Integral: Petri-net approach to distributed software development

Abstract

As the architecture of modern software systems continues to evolve in a distributed fashion, the development of such systems becomes increasingly complex, which requires the integration of more sophisticated specification techniques, tools, and procedures into the conventional methodology. An essential capability of an integrated software development environment is a formal specification method to capture effectively the system's functional requirements as well as its performance requirements. A validation and verification (V&V) system based on a formal specification method is of paramount importance to the development and maintenance of distributed systems. There has been recent interest in integrating software techniques and tools at the specification level. It is also noted that an effective way of achieving such integration is by using wide-spectrum specification techniques. In view of these points, an integrated V&V system, called Integral, is presented that provides comprehensive and homogeneous analysis capabilities to both specification and testing phases of the life-cycle of distributed software systems. The underlying software model that supports various V&V activities in Integral is primarily based on Petri nets and is intended to be wide spectrum. The ultimate goal of this research is to demonstrate to the software industry, domestic or foreign, the availability and applicability of a new Petri-net-based software development paradigm. Integral is a prototype V&V system to support such a paradigm.