Abstract and concrete components: an approach to complex systems engineering

The paper presents an integrated approach to architectural design and to engineering of complex IT systems. It addresses the need for suitable architectural abstractions by introducing agents, connectors, configurators and controllers as abstract components exporting multi-view interfaces. Each view is visible to components implementing a specific abstraction. The paper also discusses how such abstract components can be implemented and engineered on different platforms by splitting them into concrete representations corresponding to specific views. The systematic use of these concepts leads to the definition of an integrated environment supporting the whole system life cycle.