Development of internet-based information systems using software components with the emphasis on the application in the military organization

Vojnotehnički Glasnik

Miloš J. Pejanović¹ 

[1] Generalštab Vojske Srbije, Uprava za telekomunikacije i informatiku (J), Centar za komandno-informacione sisteme i informatičku podršku, Beograd;

关键词: Internet technology;    distributed systems;    component systems;    software components;    military organization;    heterogenic system;    methodological approach;   

DOI  :  doi:10.5937/vojtehg1101121P

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The development of personal computers and Internet technology causes continuous changes in methodological approaches and concepts of development of information systems. Most existing information systems, due to their heterogeneity, have a problem of integration of subsystems. In order to overcome this problem, software vendors offer different solutions. In this work we explore different approaches and propose an optimal way, with a special emphasis on its application in the military organization. By applying modern approaches in the development of information systems on the concept of distributed component systems, we come to the set of proposed solutions from different manufacturers. The solutions are related to the mechanisms which should ensure that components written in different languages cooperate with each other in heterogeneous systems that are in different nodes in the computer network. This work describes the concept of component distributed information systems of Internet technology and their capabilities and offers a solution specifying the implementation environment in the military organization. Access to the development of information systems In the development of information systems, an important role is given to the choice of appropriate methods and tools. For large systems such as military organizations, standardized procedures and methodologies for the development of information systems are recommended. There are different methodological approaches in the development of information systems: a systematic integrated approach to development (from design, implementation to implementation and maintenance) and development of information systems as technical - technological structures (standard computer and network service). The combination of these two approaches leads to the concept of 'open systems' that allow different standards and IT services to operate on these systems. The UML system description of the process of software development has many different but interconnected models: use case model, analysis model, design model and implementation model. The previously mentioned methods of development of information systems can be systematized and described in a unique way called the Larmanova method, usually through several stages: 1.Specification request 2.Analysis, 3. Design, 4.Implementation and 5. Testing. Development of information systems in a military organization The problem of development of information systems in the Internet environment by using software components is reduced to finding ways of determining a set of methodological procedures, concepts and approaches from the repositories of methods that support distributed information systems in Internet technology. Therefore, it is necessary to design a methodological approach that will be adaptive in accordance with the specific characteristics of military organizations. While developing their information systems, most foreign armed forces use standardized procedures and methodologies applied in their environment. In cases where it is not specifically defined, there is a tendency to use modern methodological procedures in accordance with technical and technological development. Component distributed information systems with an object-oriented approach in the Internet environment The usage of distributed objects can create client/server applications with a three-layer or multi-layer architecture which enables the implementation of synchronous or asynchronous solutions for the Internet and intranet. An example of a direct execution of transactions is an approach that relies on the CORBA model (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) and the Object Request Broker (ORB). However, the applications that use them are difficult and expensive to maintain. It is one of the reasons why the development of component models has become popular and experienced great development in recent years. Components with the implemented mechanism for performing transactions can be thus used in developing new applications. The component model allows easier changes and maintenance, and also shortens the time required for implementation, because there are various ready-made components that can be used. This approach to the implementation of transactions is called the declarative approach. Developers are free of care for the realization of mechanisms for controlling the execution of transactions. Important component models are implemented in COM + technologies (Component Object Model), EJB (Enterprise Java Beans), CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) and SOA (Service Oriented Architecture). Technologies for the implementation of component distributed information systems with an object-oriented approach in the Internet environment The results of testing with different communication models for remote component calls resulted in the following technologies: COM + / DCOML, CORBA / IIOP, EJB / RMI / IIOP and SOAP. Web Services represent the basic building blocks of future information systems, and in fact are applications available on the network and suitable for executing what is necessary at that moment. The main communication protocol is SOAP, ie. XML over HTTP. They can be created from the already made applications or from the start, while programming languages, finished components and platforms can be used by the user's choice. SOAP represents the environment for message exchange based on XML in the network and it uses the HTTP protocol application used by Web servers. Implementation of component distributed information systems with an object-oriented approach in the Internet environment From the aspect of this study, it can be concluded that there are two approaches through the J2EE (Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition) environment and the Microsoft. NET set of technologies. SOAP is a new approach to professional development of distributed applications. It solves major problems with the platform and language dependences. It is able to work over the Internet and represents an open standard maintained by the W3C (the World Wide Web Consortium). The drawback of SOAP is interoperability which is not always 100% practicable with CORBA, ie. the existing implementation does not always meet the required reliability. This may be one of the causes of an insufficient number of available Web services on the Internet. The implementation of SOAP is possible in almost any programming language, on all popular platforms, so it has the potential to create a transparent web of services and applications that can be accessed on demand by everyone from every point, which will lead to the explosive growth of new services and therefore profits. SOAP does not try to replace CORBA or any other distributed system. Compared to CORBA, SOAP is less powerful, but it is impressive in its simplicity and scalability, which is very useful from the aspect of need for a wider acceptance by companies and by developers. SOAP is still developing, and a number of new protocols will appear, simplifying and facilitating the implementation of Web services in all business areas, including military information systems. Conclusion The possibility to connect the existing solutions is of great importance in determining the development strategy of information systems in the Army as well as in other complex organizational systems that contain heterogeneous hardware and software platforms. The research and analysis of the application of these standardized concepts, technologies and development platforms, including the experience of foreign armed forces lead to the conclusion that the concept of development of information systems in the Internet environment by using software components is a recommendation for strategic determination to overcome incompatible and unrelated existing partial software solutions. The basic idea is based on Web services which can be created from finished applications or from the start, while programming languages, finished components and platforms can be used by the user's choice. The applications for mutual remote communication used to use Remote Procedure Calls - RPC such as DCOM and CORBA, or they used to be completely unrelated. The SOAP protocol allows communication between applications on different operating systems, on different platforms, written in different programming languages. The world organization W3C12 has already published the SOAP version 1.1 as re commendation. and it continues with the development of the recommendation of the SOAP version 1.2. The applications exchange messages of the agreed format. Since the messages are formatted as XML documents, their processing and testing is simple and can be realized by any program designed to work with XML documents. The SOAP client creates an XML document that contains the corresponding request. This document is formatted in accordance with the SOAP specification. The document comes to the SOAP protocol which processes incoming requests and based on the received requests launches the appropriate application. Upon completion of processing, the SOAP protocol returns a response message to the SOAP client. It is, therefore, concluded that the data transformation relates to the use of the XML format. Web Services represent the basic building blocks of future information systems, ie. in fact they may be available applications on the military network. When the decision on a type of service is concerned, it is not decisive whether the standard Web service will be implemented or a specific, particularly developed one, for example for military use. In other words, these are resources which are addressable using a URL and which return the information to the user. Analyses determine the SOAP communication protocol ie. XML over HTTP. It also concluded that the main initiator of these changes is XML which through its simplicity allows the practical independence of applications and systems because it is understandable both for a man and a machine.

【 授权许可】

Unknown