IBM Rational community

This week, our articles and updates focus on Rational Software Architect. There is new information to help you get the most out of converting UML and BPMN model elements.

Convert UML and BPMN model elements to different types automatically
Author: Lidija Grahek (lgrahek@ca.ibm.com), Advisory Software Developer, IBM Canada

In early phases of design, you might use a UML class and later realize that you need a UML component, instead. Previously, you had to perform several steps manually to replace the element. The element conversion feature introduced in Rational Software Architect 8.0.2 automates all of those steps.

Extending the topology editor with custom technology domains
Rational Software Architect includes modeling elements for databases, application servers, and Java applications. These are usually enough to model any type of system or software. However, you can use the Topology Domain Generation Toolkit to create custom elements. This tutorial demonstrates how.

Add a custom topology validator using Rational Software Architect
Validators enforce conditions on a model element in a topology, create an error message in the diagram, and suggest an optional resolution to correct the condition. This tutorial describes how you can add a custom validator to IBM Rational Software Architect.

Automate vulnerability scanning of web applications with Rational AppScan
By: Bhargav Perepa (bvperepa@us.ibm.com), WebSphere Architect and Certified IT Specialist, IBM and Sujatha Perepa (perepa@us.ibm.com), Software Client Architect, IBM
A 2011 IBM report revealed that 37% of all security vulnerabilities reported were in web applications. In this article, you use Rational AppScan Standard Edition v8.0.0.3 to automate testing of a sample web service application. The authors, Bhargav Perepa and Sujatha Perepa, also explain regulatory compliance-reporting capabilities.

Using models to design business processes and services
By: Tanya Wolff (twolff@ca.ibm.com), Software Quality Developer, IBM
In this overview of designing business processes and services, Tanya Wolff highlights the roles and tools involved, workflows that software architects can use, and the advantages of using modeling tools to assemble the elements. She also explains workarounds and summarizes SoaML modeling practices.

We are pleased feature Contributing Author Steve Hovater
Steve is a Senior Managing Consultant with the IBM Rational Lab Services in the US. Over the past 10 years, he has supported Raytheon, Lockheed-Martin, General Dynamics, BAE Systems, and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, among other military and aerospace customers, on a variety of products, including Rational Apex (Ada), Rational Rose, and Rational Software Architect. Steve holds a master's degree in physics from the University of Alabama. During his 19 year with Rational software, he has been a developer, sales technical representative, trainer, and mentor. Steve specializes in the extension of Rational tools to meet customer requirements, whether it's writing Excel-to-RSA importers, extending Rational Software Architect, or writing custom Eclipse plug-ins. His latest areas of concentration include model reporting with BIRT, Rational Developer for System z extension, Rational Software Analyzer extension, and the Rational Publishing Engine. He resides in Candia, New Hampshire, with his wife Katrina and their indomitable beagle, Skyla.
Read all of Steve's developerWorks content
Visit Steve's developerWorks profile
Learn about the Author achievement recognition program

This week we are also highlighting the following items on our home page and product pages that you may find of interest.

Try Rational Software Architect Design Manager

Online trial: Sandbox exercise

Try Rational Software Architect

Download Web application security e-Kit

We're calling on Arti Saagar, a test engineer with IBM Rational software and an author for developerWorks Rational. We want to know what she thought of her publishing experience:

Did you learn anything from writing your article?
Yes, writing articles is fun! The things that you know well make more sense when you can share them with a larger community.

What inspired you to write an article about integrating Rational DOORS with Rational Rose?
Rational DOORS is a leading requirements management tool worldwide. I think knowing how it can be integrated with [a popular] modeling tool like Rational Rose would be helpful to many.

Which standards do you see as important for the future?
I think going forward, the OSLC standard is important one. This specification allows two tools from different vendors to integrate seamlessly without anyone explicitly owning the integration. Today, many of the Jazz-based Rational applications integrate by using the OSLC specification.

Arti is an expert at integrating Rational DOORS with other system tools. Take advantage of her guidance by reading her article, Integrate Rational DOORS and Rational Rose for traceability.

What else would you like to learn about DOORS integrations?

In March, Gina Poole, our VP of WW Marketing, announced the 2012 IBM Champions for Rational software. At Innovate, we're honoring them in style:

• Certificate presentation during the opening reception. June 3, 6 PM, Livestream stage (Exhibit hall)
• Acknowledgement in the opening keynote. June 4, 8 AM, Main Tent.
• Executive meet & greet in the Client Connections Lounge. June 4, 4 PM, Europe 2

Awards and presentations are great, but true to reasons for being named "champions", they love to show off what they know about Rational software and solutions. 13 of them will be at Innovate, while 5 more will be attending Innovate and user group events in their regions later this year. Learn more from their community bio page about where you can meet champions and how to connect with them throughout the year.

We're calling on Fabio Castiglioni, an Executive IT Architect with IBM Sales and Distribution and an instructor of Component Modeling classes for IBM architects. His latest article, Enterprise architecture in the age of cloud services, was born from one of his latest client situations.

What inspired you to write an article on this specific topic?

I have a client who wants to move to a Cloud SaaS Service Provider role, so I put myself in the shoes of my client's end users to work through the situation.

How do you gather requirements for a project?

I trust objective inputs - such as an analysis of the domain (business, process and functional), the client's strategic direction, and the technical environment - more than subjective information, such as interviews with single stakeholders.

What communities, forums or user groups do you turn to for help or technical insight?

I rely on my own network of technical leaders. For methodology-related advice I turn to Pete Cripps (the author of IBM Component Modeling methodology) and Philippe Spaas (the author of IBM Operational Modeling methodology, and of the SDS Modeling Standard)

What is the one action you have taken that has accounted for most of your success?

More of a course of action, I received good advice from my first manager: To always look for activities that are challenging but that I will enjoy doing.

How do you handle obstacles and roadblocks?

I'm usually very outspoken, but I make any effort to listen and find the good in opposing ideas.

Fabio is inspired by foundations learned in The Process of Software Architecting by Peter Eeles & Peter Cripps. In his spare time, he enjoys History, especially the late Roman Empire-Early Middle Ages.

Many of the courses and past articles from Fabio are about nonfunctional requirements. How do you gather requirements for a project? Let Fabio know in the comments.