Model-Based System Architecture

Appendix A

OMG SysML

The OMG Systems Modeling Language (OMG SysML) [105] is a modeling language for model-based systems engineering. It supports and enables the specification, analysis, architecture and design, and verification and validation of a system. SysML defines the notation, semantic and abstract syntax (data structure) of the model elements, and a set of diagrams as views on the model. The diagrams are clustered in structure and behavior diagrams, and the requirements diagram (Figure A.1).

Figure A.1 SysML diagram types.

SysML is based on the Unified Modeling Language [106]. Both languages are defined and maintained by the Object Management Group (OMG). In 2001, the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) decided to establish UML as a standard modeling language for systems engineering. At that time, no standard modeling language for systems engineering was available and UML was already widely spread and used in software engineering and partly in systems engineering. Tools, educated engineers, and best practices for UML were available. To avoid cluttering the language, they decided against adding a systems engineering perspective to UML. Instead, a new modeling language using the profile extension mechanism of the UML should be developed. As a result of the standardization process SysML 1.0 was published in 2006 as a OMG standard [105]. Formally, SysML ...