Overview

This tool mentor supports Performing Architectural Analysis with Rational XDE Developer - Java Platform Edition.  

This tool mentor assumes that a set of structured models has already been created, in accordance with the XDE Model Structure Guidelines.

• The steps in this tool mentor match those in the corresponding task.
• Links to topics in XDE online Help are marked with .
• The following steps are performed in this tool mentor:
• • Develop Architecture Overview
  • Survey Available Assets
  • Define the High-Level Organization of Subsystems
  • Identify Key Abstractions
  • Identify Stereotypical Interactions
  • Develop Deployment Overview
  • Identify Analysis Mechanisms
  • Review the Results

Develop Architecture Overview 

Rational XDE can be used as a drawing tool to generate informal diagrams that describe the architecture overview.

Survey Available Assets

The architect must consider the reuse of in-place assets, including existing Rational XDE models.

Define the High-Level Organization of Subsystems

Add packages in the Design Model to reflect your layering strategy. In accordance with the example layering given in Rational XDE Model Structure Guidelines, the steps are as follows:

1. Open the Design Model.
2. Navigate to the package or packages that contain layering sub-packages.
3. Create packages for each layer, and stereotype as <<layer>>. Reference: Grouping Model Elements in Packages , Working with Stereotypes .

Refer to the following white papers for guidance on structuring models:

• Rational XDE Model Structure Guidelines
• Layering Strategies

Identify Key Abstractions 

Capture key abstractions in class diagrams with brief descriptions of each class. To do this:

1. Open the Design Model.
2. Navigate to the package containing key abstractions. See Rational XDE Model Structure Guidelines.
3. Add a class diagram. See Adding Diagrams .
4. Add classes to the diagram, stereotyped as <<entity>>. Reference: Adding Shapes to Diagrams , Assigning Stereotypes .
5. Add a description to each class. See Documenting Model Elements .
6. Optionally associate a document with the class. See Linking External Files to Model Elements .
7. Define any relationships that exist between the classes.
8. • Add association relationships. See Adding Association Relationships .
   • Specify the kinds of association relationships. See Specifying Kinds of Association Relationships .
   • Add generalization relationships. See Adding Generalization Relationships .

reference: Working with Class Diagrams .

Identify Stereotypical Interactions

This step is included only when performing this task during inception.

The purpose of this step is to identify those interactions, between key abstractions in the system, that characterize or are representative of significant kinds of activity in the system. These interactions are captured as Use-Case Realizations.

For guidance on creating Use-Case Realizations in XDE, see Tool Mentor: Performing Use-Case Analysis Using Rational XDE.

Develop Deployment Overview

1. Add a deployment diagram to the Deployment Model. See Adding Diagrams .
2. Add nodes to the diagram. See Adding Shapes to Diagrams .
3. Add associations between nodes. See Adding Association Relationships .

Reference: Working with Deployment Diagrams .

Identify Analysis Mechanisms 

There is no Rational XDE specific guidance for this step.

Review the Results

There is no Rational XDE specific guidance for this step.