(Software Architecture = Components + Coordination)
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The earliest decisions that are made in the principal design of a system have far-reaching consequences for the success of a system development project. To support these decisions, we need a method for describing evolvable architectures that can be analysed on functional and non-functional dependability properties.

To support evolution, a system must be flexible and open. This requires architectures that are designed in such a way that the modification or addition of a component does not require modification in other components of the system. This is particularly difficult for resource-constrained systems.

This project aims to develop a model for composing systems out of component such that the composition enables cooperation but minimizes dependencies between components. This model should provide insight into the principles that govern the design of components and composition mechanisms for evolvable systems. Additionally, the model should support the analysis of dependability properties.

Currently, no such model exists. However, separating the modelling of computation and coordination has shown to facilitate the design of open and flexible component-based systems. We aim to further this approach by extending a coordination model to include dependability aspects. To start with, we will emphasise timing aspects.

Created: 29/10/01
Last modified: 04/06/04