Semantic Web and Model-Driven Engineering (ePub)

The next enterprise computing era will rely on the synergy between
both technologies: semantic web and model-driven software
development (MDSD). The semantic web organizes system knowledge in
conceptual domains according to its meaning. It addresses various
enterprise computing needs by identifying, abstracting and
rationalizing commonalities, and checking for inconsistencies
across system specifications. On the other side, model-driven
software development is closing the gap among business
requirements, designs and executables by using domain-specific
languages with custom-built syntax and semantics. It focuses on
using modeling languages as programming languages.



Among many areas of application, we highlight the area of
configuration management. Consider the example of a
telecommunication company, where managing the multiple
configurations of network devices (routers, hubs, modems, etc.) is
crucial. Enterprise systems identify and document the functional
and physical characteristics of network devices, and control
changes to those characteristics. Applying the integration of
semantic web and model-driven software development allows for

(1) explicitly specifying configurations of network devices with
tailor-made languages,

(2) for checking the consistency of these specifications

(3) for defining a vocabulary to share device specifications
across enterprise systems. By managing configurations with
consistent and explicit concepts, we reduce cost and risk, and
enhance agility in response to new requirements in the
telecommunication area.

This book examines the synergy between semantic web and
model-driven software development. It brings together advances from
disciplines like ontologies, description logics, domain-specific
modeling, model transformation and ontology engineering to take
enterprise computing to the next level.