Reference architectures for the development and evolution of systems-of-systems

• Grant number: 14/16709-1
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Effective date (Start): December 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Computer Science - Computing Methodologies and Techniques
• Principal researcher: Elisa Yumi Nakagawa
• Grantee: Elisa Yumi Nakagawa
• Host: Flavio Oquendo
• Home Institution: Instituto de Ciências Matemáticas e de Computação (ICMC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Université de Bretagne-Sud, Vannes (UBS), France

Abstract

Software architectures have an essential role to the quality of software systems. In this scenario, reference architectures are a special type of software architecture and can be considered repository of knowledge of a given domain, promoting the reuse of this knowledge to the development, evolution, and standardization of systems of that domain. A diversity of these architectures, such as for automotive and avionics, have been constructed and more and more used. In parallel, the increasing complexity and size of current software systems have arisen a new class of systems, called Systems-of-Systems (or simply SoS). SoS refer to systems that are constituted by other systems, which are managerial and operationally independent and, sometimes, geographically distributed. This makes possible SoS to execute a new mission that could not be performed by any other constituent systems working alone. Besides that, SoS are sometimes executed in a dynamics environment, where the mission, the software architecture, and even the constituent systems can change. In this context, many critical embedded systems, such as for military and airport domain, have been developed as a SoS. However, in spite of the relevance of reference architectures, there is a lack of research investigating these architectures in the context of SoS. The main objective of this research is to investigate together these two areas -- reference architecture and SoS -- considering the experience of this candidate in the area of Reference Architecture and the experience in SoS of Institut de Recherche en Informatique et Systèmes Aléatoires - IRISA and Université de Bretagne-Sud - UBS, where this research plan will be developed. Specifically, the intention is to investigate how reference architectures can impact the development, evolution, and standardization of SoS. For this, the main tasks are: (i) identification of SoS and reference architectures for SoS, possibly those ones in development by the France software industry; (ii) identification of the exact context and role of reference architectures in SoS, as well as advantages, limitations, challenges of their utilization; (iii) definition and characterization of reference architectures for SoS; (iv) refinement of RAModel, a model that establishes the elements and their relationships contained in reference architectures, considering the needs and characteristics of SoS; and (v) establishment of a research agenda on reference architectures for SoS. Therefore, this visit of three months intends to advance the state-of-the-art in both reference architectures and SoS areas, including a contribution for an ongoing research project, entitled “SASoS: Supporting Development of Software Architectures for Software-intensive Systems-of-Systems” (FAPESP, Process N.: 2014/02244-7), under coordination of this candidate. Furthermore, results of this visit will be used as basis for future joint research projects involving ICMC/USP, IRISA, and UBS. (AU)