable to:

automatically identify an integration point from one or more diagrams displaying a plurality of nodes each deploying a system component and being assigned to a node type indicating a function or an environment of the node, the plurality of nodes including a first node of a first node type and a second node of a second node type, the integration point associating a plurality of interfaces of a plurality of system components deployed by one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes;

characterize the integration point based at least in part on according to the node types of the one or more nodes to generate a set of attributes describing the interfaces and compatible with the functions or environments of the one or more nodes, the characterizing including generating a first set of attributes based on determining that the integration point associates a first system component deployed in the first node, and generating a second set of attributes based on determining that the integration point associates a same system component as the first system component deployed in the second node; and

specify the integration point according to the set of attributes including the first or second sets of attributes, the specifying including generating a requirement specification for the integration point to be presented to a user, the requirement specification including an identification of the integration point and at least one of a message structure, a communication protocol, or a performance requirement of the integration point.

11. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein the computer code, when executed by the computer, is operable to:

identify one or more types of nodes deploying each system component associated by the integration point.

12. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein the computer code, when executed by the computer, is operable to:

characterize the integration point to indicate a risk level of the integration point.

13. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein the computer code, when executed by the computer, is operable to:

identify each system component as a Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) component or a custom component.

14. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein the computer code, when executed by the computer, is operable to:

identify one or more critical data flows, at least one critical data flow of the one or more critical data flows associated with a lower maturity level; and

provide a higher priority to the at least one critical data flow.

15. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein the computer code, when executed by the computer, is operable to:

determine a maturity level for one or more protocols layers of the communication protocol.

16. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein the computer code, when executed by the computer, is operable to:

determine a maturity level for each interface of the plurality of interfaces.

17. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein the computer code, when executed by the computer, is operable to:

characterize a maturity level for each system component of the plurality of system components.

18. The computer readable media of claim 10, wherein the computer code, when executed by the computer, is operable to:

generate, as part of the requirement specification, a separate report for each of one or more protocol layers of the communication protocol.

19. An apparatus comprising:

memory to store information with respect to a system comprising a plurality of nodes each deploying a system component and being assigned to a node type indicating a function or an environment of the node; and

one or more processors to execute an integration point specifying module configured to;

display one or more diagrams comprising at least a portion of the plurality of nodes, the at least portion including a first node of a first node type and a second node of a second node type;

automatically identify an integration point from the one or more diagrams being displayed, the integration point associating a plurality of interfaces of a plurality of system components deployed by one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes;

characterize the integration point based at least in part on the node types of the one or more nodes to generate a set of attributes describing the interfaces and compatible with the functions or environments of the one or more nodes, the characterizing including generating a first set of attributes based on determining that the integration point associates a first system component deployed in the first node, and generating a second set of attributes based on determining that the integration point associates a same system component as the first system component deployed in the second node; and

specify the integration point according to the set of attributes including the first or second sets of attributes, the specifying including generating a requirement specification for the integration point to be presented to a user, the requirement specification including an identification of the integration point and at least one of a message structure, a communication protocol, or a performance requirement of the integration point.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the integration point specifying module is configured to:

calculate a maturity level of the integration point as a function of maturity levels each assigned to a corresponding one of the plurality of interfaces; and

determine whether to specify the integration point based on the maturity level of the integration point reaching a specified level.