Multiple architecture viewpoints in single unified modeling language (UML) model

• US 9,372,669 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2014
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jalaldeen, Ahamed, Sequeira, Cedric
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rivera, Anibal
• Application Number:
  US14/553,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20150082272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/86 Mapping to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/35 model driven
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method, a system and a program product provide for defining for an information technology (IT) system that may be modeled within the context of a plurality of architecture viewpoints, and whose model elements are defined within a configuration file, a plurality of architecture viewpoints within a single UML model. The method, the system and the program product also provide for synchronously automatically updating a remainder of the architecture viewpoints when one of the architecture viewpoints is manually updated.

Claims

1. An information technology (IT) system architecture modeling method comprising the steps of:

designating within a single Unified Modeling Language model a plurality of architecture viewpoints for modeling an IT system comprising a plurality of model elements defined in a configuration file;

receiving, from a user via a user interface, a selection of one of said plurality of architecture viewpoints;

determining which of said plurality of model elements is associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;

displaying each of said plurality of model elements which is associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;

hiding from view and consideration in the selected architecture viewpoint, each of said plurality of model elements which is not associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;

receiving notification that a user has removed at least one of said plurality of model elements from at least one of said plurality of architecture viewpoints;

for each of said plurality of architecture viewpoints;

determining which of said plurality of model elements is both;

(i) associated with said architecture viewpoint and (ii) corresponding to said removed model element;

locating at least one corresponding proxy element corresponding to said removed model element; and

removing said at least one corresponding proxy element from said architecture viewpoint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said model elements is represented by an icon.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a new model element created by a user; and

determining a characteristic of said new model element.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of determining which of said plurality of model elements are both:

(i) associated with said architecture viewpoint and (ii) corresponding to said new model element.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of determining a default location of each of said determined model elements.

6. A system having a processor comprising:

a computer programmed to;

designate within a single Unified Modeling Language model a plurality of architecture viewpoints for modeling an information technology (IT) system comprising a plurality of model elements defined in a configuration file;

receive, from a user via a user interface, a selection of one of said plurality of architecture viewpoints;

determine which of said plurality of model elements is associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;

display each of said plurality of model elements which is associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;

hide from view and consideration in the selected architecture viewpoint, each of said plurality of model elements which is not associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;

receive notification that a user has removed at least one of said plurality of model elements from at least one of said plurality of architecture viewpoints;

for each of said plurality of architecture viewpoints;

determine which of said plurality of model elements is both;

(i) associated with said architecture viewpoint and (ii) corresponding to said removed model element;

locate at least one corresponding proxy element corresponding to said removed model element; and

remove said at least one corresponding proxy element from said architecture viewpoint.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each of said model elements is represented by an icon.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

receive a new model element created by a user; and

determine a characteristic of said new model element.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer is further programmed to determine which of said plurality of model elements are both:

(i) associated with said architecture viewpoint and (ii) corresponding to said new model element.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the computer is further programmed to determine a default location of each of said determined model elements.

11. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory machine readable medium encoded with instructions to:

designate within a single Unified Modeling Language model a plurality of architecture viewpoints for modeling an information technology (IT) system comprising a plurality of model elements defined in a configuration file;

receive, from a user via a user interface, a selection of one of said plurality of architecture viewpoints;

determine which of said plurality of model elements is associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;

display each of said plurality of model elements which is associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;

hide from view and consideration in the selected architecture viewpoint, each of said plurality of model elements which is not associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;

receive notification that a user has removed at least one of said plurality of model elements from at least one of said plurality of architecture viewpoints;

for each of said plurality of architecture viewpoints;

determine which of said plurality of model elements is both;

(i) associated with said architecture viewpoint and (ii) corresponding to said removed model element;

locate at least one corresponding proxy element corresponding to said removed model element; and

remove said at least one corresponding proxy element from said architecture viewpoint.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein each of said model elements is represented by an icon.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the machine readable medium is further encoded with instructions to:

receive a new model element created by a user; and

determine a characteristic of said new model element.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the machine readable medium is further encoded with instructions to determine which of said plurality of model elements are both:

(i) associated with said architecture viewpoint and (ii) corresponding to said new model element.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the machine readable medium is further encoded with instructions to determine a default location of each of said determined model elements.