DEVS-based methodological framework for multi-quality attribute evaluation using software architectures

Simulation is a powerful tool to evaluate quality attributes of complex software systems, but it is not the most comfortable environment for software engineers. They usually use to specify software architectures graphical notations like Use Case Map (UCM). This paper presents a methodological framework to apply DEVS to the software architecture evaluation problem. This framework is organized in two parts: frontend and backend. The frontend allows engineers to specify software architectures with UCM. The backend uses Discrete Event System Specification formalism (DEVS) to model and simulate the specified architectures. The proposal defines required elements following the Model-driven Development to transform UCMs into domain-specific DEVS models. Engineers can formulate UCMs and generate the corresponding simulation models to evaluate several quality attributes together with the system functionality. This methodology guides developers to a dynamic multi-attribute assessment under different usage profiles, whose results can be used for making early decisions to reduce development and maintenance costs.