Presentacin de PowerPoint

APPLICATION INTERFACEAn application interface is defined as a point of acces where an applicationservice is made available to user or another application

Example:

In the model below, an Accounting component is shown that provides anApplication interface for Transaction data exchan-Ge, and a Billing compo-nent, That requires such an interface.

Behavioral Concepts

An application service is an externally visibleunit of functionality, provided by one or more components, exposed through well-defined interfaces, and meaningful to the environment.

The service concept provides a way to explicitlydescribe the functionality that components sharewith each other and the functionality that theymake available to the environment. The conceptfits well within the current developments in thearea of web services.

Application Function An aplication function is defined as a behavior elementthat groups automated behavior that can be performed by an applicationcomponent

An application function describes the internal Behavior of an application component. If thisBehavior is exposed externally, this is done through one or more services.

Example:In the model below, the internal behaviorof the Financial application component ismodeled as an application function consis-ting of two sub-functions. These applicationfunctions realice the application services that are made available to the users of the application.

Application Interaction An application interaction is defined as a behavior element that describes the behavior of an application collaboration.

6

An application collaboration may be assigned to an application interaction. An application interaction may realize an application service. Application services and infrastructure services may be used by an application interaction. An application interaction may access data objects. The name of an application interaction should preferably be a verb.

ExampleIn the model below, anAccounting componentand aBilling componentof a financial system co-operateto composeanadministrate transactionsinteraction. This is modeled as an application interaction assigned to the collaboration between the two components.

Application ServiceAn application service is defined as a service that exposes automated behavior.Exposes the functionality of components to their environment. This functionality is accessed through one or more application interfaces. An application service is realized by one or more application functions that are performed by the component. It may require, use, and produce data objects.An application service should be meaningful from the point of view of the environment; it should provide a unit of functionality that is, in itself, useful to its users. It has a purpose, which states this utility to the environment. This means, for example, that if this environment includes business processes, application services should have business relevance.

A purpose may be associated with an application service. An application service may be used by business processes, business functions, business interactions, or application functions. An application function may realize an application service. An application interface may be assigned to an application service. An application service may access data objects. The name of an application service should preferably be a verb ending with ing; e.g., transaction processing. Also, a name explicitly containing the word service may be used.

ExampleIn the model below, aTransaction processing(application-to-application) service is realized by theAccountingapplication function, and is accessible by other components through aTransaction processingapplication programming interface (API). This service is used by theBillingapplication function performed by theBillingcomponent.TheBillingapplication function offers an (application-to-business) functionBill creation, which can be used to support business processes, and is accessible to business roles through aBilling screenas an application-to-business interface.

PASSIVE STRUCTURE CONCEPTS

Data Object

A data object may be communicated via interactions and used or produced by application services.

Typical examples of data objects are a customer record, a client database, or an insurance claim.

EXAMPLE

In the model below, two application functions co-operate via an application service, in which a data object holdingTransaction data is exchanged.