Model Driven Engineering for Distributed Real-Time Embedded Systems

Chapter 10

Performance Analysis based on the UML SPT Profile

Chapter written by D.C. Petriu,

Dept. of Systems and Computer Eng., Carleton University, Canada

10.1. Introduction

The change of focus from code to models promoted by OMG's Model Driven Development (MDD) raises the need for verification of non-functional characteristics of UML models. Schedulability, performance and scalability are example of such characteristics that are very important for real time and embedded systems. Over the years, many modeling formalisms, methods and tools have been developed for performance and schedulability analysis. The challenge is not to reinvent new analysis methods for UML models, but to bridge the gap between UML-based software development tools and different existing analysis tools. Traditionally, the analysis models were built “by hand” by specialists in the field, then solved and evaluated separately with known tools. However, a new trend is starting to emerge recently, namely the automatic transformation of UML models into different analysis models.

Different kinds of analysis techniques may require additional annotations to the UML model. OMG's solution to this problem is to define standard UML profiles for different purposes. The UML Profile for Schedulability, Performance and Time (STP) [OMG 02] adopted for UML 1.4 defines annotations regarding schedulability and performance requirements and characteristics (such as resource demands and visit ratios). In order to conduct quantitative ...