Analysing UML 2.0 activity diagrams in the software performance engineering process

ABSTRACT

In this paper we present an original method of analysing the newly-revised UML2.0 activity diagrams. Our analysis method builds on our formal interpretation of these diagrams with respect to the UML2.0 standard. The mapping into another formalism is the first stage of a refinement process which ultimately delivers derived analytical results on the model. This process highlights latent performance problems hidden in the high-level design, allowing software developers to fix these design flaws before they are concretised in implementation code. We exercise our analysis approach on a substantial example of modelling a multi-player distributed role-playing game.

REFERENCES

• 1: C. Canevet, S. Gilmore, J. Hillston, M. Prowse, and P. Stevens. Performance modelling with UML and stochastic process algebras. IEE Proceedings: Computers and Digital Techniques, 150(2): 107--120, Mar. 2003.
• 2: Stephen Gilmore , Jane Hillston , Leïla Kloul , Marina Ribaudo, Software performance modelling using PEPA nets, Proceedings of the 4th international workshop on Software and performance, January 14-16, 2004, Redwood Shores, California
• 3: H. Jungnitz and A. Desrochers. Flow equivalent nets for the performance analysis of flexible manufacturing systems. In Proceedings of the 1991 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, pages 122--127, Sacramento, CA, USA, 1991.
• 4: Performance solutions: a practical guide to creating responsive, scalable software, Addison Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc., Redwood City, CA, 2002
• 5: U2P. Unified Modeling Language: Superstructure version 2.0, April 2003. Available from http://www.omg.org/uml/as ad/03-04-01.