SDDEM

Synchronization and Management of Different Distributed Enterprise Models (SDDEM) is a research field related to Business Process Modeling. SDDEM targets at supporting the achievement of the organisational interoperability between two or more different organizations by the synchronisation of enterprise models.

Background

Model synchronization

Model synchronization is used to maintain the same “understandability” on models between independent organizations (model repositories) possible on multiple computing devices. For example, a partial model of a supplier might need to be synchronized with a partial model of its customer aligned with an overall supply chain model.

Enterprise modelling across organizations

Enterprise modeling can help to achieve organisational interoperability andcan support the implementation of the necessary features for theinteroperability of systems by including interface descriptions andinfrastructure characteristics. Models can be very helpful in handling thecomplexity within networks of interacting enterprises.Provided that the models themselves are interoperable, they can to great extend simplifytasks like federated analysis and simulation supporting theidentification of the interoperability effects between organisations. Enterprise interoperability is the scope of the EU supported network of excellence InterOP, where the SDDEM research topic emerged within.

Interoperability of Models

How to elaborate models across different organisations and how to deal withalready existing models within such modelling approach, is mainly an activityof research organisations or consultancies, i.e. external actors. They currently apply proprietary concepts and do not necessarily produce generic interoperability solutions.

The interoperability between distributed and federated models can bedistinguished on three levels:
#. Enterprise modeling language constructs → single elements of the model
#. Enterprise modeling methods and methodologies → rules for the combination of the single elements
#. The content of the enterprise models → representation/expressing of information using a modelling language

SDDEM: The Understanding-Level interoperability

The synchronisation and management of different distributed enterprise modelsdeals especially with this third level of model interoperability toachieve a support of interoperability across organisations. The mainassumption behind SDDEM is that for the work with models across organisations it isnecessary to understand the content represented within the models. This holdsindependently of what the models are destined for: to analyse a supply chain, or to be constantly used to monitor and improve the workflow between companies, etc.

Example Scenario

The difficulties caused by divergent modeling can be illustrated by the problems of a company, for example a SME supplier, which has to participate into different co-operations and has to be compliant with the enterprise models of its partners. First of all, the modelling language might be considered. The solution for the language aspects could be the use of UEML approach.

In the next step, the content of the model needs to be related to the content of the other models. This includes considering the structure, the used constructs, terminology, etc.

Moreover, for achieving both compatibility in the language and in the content (modelled information), the management of the decentralised models is required. How changes in the SME model are reflected in all network models, in which the SME participates? What are the results and implications of such changes? SDDEM addresses these problems, especially regarding model content and model management, though it does not claim to provide an “ultimate solution”.

Scope and Objectives

The target of SDDEM is supporting the achievement of the organisational interoperability between two or more different organizations by the synchronisation of enterprise models. It covers the following two subjects and their relations:
* Enterprise businesses (organisation and management of the cooperation and of the related processes),
* IT systems (requirement definitions on the IT systems, interface descriptions, necessary infrastructure, etc.).

The EU vision of enterprises connected in ecosystems is supported by InterOP NoE by discussing the interoperability issue. Within this, SDDEM aims to provide the basis for semi-automatically aligning of models, distributed over variousorganizational units, in such a way that consistent model systems areestablished, suited for execution, simulation, monitoring and analysis ofworkflow processes. Furthrmore, this aim supports a fast adaptation to the nowadays rapidly changingenvironment.

SDDEM deals mainly with the content of a model and not with modellinglanguages. Consequently, it is related to ontology issues and semantics. It focuses on the organisational aspects of such models, i.e. the common understanding of modelling structure, constructs or naming of modelling elements to express the model content.

The other aspect discussed in the context of SDDEM is the management of such distributed enterprise models. An enterprise model associated with different other models requires clear procedures for its evolution.

Related Technologies and Research Fields

UML, BPMI, BPMN, BPDM, IEM are related to the topic of Modelling across enterprises, but they are more focused on execution and modelling language issues.

Asdescribed before e.g. the work with UML models could also require mechanismsto synchronise different models.

UEML is another way to allow different models work together using the samelanguage, provided that they are closely linked.In the real world, very few enterprises and models are developed under identical environment, languages, and tools. In this terms, UEML is a language, enabling a translation between other languages, rather than a model interoperability tool (whichis the aim of SDDEM). The SDDEM approach takes into account cultural and regional differences, both in the enterprise way of working and in the way of developing models.Nonetheless, with UEML support for the language level interoperability, the SDDEM goals become easier to achieve.

Links

* [http://153.97.93.166/sddem SDDEM Portal]
* [http://www.interop-vlab.eu INTEROP-VLAB]