DEVS-based Methodological Framework for Multi-Quality Attribute Evaluation using Software Architectures

S. GONNET; H. LEONE; V. BOGADO

Cordoba

Simposio; SLISW - Simposio Latinoamericano de Ingeniería de Software (CLEI); 2017

Centro Latinoamericano de Estudios en Informática - CLEI

Simulation is a powerful tool to evaluate qualityattributes of complex software systems, but it is not the mostcomfortable environment for software engineers. They usually useto specify software architectures graphical notations like Use CaseMap (UCM). This paper presents a methodological framework toapply DEVS to the software architecture evaluation problem. This framework is organized in two parts: frontend and backend. The frontend allows engineers to specify software architectures with UCM. The backend uses Discrete Event System Specification formalism (DEVS) to model and simulate the specified architectures. The proposal defines required elements following the Model-driven Development to transform UCMs into domainspecific DEVS models. Engineers can formulate UCMs and generate the corresponding simulation models to evaluate several quality attributes together with the system functionality. This methodology guides developers to a dynamic multi-attribute assessment under different usage profiles, whose results can be used for making early decisions to reduce development and maintenance costs.