Common Modeling Techniques
- Modeling an Embedded System
- Modeling a Client / Server System
- Modeling a Fully Distributed System
Modeling an Embedded System
To model an embedded system,
- Identify the devices and nodes that are unique to the system
- Provide visual cues, especially for uncommon devices, by using the UML's extensibility mechanisms to define stereotypes with appropriate icons
- For example, we may want to at least distinguish processors (which contain software components) and devices (do not contain software that we build)
- Model the relationships among these processors and devices in a deployment diagram
- Similarly, specify the relationship between the artifacts in the system's implementation view and the nodes in the system's deployment view
Modeling a Client/Server System
To model a client/server system,
- Identify the nodes that represent your system's client and server processors
- Highlight those devices that are fundamental to the behavior of the system
- For example, we want to model special devices, such as credit card readers, badge readers, and display devices other than monitors because their placement in the system's hardware topology is likely to be architecturally significant
- Provide visual cues for these processors an devices via stereotyping
- Model the topology of these nodes in a deployment diagram
- Similarly, specify the relationship between the components in your system's implementation view and the nodes in your system's deployment view
Modeling a Fully Distributed System
To model a fully distributed system:
- Identify the system's devices and processors like in simple client/server systems
- If the performance of the system's network or the impact of changes to the network is to be analyzed, model these communication devices to sufficient level of detail
- Specify logical groupings of nodes by using packages
- Model these devices and processors using deployment diagrams
- Where possible, use tools that discover the topology of the system by walking through the system's network
