Applying Software Architecture Comparison Analysis Method for a Critical System (Sacamcs) Based on Sacam (Concept and Case Study)
Shady Gomaa Abdulaziz, Zarinah Mohd Kasirun, Kuala Lampur · 2013
Comparing the processes of architecting software for large scale systems is a difficult task that depends on different factors and various environments. However, software architecture are structured according to particular specifications, constraints and rules and are oftentimes badly documented. Therefore, with the lack of information about it, there is a need to develop a software architecture comparison analysis method for critical systems, based on a comparative analysis between software systems products viewed as a black box. Because such a system depend on various criteria, including the ones that derive from the reference organization's business goals, its architectures can be compared based on a set of criteria, including criteria derived from those business goals. Through a literature review on this research area, we explored the most popular methods for comparing software architecture and found it to be the Software Architecture Comparison Analysis Method (SACAM) developed by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI). SACAM compares the architectures of software systems (not the implementation codes) according to their metrics; it does not, however, address enterprise architecture issues, such as implemented software evolution and maintenance. This paper attempts to fill the above gaps by proposing the method called Software Architecture Comparison Analysis Method for Critical Systems (SACAMCS), which is based on multi-criteria decision analysis. The proposed method has been validated using a suitable case study to compare among two critical systems (check- in systems) used in international airports.