Abstract: Determining similarity between business process models has recently gained interest in the business process management community. So far similarity was addressed separately either at semantic or structural aspect of process models. Also, most of the contributions that measure similarity of process models assume an ideal case when process models are enriched with semantics---a description of meaning of process model elements. However, in real life this results in a heavy human effort consuming pre-processing phase which is often not feasible. In this paper we propose an automated approach for querying a business process model repository for structurally and semantically relevant models. Similar to the search on the Internet, a user formulates a BPMN-Q query and as a result receives a list of process models ordered by relevance to the query. We provide a business process model search engine implementation for evaluation of the proposed approach.

Abstract: Process models provide companies efficient means for managing their business processes. Tasks where process models are employed are different by nature and require models of various abstraction levels. However, maintaining several models of one business process involves a lot of synchronization effort and is erroneous. Business process model abstraction assumes a detailed model of a process to be available and derives coarse grained models from it. The task of abstraction is to tell significant model elements from insignificant ones and to reduce the latter. In this paper we argue that process model abstraction can be driven by different abstraction criteria. Criterion choice depends on a task which abstraction facilitates. We propose an abstraction slider - a mechanism that allows user control of the model abstraction level. We discuss examples of combining the slider with different abstraction criteria and sets of process model transformation rules.

Abstract: We present an algorithm for the runtime monitoring of business process properties with data parameterization. The properties are expressed in LTL-FO+, an extension to traditional Linear Temporal Logic that includes full first-order quantification over the data inside a trace of XML messages. The algorithm works "on-the-fly": it keeps in memory only the states that are necessary at each step. Initial results indicate that LTL-FO+ is an appropriate language for expressing data dependencies on message traces and that its processing overhead on sample traces is acceptable.

Abstract: Service-Oriented Architectures (SOAs) have become an important cornerstone of the development of enterprise-scale software applications. Although a range of domain-specific languages and standards are available for dealing with such architectures, model-driven approaches starting from models written in an established modelling language like UML and including the ability for model transformation (in particular, for code generation) are still in their infancy. In this paper, we show (1) how our UML-based domain-specific language for working with SOA artefacts, UML4SOA, can be used for modelling service orchestrations, and (2) how to exploit so-designed models in the MDD4SOA approach to generate code in multiple languages, among them BPEL and WSDL, Java, and the formal language Jolie. We use a case study for illustrating this approach. Our main contributions are an easy-to-use, conservative extension to the UML2 for modelling service orchestrations on a high level of abstraction, and a fully automated, model-driven approach for transforming these orchestrations down to code.

Abstract: Web service orchestrations-expressed in the Web service business process execution language (WS-BPEL or BPEL for short)-are a manifestation of the two-level-programming paradigm where services, i.e. the business functions used by the composite application, are composed through BPEL's control flow constructs. BPEL processes Web service orchestrations, business functions therefore can be transparently accessed remotely, allowing to build composite applications that integrate business functions provided by different partners on different locations. As of today, execution of BPEL processes, i.e. the evaluation of the processes' control flow, is performed by a central workflow engine. In certain scenarios, such as complex collaborative cross-partner interactions, this approach of centralized workflow enactment leads to "un-natural" process models; process models that are not driven by the processes' original business goal but by infrastructural or organizational reasons. In this paper, we propose an alternative approach to enacting BPEL process control flow in a distributed, decentralized manner. We present the overall process lifecycle and give a detailed description of the underlying process model.

Abstract: This paper is a reflection of our experience with the specification and subsequent execution of model transformations in the QVT core and Relations languages. Since this technology for executing transformations written in high-level, declarative specification languages is of very recent date, we observe that there is little knowledge available on how to write such declarative model transformations. Consequently, there is a need for a body of knowledge on transformation engineering. With this paper we intend to make an initial contribution to this emerging discipline. Based on our experiences we propose a number of useful design patterns for transformation specification. In addition we provide a method for specifying such transformation patterns in QVT, such that others can add their own patterns to a catalogue and the body of knowledge can grow as experience is built up. Finally, we illustrate how these patterns can be used in the specification of complex transformations.

Abstract: Enterprise Architecture (EA) management has been gaining importance in organizations, and while EA management frameworks provide a holistic and generic view on the subject, organizations introducing EA management are often left alone regarding the details of the approach. The EAM Pattern Catalog, presented in this article, is a collection of best practices for addressing specific concerns in EA management related to e.g. architectural standardization, application landscape planning, or interface, business object, and service management. It provides methodologies for addressing these concerns, together with information models defining the relevant concepts, and viewpoints for visualizing them. This article describes the structure and extent of the EAM Pattern Catalog, and exemplifies its approach by outlining EAM patterns for addressing architectural standardization. Architectural standardization tries to tackle the complexity of the EA created by historically grown structures. These structures lead to disadvantages as low maintainability, low bargaining power at IT suppliers, or the need of largely diverse skills in the IT workforce.

Abstract: Broad knowledge is required when a business process is modeled by a business analyst. We argue that existing Business Process Management methodologies do not consider business goals at the appropriate level. In this paper we present an approach to integrate business goals and business process models. We design a Business Goal Ontology for modeling business goals. Furthermore, we devise a modeling pattern for linking the goals to process models and show how the ontology can be used in query answering. In this way, we integrate the intentional perspective into our business process ontology framework, enriching the process description and enabling new types of business process analysis.

Abstract: Extract-transform-load (ETL) tools feed data from operational databases into data warehouses. Traditionally, these ETL tools use batch processing and operate offline at regular time intervals, for example on a nightly or weekly basis. Naturally, users prefer to have up-to-date data to make their decisions, therefore there is a demand for real-time ETL tools. In this paper we investigate an event-based near real-time ETL layer for transferring and transforming data from the operational database to the data warehouse. One of our main concerns in this paper is master data management in the ETL layer. We present the architecture of a novel, general purpose, event-driven, and near real-time ETL layer that uses a database queue (DBQ), works on a push technology principle and directly supports content enrichment. We also observe that the system architecture is consistent with the information architecture of a classical online transaction processing (OLTP) application, allowing us to distinguish between different kinds of data to increase the clarity of the design.

Abstract: Viewpoint modeling is an effective technique for specifying complex software systems in terms of a set of independent viewpoints and correspondences between them. Each viewpoint focuses on a particular aspect of the system, abstracting away from the rest of the concerns. Correspondences specify the relationships between the elements in different views, together with the constraints that guarantee the consistency among these elements. However, most Enterprise Architectural Frameworks, which follow a multi-viewpoint approach, either do not consider the explicit specification of correspondences, or do it in a very simplistic way. In this paper we examine the representation of correspondences in the context of the RM-ODP, identify some of its related issues, and propose some improvements to the way in which correspondences are modeled. In particular, we claim that multi-viewpoint modeling approaches need to specify not only the correspondences between the system views, but also some well-formed rules on such set of correspondence specifications.

Abstract: Load testing of Web applications can be specified by simulating realistic user behavior with stochastic form-oriented analysis models. Stochastic models have advantages over load test models that simply play back recorded session data: they are easier to specify and achieve a higher coverage of the different operational paths. There are challenges when specifying load tests such as the generation of form parameters and the recognition of pages returned by the system. We propose how these challenges can be overcome by adding additional specifications to a form-oriented model. Furthermore, we discuss several workload models and explain why some commonly used workload models are in fact unrealistic and produce misleading results. The stochastic form-oriented load testing approach can be generalized to deal with other submit-response systems such as those consisting of Web services.

Abstract: This paper introduces a distributed and fine grained access control mechanism based on encryption for XML document centric collaborative applications. This mechanism also makes it possible to simultaneously protect the confidentiality of a document and to verify its authenticity and integrity, as well to trace its updates. The enforcement of access control is distributed to participants and does not rely on a central authority. Novel aspects of the proposed framework include the adoption of a decentralized key management scheme to support the client-based enforcement of the access control policy. This scheme is driven by the expression of access patterns of interest of the participants over document parts to determine the keys required. A lazy rekeying protocol is also defined to accommodate the delegation of access control decisions that in particular reduces rekeying latency when faced with the addition and removal of participants.

Abstract: ldquoWeb 2.0rdquo and ldquocloud computingrdquo are revolutionizing the way IT infrastructure is accessed and managed. Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, wikis and social networking platforms provide Internet users with easier mechanisms to produce Web content and to interact with each other. Cloud computing technologies are aimed at running applications as services over the Internet on a scalable infrastructure. In this paper we explore the advantages of using Web 2.0 and cloud computing technologies in an enterprise setting to provide employees with a comprehensive and transparent environment for utilizing applications. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach we have developed an environment that uses a social networking platform to provide access to a legacy application. The application is hosted on an internal cloud computing infrastructure that adapts dynamically to user demands. Initial feedback suggests this approach provides an improved user experience while simplifying management and increasing effective utilization of the underlying IT resources.

Abstract: Model driven development (MDD) aims to promote the role of modeling in software engineering. Enterprise systems and architectures are often modeled via multiple representations. For example UML models are widely used by the designers to capture various viewpoint of the system; while formal models using languages such as CSP, Z and Petri nets are suitable for the analysis. Model transformation techniques developed as a part of MDD can be applied to generate one model from another model automatically. This allows benefiting from the tools and techniques developed and used in multiple languages. This paper presents a method of applying MDD model transformation from UML 2.0 sequence diagrams to Petri nets. The paper shows that the model transformation results in free choice Petri nets. As a result, the low complexity of analysis and the synthesis techniques can be applied to the models of enterprise systems which are captured in UML sequence diagrams.

Abstract: We present the process model employed in the result-maker online consultant (ROC) workflow management system as an example of a declarative workflow language used in practice. We describe and formalize the key primitives of the ROC process model as linear time temporal logic (LTL) formulas, in line with a recent proposal of van der Aalst and Pesic to use LTL as the foundation for flexible declarative process languages. The work is one of the first steps in a recently initiated research project (trustcare) aiming at contributing to the foundations for workflow management for trustworthy pervasive healthcare services by combining research in formal process models, pervasive user interfaces, and development of research based prototype extensions to the ROC workflow management system.

Abstract: Enterprise architecture is a model-based approach to business-oriented IT management. To promote good IT decision making, an enterprise architecture framework needs to explicate what kind of analyses it supports. Since creating enterprise architecture models is expensive and without intrinsic value, it is desirable to only create enterprise architecture models based on metamodels that support well-defined analyses. This paper presents the content and extension of a metamodel which supports creating models containing the information necessary to conduct system quality analyses, specifically with respect to availability, accuracy, confidentiality and integrity. The metamodel is an extension and formalization of the metamodel underlying the ArchiMate modelling language for enterprise architecture. The use of the extended metamodel is demonstrated in a case study where the availability, accuracy, confidentiality and integrity of the two service oriented architecture (SOA) platforms Sun JCaps and PrOSeRO were evaluated.

Abstract: The Zachman Framework offers a classification of the models created in an enterprise architecture project. These models form a holistic representation of the organization. Despite the prominent position of the Framework, there is little information publicly available to help designers create exact models that fit each other. In this paper, we propose a conceptualization based on General Systems Thinking. Our conceptualization provides concrete guidelines for creating the models required by the Framework. The proposed conceptualization establishes a better understanding of the models and of their relationships. This facilitates the creation and interpretation of the models. It also improves the traceability between them. We illustrate our approach with the results of a case study.

Abstract: Security is dependent on a mixture of interrelated concepts such as technical countermeasures, organizational policies, security procedures, and more. To facilitate rational decision making, these concepts need to be combined into an overall judgment on the current security posture, as well as potential future ones. Decision makers are, however, faced with uncertainty regarding both what countermeasures that is in place, and how well different countermeasures contribute to mitigating attacks. This paper presents a security assessment framework using the Bayesian statistics-based extended influence diagrams to combine attack graphs with countermeasures into defense graphs. The approach makes it possible to calculate the probability that attacks succeed based on an enterprise architecture model. The framework also takes uncertainties of the security assessment into consideration. Moreover, using the extended influence diagram formalism the expected loss from each attack can be calculated.

Abstract: Current enterprise application mobility approaches tend to extend desktop paradigms to the mobile space. We believe that enterprise application mobility needs to evolve to a mobile-oriented business computing paradigm, where business functions and relevant collaboration options are made available to a large number of mobile users in the most appropriate manner. In this paradigm, users get just enough information and resources needed to make a business decision and execute it in a simple and secure manner. We present a service-oriented framework that allows mobile applications to easily interface with enterprise backends, and be lightweight and flexible through in-built context awareness and a Web 2.0 front-end. It allows interleaved execution of local, ambient and remote services; and provides both users and enterprises the ability to create, provision and execute lightweight dynamic applications. At the same time, the framework allows enterprises to control services and data users access through their devices.

Abstract: It is widely acknowledged that business process management would greatly benefit from integration with business rule management. But there is still no established solution to this integration problem, and the leading business process modeling language, BPMN, does not provide any explicit support for rules. In this paper, we are going to investigate the extension of BPMN by adding rules as a modeling concept in the form of a new gateway type, using the principles of model-driven engineering. The integration will be done on the level of the metamodels of the involved languages, resulting in a new rule-based process modeling language called rBPMN (rule-based BPMN).

Abstract: Service providers as we know them nowadays are the always-on static web service providers, that aim at Five9 availability (99.999%). Formal, or de-facto, standards, such as WSDL and BPEL, have become technology enablers for the easy discovery, use and coordination of such services. However, we envisage tomorrow's services to become increasingly pervasive, being deployed within buildings, transport systems, markets, as well as people portable devices. Such services will be, by their own nature, simple and fine grained; as a consequence, service composition will become crucial to deliver rich functionalities that satisfy end-users requests. Composing services in mob.ile environments opens up significant challenges. In particular, the Five9 availability assumption no longer holds: the higher the dynamic nature of the environment, the higher the chances that services will move out-of-reach before the composition completes, causing the service as a whole to fail. We argue that, in order to enable the successful completion of compound services, the reliability of the composition must be measured and reasoned about. In order to do so, we propose to dynamically deploy a prediction model to estimate the duration of colocation between componentservices. These estimates are fed in input to a service composition semantics reasoner, which then autonomically selects those providers, within the current environment, that maximise the chances of successful compound service completion. We demonstrate the positive impact that the reliability reasoning has onto the ratio of successfully completed compound services in a typical human movement scenario.

Abstract: The service-oriented architectural style is widely perceived today. However, service orientation is a very general concept and its application in real-life situations is somewhat ambiguous. This is partially due to the fact that service-oriented principles are subject to interpretation rather than elements of the style.In this paper we propose a set of design metrics for service-oriented design. Based on an established metric for the coupling of component-based systems we introduce a complexity metric by the means of service coupling. We argue that service aggregators and the centralization of a system's control flow is appropriate to address a system's complexity. In order to approach an objective design that incorporates these principles, we introduce four metrics for the analysis of how a system handles its complexity with service-oriented means. Finally, we apply the presented metrics to an enterprise-scale real-life case study that we have conducted.

Abstract: The definition and management of access rules (e.g., to control the access to business documents and business functions) is an important task within any enterprise information systems (EIS). Many EIS apply role-based access control (RBAC) mechanisms to specify access rules based on organizational models. However, only little research has been spent on organizational changes even though they often become necessary in practice. Examples comprise the evolution of organizational models with subsequent adaptation of access rules or direct access rule modifications. In this paper, we present a change framework for the controlled evolution of access rules in EIS. Specifically, we define change operations which ensure correct modification of access rules. Finally, we define the formal semantics of access rule changes based on operator trees which enables their unambiguous application; i.e., we can precisely determine which effects are caused by respective adaptations. This is important, for example, to be able to efficiently adapt user worklists in process-aware information systems. Altogether this paper contributes to comprehensive life cycle support for access rules in (adaptive) EIS.

Abstract: Batch recalls are an important topic for manufacturers and producers. Especially in the food and in the pharmaceutical industry, producers are obliged to implement recalls in order to comply with legislation. In extreme cases, non-compliance can cause loss of life, e.g. when perished food or medicine reaches the consumer. Current batch recall practice is expensive and difficult, since many supply chain partners need to combine the data from their ERP systems. Radio frequency identification (RFID) can be used to efficiently implement batch recalls, e.g. by storing batch numbers from the parts/ingredients used in all manufacturing steps. But this raises concerns on industrial privacy, since competitors could use this information to gain insight into the whole supply chain. We overcome this problem by storing tracing information on RFID tags and encrypting the information, such that it is only available in case of a recall. We encrypt the information using identity based encryption and furthermore allow universal re-encryption along the supply chain to prevent information leakages from the ciphertexts.

Abstract: This paper depicts the evolution of enterprise architectures to their today often used service-oriented form and presents a state-of-the-art development process for this kind of architecture. The development process covers both the development of business architecture as well as the appropriate software architecture. While showing up a possible form of further evolution of enterprise architectures, we identify the major challenges for future development methods of enterprise architectures.

Abstract: Service Enterprise Architecture (SEA) is nowadays gaining a wider audience in companies using large-scale IT systems. It combines service orientation and viewpoint modeling. Hence, service orientation is attractive due to its ability to virtualize component architecture and to enable easier composition and contractualization. However, services may be defined at multiple levels (business, application, technology) and viewpoint modeling permits to adopt a systematic approach. This paper compares several frameworks (Zachman, RM-ODP) and methodologies (TOGAF/ADM, Praxeme, ThinkService). A special focus is made on their ability to handle viewpoint correspondences and evolution management.

Abstract: Many industries have been developing e-business standards to improve business-to-business interoperability on a mass scale. Most such standards are composed of business data models with some message exchange patterns. Such data-only standards leave a very large interpretation space for the implementation stage at each individual organization. Thus, true industry-wide interoperability is still hard to achieve. In this industry report, we describe our experiences in creating and evaluating reference architectures for the Australian lending industry. To achieve the right level of prescriptiveness, our reference architectures are deliberately non-structural. Instead, they are based on a set of quality-centric architectural rules. We devised new methods for analyzing interoperability and evaluating such industry-level reference architectures. The first reference architecture has now been adopted and achieved positive effects. We also summarize several other lessons we learned, such as the need to align reference architectures with industry structures.

Abstract: IT organizations that wish to implement the best practices recommended by the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) need to specify the level of service provided to their customers. The implemented service needs to comply with this specification. We propose a method for describing declarative specifications of services, and of their planned constructions. These specifications can then be used to verify the alignment between the specification and the construction. This method is based on first-order logic and on refinement theory for alignment verification. The alignment verification is automated using the Alloy specification language and the Alloy Analyzer tool. The method is illustrated with the example of a utility emergency service inspired from a real project.