Multiple architecture viewpoints in single unified modeling language (UML) model
View Patent ↗A method, a system and a program product provide for defining for an information technology (IT) system that may be modeled within the context of a plurality of architecture viewpoints, and whose model elements are defined within a configuration file, a plurality of architecture viewpoints within a single UML model. The method, the system and the program product also provide for synchronously automatically updating a remainder of the architecture viewpoints when one of the architecture viewpoints is manually updated.
1. An information technology (IT) system architecture modeling method comprising the steps of:
designating within a single Unified Modeling Language model a plurality of architecture viewpoints for modeling an IT system comprising a plurality of model elements defined in a configuration file;
receiving, from a user via a user interface, a selection of one of said plurality of architecture viewpoints;
determining which of said plurality of model elements is associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;
displaying each of said plurality of model elements which is associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;
hiding from view and consideration in the selected architecture viewpoint, each of said plurality of model elements which is not associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;
receiving notification that a user has removed at least one of said plurality of model elements from at least one of said plurality of architecture viewpoints;
for each of said plurality of architecture viewpoints:
determining which of said plurality of model elements is both: (i) associated with said architecture viewpoint and (ii) corresponding to said removed model element;
locating at least one corresponding proxy element corresponding to said removed model element; and
removing said at least one corresponding proxy element from said architecture viewpoint.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of said model elements is represented by an icon.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
receiving a new model element created by a user; and
determining a characteristic of said new model element.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of determining which of said plurality of model elements are both: (i) associated with said architecture viewpoint and (ii) corresponding to said new model element.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of determining a default location of each of said determined model elements.
6. A system having a processor comprising:
a computer programmed to:
designate within a single Unified Modeling Language model a plurality of architecture viewpoints for modeling an information technology (IT) system comprising a plurality of model elements defined in a configuration file;
receive, from a user via a user interface, a selection of one of said plurality of architecture viewpoints;
determine which of said plurality of model elements is associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;
display each of said plurality of model elements which is associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;
hide from view and consideration in the selected architecture viewpoint, each of said plurality of model elements which is not associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;
receive notification that a user has removed at least one of said plurality of model elements from at least one of said plurality of architecture viewpoints;
for each of said plurality of architecture viewpoints:
determine which of said plurality of model elements is both: (i) associated with said architecture viewpoint and (ii) corresponding to said removed model element;
locate at least one corresponding proxy element corresponding to said removed model element; and
remove said at least one corresponding proxy element from said architecture viewpoint.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein each of said model elements is represented by an icon.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the computer is further programmed to:
receive a new model element created by a user; and
determine a characteristic of said new model element.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computer is further programmed to determine which of said plurality of model elements are both: (i) associated with said architecture viewpoint and (ii) corresponding to said new model element.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer is further programmed to determine a default location of each of said determined model elements.
11. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory machine readable medium encoded with instructions to:
designate within a single Unified Modeling Language model a plurality of architecture viewpoints for modeling an information technology (IT) system comprising a plurality of model elements defined in a configuration file;
receive, from a user via a user interface, a selection of one of said plurality of architecture viewpoints;
determine which of said plurality of model elements is associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;
display each of said plurality of model elements which is associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;
hide from view and consideration in the selected architecture viewpoint, each of said plurality of model elements which is not associated with the selected architecture viewpoint;
receive notification that a user has removed at least one of said plurality of model elements from at least one of said plurality of architecture viewpoints;
for each of said plurality of architecture viewpoints:
determine which of said plurality of model elements is both: (i) associated with said architecture viewpoint and (ii) corresponding to said removed model element;
locate at least one corresponding proxy element corresponding to said removed model element; and
remove said at least one corresponding proxy element from said architecture viewpoint.
12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein each of said model elements is represented by an icon.
13. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the machine readable medium is further encoded with instructions to:
receive a new model element created by a user; and
determine a characteristic of said new model element.
14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the machine readable medium is further encoded with instructions to determine which of said plurality of model elements are both: (i) associated with said architecture viewpoint and (ii) corresponding to said new model element.
15. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the machine readable medium is further encoded with instructions to determine a default location of each of said determined model elements.