UMLR — UML: Large Scale Model Support:Federated/Distibuted Models

Large Scale, Distributed, and Federated System Support
Many projects of interest have become so large that for practical reasons more than one “model” may be required. Such models may also be at different locations and supported in different tools. We need features in UML that will support very large distributed heterogeneous models in a standard way.

While the complete solution to this strong need is not yet known, such features will probably need to include:

1. higher level concepts than the standard package;

2. a uniform URL/URI convention for models and model elements;

3. standard APIs so that the tools can query each other;

4. a strong ability to support IEEE 1471 views;

5. ability to synchronize different models;

6. ability to propose changes across models.

While some of these solutions components may be considered tool issues, users with large models need a consistent standard solution. This may solved by a separate RFP but any changes to UML for other reasons must be checked to see if it interferes with large model scenarios.

As a related problem, there seems to be some confusion in the UML spec and by users about the applicability of run-time UML visibility/navigability rules to model time, some of the typical assumptions do not work with distributed models. This needs to be cleared up.