MDE4DRE: Model-driven Engineering for Distributed Real-time and Embedded Systems

Tutorial Objectives

Reusable software components and standards-based component models are increasingly being used to develop large-scale distributed real-time and embedded (DRE) systems. This trend, however, also introduces new complexities associated with composing and deploying DRE systems using components, including the need to (1) design consistent component interface definitions, (2) validate interactions between components and generate valid component deployment descriptors, (3) configure application components and the underlying middleware and platform correctly, (4) ensure that requirements of components are met by target nodes where components are deployed, and (5) validate the selected configuration and deployment satisfies end-to-end QoS requirements. The lack of simplification and automation in resolving these challenges can significantly hinder the effective transition to-and adoption of-component middleware technology to develop DRE systems. Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) has emerged as a promising means to address these issues by combining domain-specific modeling languages (DSMLs) with generators that analyze certain aspects of the models and then synthesize various artifacts, such as source code, simulation inputs, XML deployment descriptions, or alternative model representations. This tutorial provides an overview of MDE for DRE systems, focusing on:

Fundamental concepts of MDE including DSMLs, system execution modeling (SEM) and generative programming.
How MDE tools and metamodeling are applicable to DRE systems.
Role of code generation and model-to-model transformation in meeting QoS requirements of DRE systems.
Role of MDE in design-time analysis of DRE system properties.
Deploying and configuring middleware and DRE applications using MDE tools

Many of the topics mentioned above will be introduced using examples and case studies from production DRE systems. Wherever possible, we'll show live demos of using MDE tools in the tutorial.

Relevance to RTAS 2007 participants.

By using real-world scenarios and application lifecycle challenges drawn from different DRE domains, such as avionics, shipboard computing and space missions, RTAS 07 participants will find the session interesting and useful. Upon completing this tutorial, attendees will be able to:

Recognize the inherent and accidental complexities involved with developing software for DRE systems.
Understand precisely how MDE techniques and tools can and cannot help to alleviate this complexity.
Apply key MDE design techniques (such as metamodeling, system execution modeling, constraints, and model interpreters) to develop domain-specific modeling languages and modeling artifacts that resolve key challenges faced by DRE system developers.
Utilize popular MDE tools to create efficient, robust, and reusable software for DRE systems.
Know where to find additional sources of information on how to successfully apply MDE techniques to DRE systems.

Organizers

Douglas C. Schmidt is a Professor of Computer Science at Vanderbilt University. His research covers a range of research topics, including patterns, optimization techniques, and empirical analyses of software frameworks and domain-specific modeling environments that facilitate the development of distributed real-time and embedded (DRE) middleware and applications running over high-speed networks and embedded system interconnects. In addition to his academic research, Dr. Schmidt has over fifteen years of experience leading the development of ACE, TAO, CIAO, and CoSMIC, which are widely used, open-source DRE middleware frameworks and model-driven engineering tools that contain a rich set of components and domain-specific languages that implement patterns and product-line architectures for high-performance DRE systems.

Aniruddha Gokhale is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at Vanderbilt University. His research focuses on the development of innovative model driven engineering techniques including domain specific modelling languages and generative technologies to specify, analyze, configure, optimize and deploy component-middleware systems used to build distributed real-time and embedded systems. As the Principal Investigator for the DARPA PCES and ARMS program, he led a team of researchers to build the open source CoSMIC MDE tool suite. His MDE research focus is complemented by his work in developing highly optimized middleware platforms to support adaptive, fault tolerant and real-time distributed systems.

Back to CoSMIC page

Last modified: Wed Feb 14 13:41:11 Central Standard Time 2007