ARCAS

Overview

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Automated Resolution of Connector Architectures Using Constraint Solving (ARCAS)

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Overview

ARCAS method (Automated Resolution of Connector Architectures using constraint-Solving techniques) is the first phase in our a two-step connector generation process (CONGEN). Basically, ARCAS takes design specification of component bindings, deployment decision, and required non-functional properties (NFPs) as input and produces a detailed connector instance configuration (CIC), describing a particular connector, is produced. In the second step (EPAC), CIC is used as the input for the actual connector code generation.

In general, ARCAS is based on automated composition of the connector implementation from predefined hierarchical elements. Its output (CIC) describes a hierarchical composition of connector elements reflecting the design and deployment requirements, in a way very similar to hierarchical component architectures.

The basic idea of our solution is to employ a constraint-solving technique for automated resolution of CIC. For this purpose, we employ the Alloy modeling language for expressing CIC and the Alloy Analyzer as the constraint solver. The CIC resolution is in fact a standalone problem with applicability in other areas dealing with configuration management of component-based applications and product-lines.

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