Open Distributed Processing Research Articles

The Representational Challenge for Designing and Managing 5P Medicine Ecosystems.

Health and social care systems around the globe currently undergo a transformation towards personalized, preventive, predictive, participative precision medicine (5PM), considering the individual health status, conditions, genetic and genomic dispositions, etc., in personal, social, occupational, environmental and behavioral context. This transformation is strongly supported by technologies such as micro- and nanotechnologies, advanced computing, artificial intelligence, edge computing, etc. For enabling communication and cooperation between actors from different domains using different methodologies, languages and ontologies based on different education, experiences, etc., we have to understand the transformed health ecosystems and all its components in structure, function and relationships in the necessary detail ranging from elementary particles up to the universe. That way, we advance design and management of the complex and highly dynamic ecosystem from data to knowledge level. The challenge is the consistent, correct and formalized representation of the transformed health ecosystem from the perspectives of all domains involved, representing and managing them based on related ontologies. The resulting business view of the real-world ecosystem must be interrelated using the ISO/IEC 21838 Top Level Ontologies standard. Thereafter, the outcome can be transformed into implementable solutions using the ISO/IEC 10746 Open Distributed Processing Reference Model. Model and framework for this system-oriented, architecture-centric, ontology-based, policy-driven approach have been developed by the first author and meanwhile standardized as ISO 23903 Interoperability and Integration Reference Architecture.

A review of the ICA model of stakeholders in a spatial data infrastructure (SDI)

Abstract. The Commission on SDI & Standards (and its predecessors) of the International Cartographic Association (ICA) has developed formal models of a spatial data infrastructure (SDI), using the viewpoints of the Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP) and the Unified Modeling Language (UML). The Commission described an SDI from the Enterprise Viewpoint (purpose, scope and policies for an SDI), Information Viewpoint (semantics of information and information processing in an SDI) and Computational Viewpoint (functional decomposition of the SDI into a set of services that interact through interfaces). The Enterprise Viewpoint model included six types of stakeholders in an SDI: Policy Maker, Producer, Provider, Broker, Value-added Reseller and End User. Subsequently, the Commission identified 39 sub-types of these stakeholders, though a better description of them might be as specializations, special cases, attributes, activities or roles.We have identified and reviewed all the literature that has referenced the Commission’s papers on the SDI models. Most use the Commission’s papers for the definitions of an SDI and of the parts, processes and stakeholders in an SDI. In this paper, we discuss all those that have applied the ICA SDI stakeholder model, proposed improvements to the model and/or highlighted parts of the model that are not well understood. We also discuss some issues we identified when reviewing the models. Subsequently, we plan on proposing some revisions and expansions on this ICA model of the stakeholders in a spatial data infrastructure.

Characterisation of stakeholders' roles in a thematic SDI: a study on the environmental SDI of NGI - ICMBio Antonina -GUARAQUEÇABA - PR

In 2008 the International Cartographic Association (ICA) proposed a reference model to describe Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI) based on the Reference Model of Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP), which has been adapted and validated by several research projects. This paper details the experience of applying the extended ICA Model to an Academic SDI of environmental character and collaborative functions, such as the description of stakeholders' roles, functions, and responsibilities, called IDE-AMB (acronym in Portuguese). The intent is to transform the IDE-AMB into a database composed of information from several institutions and academic research. The stakeholders were described based on previously established literature and their needs for access, use, production, and sharing of geospatial data from different sources for the Integrated Management Center (NGI, acronym in Portuguese) ICMBio Antonina-Guaraqueçaba, located on the northern coast of the state of Paraná. We concluded that the ICA Model presents robustness; however, it still lacks conceptual reviews and needs to be adapted to the new realities and complexities of emerging SDI.

Enacting policies in digital health: a case for smart legal contracts and distributed ledgers?

Abstract This paper presents an approach for the enactment of policies in digital health based on our earlier work on the implementation of digital contracts in distributed systems. A formal policy model and an abstract policy language for the expression of healthcare policies are first proposed, leveraging the semantics of the ISO Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing enterprise language standard. Healthcare consent policies included in the HL7 Fast Health Interoperability Resource (FHIR®) standard are used to illustrate the modelling approach. Several distributed ledger and smart legal contract options were considered next as target platforms for implementation. Their benefits are highlighted along with considerations on their use reflecting business concerns of risk, trust and cost.

Expanding the ICA model of stakeholders in a spatial data infrastructure (SDI)

Expanding the ICA model of stakeholders in a spatial data infrastructure (SDI)

Design of a Corporate SDI in Power Sector Using a Formal Model

Geospatial data are essential for the decision-making process. However, obtaining and keeping such data up to date usually require much time and many financial resources. In order to minimize the production costs and incentivize sharing these data, countries are promoting the implementation of Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI) at the different public administration levels. The International Cartographic Association (ICA) proposes a formal model that describes the main concepts of an SDI based on three of the five viewpoints of the Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP). Afterwards, researchers extended ICA’s model to describe, more properly, the actors, hierarchical relationship and interactions related to the policies that drive an SDI. However, the proposed extensions are semantically inconsistent with the original proposal. Moreover, the use of ICA’s formal model and its extensions has not been assessed yet to specify a corporate-level SDI. This study describes the merger of actors and policies proposed by the ICA and its extensions in order to eliminate differences in the semantics or terminology among them. This unified model was applied to specify a corporate SDI for a large Brazilian corporation, the Minas Gerais Power Company (Companhia Energética de Minas Gerais (Cemig)), which is comprised of about 200 companies in the power sector. The case study presents part of the specification of the five RM-ODP viewpoints, i.e., the three viewpoints featured in ICA’s formal model (Enterprise, Information, and Computation) and the other two viewpoints that make up the RM-ODP (Engineering and Technology). The adapted ICA’s model proved adequate to describe SDI-Cemig. In addition, the case study may serve as an example of the specification and implementation of new SDIs, not only corporate ones, but also of public agencies at any hierarchical level.

A methodology to create a sensing, smart and sustainable manufacturing enterprise

Next-generation manufacturing enterprises need to be sensing, smart and sustainable to be competitive: ‘sensing’ refers to context awareness at internal and external levels; ‘smart’ refers to knowledge-based organisations that adapt to changes and ‘sustainable’ refers to the ability to operate without damaging the environment, community or economy. Although technologies do exist to support the development of such enterprises, there is a need for methodologies that help in the entire enterprise engineering problem. This paper proposes a methodology, based on the principles of enterprise architecture, to design a sensing, smart and sustainable manufacturing enterprise. The methodology aims at adopting the best practices used in enterprise engineering while dealing with the relevant gaps. An analysis of the characteristics of the ‘Sensing, Smart and Sustainable Manufacturing Enterprise’ (S3-ME) is presented to understand the advantages of using the proposed methodology. The methodology comprises the instantiation of five viewpoints presented in the Reference Model of Open Distributed Processing (ISO/IEC 10746 RM-ODP) and redefined by the Smart and Sensing Enterprise Reference Model (S2E-RM). The viewpoint instantiation is described and then exemplified with a case study. As a result of the instantiation, the enterprise is defined through an enterprise model.

An Enterprise Operating System for the Sensing, Smart, and Sustainable Enterprise

To be competitive in the digital era, enterprises need to become sensing to be aware of their context, smart in taking decisions, and sustainable regarding social, environmental, and economic issues. Reference models can guide the enterprise engineering process in such direction. However, the implementation of the enterprise models, generated with reference models, depends on the integration of enterprise resources, which is not always possible due to the diversity of tools and applications needed within each business process. This paper proposes an Enterprise Operating System (EOS) to effectively handle the execution of enterprise models by integrating a diversity of functionalities. The goal of an EOS is to manage the resources (i.e. humans, applications, and machines) of an enterprise to fulfil its operations. The Sensing, Smart, and Sustainable Enterprise Reference Model (S3E-RM) is proposed to guide the implementation of the EOS. This reference model uses the viewpoints defined in the Reference Model of Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP), i.e. enterprise, information, computation, engineering, and technology viewpoints. The EOS presented has been successfully applied in more than 27 industry sectors, including government.

ICT-FLAG: a web-based e-assessment platform featuring learning analytics and gamification

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present an innovative web-based eLearning platform called ICT-FLAG that provides e-assessment tools with general-purpose formative assessment services featuring learning analytics and gamification.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reports on the technical development of the platform driven by the Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing software methodology, which guides the platform construction, including the analysis and design steps.FindingsThe ICT-FLAG platform is technically tested by integrating it into a real e-assessment tool. Results are positive in terms of functional and non-functional aspects as well as user’s satisfaction on usability, emotional state, thus validating the platform as a valuable educational tool.Research limitations/implicationsBecause of the chosen technical paper as article type, validation of the impact of the ICT-FLAG platform in the learning process is not provided. Ongoing research with this platform is to measure the learning outcomes of its use in a real context of eLearning.Practical implicationsThe paper shows implications of the main technical issues and challenges encountered during the integration of the ICT-FLAG platform with external eLearning tools, involving relevant aspects of interoperability, security, modularity, scalability, portability and so on.Originality/valueThis platform can fill the gap of many e-assessment systems, which currently do not have built-in analytical and gamification tools for learning, thus providing them with the experience to improve the quality of education and learning.

Challenges and current developments for Sensing, Smart and Sustainable Enterprise Systems

As technology advances and thus Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) evolve, a new enterprise model must be devised to face future digital enterprise needs. This paper discusses issues and emerging trends that must be addressed if a true sensing and smart enterprise is to be achieved to meet sustainability requirements. Methods are required to capture enterprise reality and to provide a seamless interoperable digital enterprise model. The paper summarises several challenges to be addressed by future research in enterprise modelling. Challenges are discussed from the Enterprise, Information, Computational, Engineering and Technological points of view, according to the ODP-RM (Open Distributed Processing—Reference Model). To some extent, progress on some challenges has already been made and solutions are expected to materialise in the near future. Other challenges have only recently been identified and potential solutions cannot yet be predicted. The paper offers a discussion of these challenges for the future enterprise along with the required enterprise model; it also introduces the concept of the Sensing, Smart and Sustainable (S^3) Enterprise System. The position paper expresses opinions derived from the existing general research priorities and directions identified by the International Federation for Automatic Control–Technical Committee on Enterprise Integration and Networking (IFAC–TC 5.3).

English

The Service Oriented Architecture using ISO Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing is a high performance technique for providing effective services to the users. This architecture consists of five different viewpoints namely Enterprise viewpoint, Computational viewpoint, Information viewpoint, Engineering viewpoint and Technology viewpoint. This paper discusses the details about the Computational viewpoint. Computational viewpoint defines the functional decomposition of the system into a set of services that interact at interfaces. These services can be found in a security system and present as classification based on the functionality of services. Interaction between the service requester and the security system, and the communication between the security system and the service provider is carried out through external messages. The security system receives an input message then processes it and produces an output message. The semantics of the message is the issue of information view point. If the security check fails or if the processing logic can’t be correctly applied, security services can raise exceptions signalling that the errors encountered. Exception message contain annotations and other meta-information

A spatial data infrastructure model from the computational viewpoint

The Commission on Geoinformation Infrastructures and Standards of the International Cartographic Association (ICA) is working on defining models of spatial data infrastructures (SDIs). SDI models from the enterprise and information viewpoints of the Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP) have already been presented. Our model from the computational viewpoint identifies the main computational objects of an SDI and their interfaces, which are modelled using Unified Modelling Language (UML) component diagrams. Presented here is the first comprehensive SDI model from the computational viewpoint, which enhances the understanding of the computational objects and their interactions in an SDI. This viewpoint complements the previous two and together, the three viewpoints contribute towards a more holistic interpretation of an SDI, which is independent of specific SDI legislation, technology and implementations. For the computational viewpoint, we identified six computational objects, SDI Registry, SDI Data, SDI Processing, SDI Application, SDI Portrayal and SDI Management, and their provided and required interfaces. We describe the interactions of the computational objects in stakeholder activities and the roles they play in the different processes of SDI development and use, which we identified as Initiation, Creation, Management, Manipulation, Access, Processing, Evaluation and Liaison. Two tables summarise the SDI services that are provided by computational objects for stakeholder activities and SDI processes.

Models Supporting Development of Complex Information Systems in Healthcare. Case study: an Obstetrics-Gynecology Department

Objectives: The paper presents a framework and tools for developing models useful for implementing complex Information Systems. It presents a case study for an Obstetrics- Gynecology Department and connected departments. The advantages of using models for creating complex OGD Information Systems together with a standardized communication will lead to an advanced interoperability and also will have benefits in patient care and in time will reduce the medical errors. Methods: This paper presents the modeling process using the Generic Component Model (GCM) in four steps. The real OGD system is described based on the five RMODP (Reference Model of Open Distributed Processing) views. The paper presents the Obstetrics-Gynecology Department model based on the real workflow using Business Process Modeling and Notation and a specialized software - Bizagy. Communication between OGD and other medical units is based on HL7 Clinical Document Architecture CDA. The Obstetrics-Gynecology Department Information System (OGD IS) is developed based on the model, in Visual Studio.NET 2010, using ASP.NET pages and C] language, and Microsoft SQL Server 2008. Results: The paper presents a model represented with Business Process Modeling and Notation and its possibilities to offer support for software developers to create flexible and portable information systems. Based on the workflow in the OGD, including the communication between OGD and other medical units, was developed a model and consequently the OGD IS. Conclusions: For the future, the OGD IS will be extended with new functionalities: possibilities to introduce medication related to a Database in the cloud to receive suggested treatments. The advantages of using the OGD IS are reflected in a better patient care, and the treatments will be more documented which will determine less medical errors.

The Reference Model of Open Distributed Processing: Foundations, experience and applications

This paper provides an editorial introduction to the current special issue on Open Distributed Processing. It looks back over the development of the ODP standards and at the way in which they have been used, and looks forward at the way current activities are progressing. It contains a broad bibliography covering ODP standards, related research work and application case studies.

A Tool for the Model-Based Specification of Open Distributed Systems

As the complexity of open distributed systems grows, the need to rely on concepts and notations for expressing and structuring their specifications becomes essential. However, having concepts and notations is not enough. The large size and complexity of the set of models that constitute the system specifications also forces the need to have tools for properly creating, handling, validating and maintaining these large models. This paper presents xODP, a tool for the model-based specification of open distributed systems according to the Reference Model of Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP) standards. Using the UML4ODP notation, it provides edition and validation facilities for ODP viewpoint models and for the correspondences between them, as well as early prototyping and execution of the ODP computational models.

Hierarchy-oriented modeling of enterprise architecture using reference-model of open distributed processing

Modeling Enterprise Architecture (EA) requires the representation of multiple views for an enterprise. This could be done by a team of stakeholders that essentially have different backgrounds. One way to do this is to structure the model into hierarchical levels each of which can be of interest to just some, not all, stakeholders. Due to the multidisciplinary nature of EA, stakeholders simply cannot choose a single modeling approach, even a widely-recognized one, to build their enterprise model and make it viewable and understandable to the whole team. Developing a modeling framework that can be applied uniformly throughout the entire enterprise model and that can be used by all stakeholders is thus challenging. We based our work on the RM-ODP (Reference Model of Open Distributed Processing) – a standardization effort that defines essential concepts for modeling distributed systems, as well as ODP-related international standards/recommendations, to develop such a modeling framework that we call SeamCAD. This framework consists of a computer-aided tool and a language behind the tool for modeling EA in a hierarchical manner. SeamCAD makes RM-ODP applicable in the context of multi-level EA and consolidates the SEAM – a family of methods for seamless integration between disciplines.

1.2 Principles of Open Distributed Processing in Medicine The Berlin Approach

1.2 Principles of Open Distributed Processing in Medicine The Berlin Approach

Achieving interoperability in synchronous digital hierarchy network management through RM-ODP

Ever since the introduction of computerized digital switching systems and related management systems, network operators have been struggling with the question of how to circumvent the issues of customized and proprietary network management solutions. This topic became of paramount importance to network equipment manufacturers and telecommunications service providers with the advent of the SDH and TMN standards in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It is in the context of this problem that the authors and their colleagues, as telecom standards experts, discovered the Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP). This paper describes the approach taken by the authors and their colleagues to use RM-ODP to these issues in the ITU-T study groups, how those efforts were applied and the relevance of RM-ODP to current computing systems based on the concepts of Cloud Computing. This paper thus describes “real-world” business needs that have been addressed by and illustrate the benefits of RM-ODP.

An RM-ODP enterprise view for spatial data infrastructures

Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs) are large, open, distributed and standards-based information systems which intend to facilitate and promote the use of spatial data and spatial services on the Internet. Spatial data describe information tied with locations on Earth, while spatial services allow to manipulate spatial data following a Service Oriented Architecture. This paper proposes to model SDIs as federations of autonomous communities following the enterprise language of the ITU-T and ISO/IEC ‘Reference Model of Open Distributed Processing’ (RM-ODP), and the recently approved ‘Use of UML for ODP Systems Specifications’ (UML4ODP). The enterprise language of the RM-ODP provides a conceptual foundation to address several aspects of SDIs not previously considered from a systems architecture point of view. The use of UML4ODP provides a modeling language to facilitate the exchange of knowledge about SDI, and it is an opportunity to try this recent standard for a class of large and complex systems.

TORC: test plan optimization by requirements clustering

Acceptance testing is a time-consuming task for complex software systems that have to fulfill a large number of requirements. To reduce this effort, we have developed a widely automated method for deriving test plans from requirements that are expressed in natural language. It consists of three stages: annotation, clustering, and test plan specification. The general idea is to exploit redundancies and implicit relationships in requirements specifications. Multi-viewpoint techniques based on RM-ODP (Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing) are employed for specifying the requirements. We then use linguistic analysis techniques, requirements clustering algorithms, and pattern-based requirements collection to reduce the total effort of testing against the requirements specification. In particular, we use linguistic analysis for extracting and annotating the actor, process and object of a requirements statement. During clustering, a similarity function is computed as a measure for the overlap of requirements. In the test plan specification stage, our approach provides capabilities for semi-automatically deriving test plans and acceptance criteria from the clustered informal textual requirements. Two patterns are applied to compute a suitable order of test activities. The generated test plans consist of a sequence of test steps and asserts that are executed or checked in the given order. We also present the supporting prototype tool TORC, which is available open source. For the evaluation of the approach, we have conducted a case study in the field of acceptance testing of a national electronic identification system. In summary, we report on lessons learned how linguistic analysis and clustering techniques can help testers in understanding the relations between requirements and for improving test planning.