Contemporary Issues in Information Systems - Report Example

?CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS Contemporary Issues in Information Systems Affiliation Table of Contents Introduction 3 Analysis 4 Repository 4 Forward engineering features 6 Reverse Engineering Features 7 Modeling Tools 8 Part 2 12 References 15 Part 1 Introduction CASE stands for Computer Aided Software Engineering and it encompasses a wide variety of computer-based tools that are used for software development, planning and evolution. In view of the fact that the basic aim of a software development team is to design and develop a scalable, robust and maintainable application system that convenes end-user needs. However, it is unfeasible achieve this goal without formulating effective application design as well as documentation that is a basic stone of the software development process. Additionally, at the present there are numerous CASE tools which can be used by software development teams. These tools offer rigid policy and standards about implementation and design of the systems (Lamb, 2012; VisualCase, 2012). In addition, a number of the advantages offered by CASE and other similar techniques are that, by making the client element of the software development process (for instance by analyzing the marketplace and focus groups); a product is further possible to convene real-world requirements and features. In view of the fact that software development process heavily relies on redesign and testing, hence the price of servicing an application over its lifetime can be reduced considerably. In this scenario, a carefully established technique to development offers assurance for the code and design reuse, minimizing expenditures and improving value. Ultimately, quality software products are likely to develop a company’s image, offering a competitive edge in the market (Rouse, 2005). This report presents a detailed analysis of two major market leaders of CASE tools. Basically, this report presents an analysis of two major applications IBM Rational Software and Oracle Designer. These tools contain wonderful features and provide an excellent support throughout the software development process. This report will present the comparison of these two applications and specification of major features for more enhanced performance management of the application development. In this scenario, this research will assess these two products on the basis of different features and quality parameters. Analysis This report presents a detailed analysis of two leading CASE tool applications by comparing their features and attributes. In this scenario, I will compare and contrast IBM Rational Software and Oracle Designer on the basis of Repository (it demonstrates how the selected tools is using repository), Forward engineering features, Reverse Engineering features and Modeling tool features. I will assess both applications of above stated characteristics to suggest a most excellent application. Repository IBM Rational The IBM Rational Case tools offer information that is able to improve quality of software development groups to function more efficiently and productively. Additionally, IBM Rational Rose permits development teams to uphold, capture and take benefit of software knowledge by means of a repository available to people through a web and Eclipse interfaces as well as to programming through a RESTful web based interface (IBM, 2012). In this scenario, Eclipse plug-in integrated in Rational Developer for System development connects the software developer to local as well as remote RAA repositories. In fact, it as well scans software application source files from local and remote workplace IDE software development projects into a local RAA system repository (IBM, 2012). In addition, the capability to scan symbols in some kind of file scanned by the Rational Asset Analyzer representation scanner, including the results into the Rational Asset Analyzer repository and comprising the data and information in the inquiry and analysis services. Moreover, it integrates information from a wide variety of sources further than the source code to permit a detailed analysis. In this scenario, The IBM Rational CASE tool offers a Dictionary, a multi-user platform that is a shared repository for items pertaining to system development projects (IBM, 2012) Oracle Designer With the Repository Object 10.1.2.6 we are able to upload online web based Oracle Forms 11g FMBs to the Internet based repository and download Oracle Forms 11g FMBs to the system file. In fact, Oracle Forms 11g encompasses a wide variety of characteristics for example exterior proceedings and recent triggers are retained. In this scenario, if some specific basics are convened, performance improvements will automatically be included into the repository throughout the upgrade. These basics can be RLS (row level security) that is supported by the database, and the database repository holder ("repos owner") has run authentications on DBMS_RLS. In addition, if it does not contain the feature of automatic installation then there also exists a manual installation process for quality improvement, which is a new menu constituent "Facilitate Performance Improvement” that has been incorporated into the alternate menu in the repository administration utility (RAU). Moreover, this application menu item is offered simply when the fundamentals for performance improvements are met, and when the performance improvements are not previously installed (Oraclefaqs, 2011; Oracle, 2010). Forward engineering features Oracle The Oracle Case tool offers an excellent support in the form of reverse engineering that is its major relational model feature to produce a logical model, producing a sub-view in addition to exhibiting, generate two subtypes for an entity, forward engineer to a new relational, produce a type as well as link the new category through a table and then reverse engineer the customized table to synchronize the relational as well as logical models (Oracle1, 2012; Graziano, 2012). IBM Rational Rational Rose application as well offers a wide variety of characteristics such as extra support for Java modeling. There are some enumerations, intended for every loop and for Autoboxing/Unboxing characteristics of Java 1.5 software can now be both forward and reverse engineered, as the static import, variable and generics arguments constructs are currently reverse engineered. In this scenario, Rational Rose software tool facilitates the forward engineering of the entire database at the same time, offering a high level of flexibility in the way database designers’ functions. In addition, the pretty print arrangement of structured query language (SQL) source text is at the present conserved, still when the source text is altered. All through the forward engineering procedure, Rational Rose does not verify whether a Java (or any) source file is under version control, consequently forward engineering will fail for a known source file if the file is not writable previous to forward engineering (Baer, 2012; IBM Corporation, 2011). Reverse Engineering Features IBM Rational Reverse engineering is frequently utilized to retrieve missing system development design documentation from existing source code in a conceptual model UML arrangement for assessing both the static structure and dynamic performance of a software application and for incorporating the new characteristics of the product. In view of the fact that IBM Rational Software Architect is extensively used by a large number of software development firms for the reason that it encompasses a wide variety of characteristics to facilitate reverse engineering. However, the challenge is that when we reverse engineer UML class and sequence diagrams from Java code, Rational Software Architect does not repeatedly build functional class and sequence diagrams. However, there are numerous other techniques to get the output from Rational Software Architect (Xu & Wood, 2008; Urban, 2009). Oracle Designer Oracle Designer was developed to provide an excellent support for the development of database supported and oriented software’s developed through Oracle RDBMS. Basically, there are three main processes that it facilitates are, gathering development requirements and the design: comprising reverse engineering inheritance system: modeling the design of the software databases and system and then producing the systems consequently. In addition, Oracle Designer as well incorporates systems for gathering and reverse engineering the design of an existing database. In this scenario, the data is collected from: The application data dictionary with an Oracle database From DDL files Through ODBC calls Moreover, the design of specific pre-existing systems is extracted and incorporated into the Designer information. Additionally, Oracle Designer also contains various applications for developing reports regarding software design out of the gathered information, cross-referencing applications, etc. (Bloor Research, 2002; Alapati, 2005). Modeling Tools Oracle Oracle's CASE modeling tool is extensively employed for gathering and presenting company needs. It encompasses a wide variety of features for system design, system analysis, automatic code development and company procedure re-engineering (Oraclefaqs, 2011). Given below are some of the major modeling tools for Oracle software development: For the sake of business Process Modeling we have the following major tools: (Oracle2, 2012; Oracle3, 2012; Oracle4, 2012) Process Modeler Systems Analysis Modeling We can draw ER Diagram using following major tools: (Oracle2, 2012; Oracle3, 2012; Oracle4, 2012) Dataflow Function Hierarchy Design Wizards Database Wizard Application Wizard The major system design tools are listed below: (Oracle2, 2012; Oracle3, 2012; Oracle4, 2012) Data Schema Module Logic Module Data Preferences Module Structure Oracle also offers a great deal of support for the sake of Client/Server Applications Generators: (Oracle2, 2012; Oracle3, 2012; Oracle4, 2012) Server Forms Reports Graphics Visual Basic Web server Microsoft Help C++ Object Layer Utilities Oracle offers following major elements for Repository Object Navigator (RON) those below given tools: (Oracle2, 2012; Oracle3, 2012; Oracle4, 2012) Matrix Repository Reports Admin Utility SQL*Plus Online help IBM Rational IBM Rational Software application contains a wide variety of modeling tools. In this section, I will outline some of the major tools and capabilities offered by IBM Rational Rose: IBM Rational Software is basically used for the sake of improving efficiency as well as minimizing the number of design cycles using visual design atmosphere. In this scenario, the most important benefit of IBM Rational Software is that is used for the sake of supporting and documenting system design through push button documentation. IBM Rational Software is also used for the sake of handling and managing design issues and complexity is a standardized UML 2.1 scenario. Additionally, IBM Rational Software is also used for the sake of communicating design purpose throughout a common graphical language. In addition, IBM Rational Software tools offer a model-aware design environment that allows us to draw a wide variety of diagrams to build a combined model, directed and facilitating the establishment of absolute and correct systems. It also encompasses a changeable system design setting that permits clients to target their domain through domain related terminology and notations. Additionally, IBM Rational Software tools offer an easy to access knowledge base as well as client forums to all users via the Internet. It provides system development team with a number of opportunities of effective teamwork and customer support through improvements to business edition with the incorporation of configuration management systems for example Rational Clear case and Rational Synergy (Ishan, 2010; IBM2, 2012). Moreover, IBM Rational Rose makes use of the UML tools to offer graphical techniques for non-programmers who want to model business procedures through Unified Modeling Language (UML), Object Modeling Technique (OMT), Component Object Modeling (COM) and Booch ‘93 method for visual modeling (Ishan, 2010; IBM2, 2012). Part 2 IBM Rational I have decided to choose an IBM Rational application for the sake of the CASE design of a system. I have found a number of good qualities in this application as compared to Oracle’s system design. Given below are some of the major features of this application: Features IBM Rational is based on more enhanced technology that is more and more reliable and efficient for CASE system design and development. In fact, IBM Rational is used for the software development standards to work. Additionally, Rational Software presents Rational Suite, which is an ancestor of market-leading application development tools supported by the Rational Unified Procedure. These applications facilitate us to determine the output of project phases. In addition, IBM Rational Suite applications, tools and the procedures into numerous editions, each of that is customized for explicit practitioners on our system development team, comprising developers, analysts and testers. Only, these IBM tools have facilitated companies all through the world productively for the sake of developing software (Rational Software Corporation, 2001). IBM Rational encompasses features that I have previously outlined. Some additional features are listed below: (Rational Software Corporation, 2001) Closely connect our development team by improving communication as well as providing general tools. Optimize individual efficiency through market-leading software development tools packaged in IBM Rational Suite editions that are frequently customized for the key roles of our team. IBM Rational minimizes the implementation time by offering a complete set of integrated tools that convey basic licensing, installation, and user support plans Price The complete package of IBM Rational Rose is available at cost of $5330. This package includes Data Modeler Floating User License and SW Subscription and Support 12 Months (D532KLL) (IBM3, 2012). Ease of learning IBM Rational offers an excellent support for dealing with changes. In fact some changes make a Rational Rose model more accessible to others by making use of configuration management and version control (CMVC) structure. Additionally, it permits us to incorporate changes into the system model, no matter where we are at any system development stage. In addition, IBM Rational normally makes use of add-in applications and tools, for enameled Microsoft’s Visual Source Cafe and Rational’s ClearCase for this purpose (Charvat, 2002). IDE Integrations IBM Rational Rose offers an excellent support for the IDE integration. In this scenario IBM Rational can be integrated into: (IBM4, 2012; Rational Software Corporation, 2001; Charvat, 2002) Borland JBuilder versions 7.0 through 10.0 Sun Forte for Java Community and Enterprise Editions 3.0 Microsoft Visual Studio 6 Microsoft Visual Studio 2003 Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Wind River Tornado Green Hills MULTI Availability of Online Tutorials IBM Rational offers lots of material through the Internet for learning. It offers a wide variety of user manuals presenting introduction and concept tutorials to help us become familiar with Rational Rose working and operations. The link of this manual is given below: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/software/rational/docs/v2003/unix_solutions/pdf/RoseRT/rosert_tutorials_guide.pdf Look And Feel IBM Rational comes with an attractive user interface that is very useful for managing common CASE working and operations. In addition, IBM Rational makes use of a graphical user interface (GUI) that encompasses a browser, diagram and document windows, and standard and diagram toolbars (Gauthier, 2012; Rational Software Corporation, 2000). References Alapati, S. R. (2005). Expert Oracle Database 10g Administration. A Press. Baer, T. (2012, November 12). IBM Rational targets engineering lifecycle management. Retrieved November 22, 2012, from http://ovum.com/2012/11/12/ibm-rational-targets-engineering-lifecycle-management/ Bloor Research. (2002, September 04). Review: Oracle Designer. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from TechTarget.com: http://searchoracle.techtarget.com/news/913225/Review-Oracle-Designer Charvat, J. P. (2002, September 17). Rational Rose simplifies software development. Retrieved November 20, 2012, from http://www.techrepublic.com/article/rational-rose-simplifies-software-development/1049781 Gauthier, C. (2012). The Advantages of Rational Rose. Retrieved November 20, 2012, from eHow.com: http://www.ehow.com/list_6618487_advantages-rational-rose.html Graziano, K. (2012, February 20). The best FREE data modeling tool ever. Retrieved November 20, 2012, from http://kentgraziano.com/2012/02/20/the-best-free-data-modeling-tool-ever/ IBM - Rational Software. (2011). Software Quality Management from IBM. Retrieved September 19, 2011, from http://www.bizforum.org/whitepapers/ibm-8.htm IBM Corporation. (2011). IBM Rational Rose. Retrieved November 20, 2012, from ftp://public.dhe.ibm.com/software/rational/web/datasheets/rose_ds.pdf IBM. (2012). Rational Asset Analyzer. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from http://www-01.ibm.com/software/awdtools/raa/features/ IBM2. (2012). Rational Rose. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from http://www-01.ibm.com/software/awdtools/developer/rose/ IBM4. (2012). Rational Rose Data Modeler. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from http://www-01.ibm.com/software/awdtools/developer/datamodeler/features/ IBM5. (2012). Tutorials, Rational Rose RealTime . Retrieved November 19, 2012, from ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/software/rational/docs/v2003/unix_solutions/pdf/RoseRT/rosert_tutorials_guide.pdf Ishan. (2010, March 26). Download IBM Rational Modeler Free: Create UML Models. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from ILoveFreeSoftware.com: http://www.ilovefreesoftware.com/26/programming/download-ibm-rational-modeler-free-create-uml-models.html Lamb, D. A. (2012, August 08). Section - What's a CASE Tool? Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://www.faqs.org/faqs/software-eng/part1/section-2.html#b Oracle. (2010). Release Notes for Oracle Designer and Oracle Designer Repository. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from http://download.oracle.com/otn_hosted_doc/designer/des10gr2_10126/designer-repos/rn-designer-issues.htm Oracle1. (2012). Forward and Reverse Engineering Models and Working with Logical Model Diagrams, Displays and Subviews. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from http://www.oracle.com/webfolder/technetwork/tutorials/obe/db/sqldevdm/r30/datamodel2moddm/datamodel2moddm.htm Oracle2. (2012). Oracle Developer Suite 10g (10.1.2.0.2) . Retrieved November 19, 2012, from http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-tools/developer-suite/downloads/index.html Oracle3. (2012). Oracle Designer Documentation. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-tools/designer/documentation/index.html Oracle4. (2012). Oracle Designer 10g Release 2. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-tools/designer/overview/index-082236.html Oraclefaqs. (2011, November 25). Designer. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from http://www.orafaq.com/wiki/Designer Rational Software Corporation. (2000). Rational Rose 2000e Using Rose. Retrieved November 20, 2012, from http://www.sistemas.edu.bo/lsalgado/sis3390/Rose_usingrose.pdf Rational Software Corporation. (2001). Rational Suite®. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/software/rational/docs/v2002/rstutorialbook.pdf Rouse, M. (2005, September). CASE (computer-aided software engineering). Retrieved November 18, 2012, from TechTarget.com: http://searchcio-midmarket.techtarget.com/definition/CASE Urban, P. (2009, May 28). What's new in IBM Rational Rhapsody: Version 7.5. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from IBM.com: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rational/library/09/whatsnewinibmrationalrhapsodyv75/index.html VisualCase. (2012). CASE: Computer Assisted Software Engineering. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from http://www.visualcase.com/kbase/case_tools.htm Xu, F., & Wood, A. (2008, June 10). Reverse engineering UML class and sequence diagrams from Java code with IBM Rational Software Architect. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from IBM.com: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rational/library/08/0610_xu-wood/ Read More