MODAF Concepts
What tools can be used for MODAF?
Version 1.2 Status
While the MODAF tools policy is still extant, the aim of developing a tool certification process has been discounted as not viable from a UK MOD position. The MODAF team have however been working with tool vendors in an advisory role to help in their development of MODAF tools.
One area of development has focussed on UML tools as part of the UML Profile for DODAF and MODAF (UPDM) initiative with the Object Management Group (OMG); the current status of this work is documented in the following UPDM team press release.
In addition, the MODAF team are also working with non-UML vendors with the aim of helping them develop v1.2 tools in the following months.
Policy
A wide variety of tools could potentially be used to create MODAF-compliant views, ranging from simple office automation products to sophisticated diagramming and design tools. However, in order to gain maximum benefit from architecture modelling, the following questions should be considered when choosing a tool:
- Does the tool allow all of the necessary elements and relationships to included within a view?
- Does the tool provide assistance with ensuring compliance with the MODAF Meta-Model?
- Does the tool provide assistance with ensuring coherence between the different views within an architecture?
- Does the tool provide assistance with ensuring coherence between different architectures?
- Does the tool provide (or interface to) a repository capability that enables architectures to be collated and inter-linked?
- Does the tool provide a capability to explore the relationships between architectures in order to answer questions about the enterprise?
With the establishment of the MODAF project for the UK MOD, a number of tool vendors specifically sought to address the needs of MODAF architecture modellers. These included both UML tool vendors and vendors of architecting and knowledge mapping tools.
To provide some guidance to modellers, an interim tools policy was put in place by DEC (CCII) in March 2005. This made the following statement:
“Given their existing employment and role in the definition of MODAF to date, only ISSE, MooD and System Architect can be considered as ‘MODAF convergent’ and are therefore approved for immediate use as de-facto standards for business and capability modelling. If a different tool is required the IA GL [Integration Authority Group Leader] will arbitrate”.
Taking into account MODAF alignment and appropriateness of use for the UK MOD and its suppliers in modelling, a number of additional tools were added to the list of MODAF-convergent tools in December 2006. The list of such tools now comprises:
- ISSE – MOD’s in-house tool, available from Vega
- MOOD from Salamander
- METIS from Troux Technologies
- Artisan Real-time Studio
- Telelogic’s modelling tools suite comprising Tau, Rhapsody and System Architect
- IBM Rational Suite.
Please note that the UK MOD is not in a position to comment on the suitability from a user perspective on the relative merits of tools. In addition, inclusion on the list of MODAF-convergent tools does not imply that a tool is authorised for installation and use on UK MOD networks.
Page version 1.2, dated 30th July 2008