A Technical History of the SEI

as a key service and became a NIST/European Computer Manufacturers Association
(NIST/ECMA) standard [NIST 1994].
Research into architecture modeling languages for embedded software systems and increased interest
in model-based software engineering spawned new interest in CM [Westfechtel 2003,
Estublier 2005]. In the mid-1990s, the SEI developed the Simplex architecture [Sha 1996], which
provides software fault-tolerance for control systems through self-adaptive semantic redundancy.
In the context of the Simplex architecture, the SEI worked with Carnegie Mellon University researchers
to investigate the use of architecture models to analyze system configurations for inconsistencies
and, during operation, to manage dynamically
reconfiguring systems against known consistency constraints
[Feiler 1998]. The investigation demonstrated
the feasibility of extending configuration consistency
into the operational environment through formalized
specification and analysis of system models.
As DARPA-funded research in architecture languages
produced promising results, the SEI, in collaboration
with the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research Development
and Engineering Center (AMRDEC), took on
the technical leadership in the development of the industry
standard Architecture Analysis and Design Language
(AADL). AADL has been chosen as a key technology
The View from Others
The SEI’s background and expertise
were key to the development of
the PSEWG Reference Model.
Without these contributions, this
reference model would not have
been as rich or meaningful.
– Patricia Oberndorf, U.S.
Navy, Next Generation
Computer Resources
Program
by the aerospace industry in its System Architecture Virtual Integration (SAVI) initiative because
of AADL’s ability to support large-scale, multi-team modeling and analysis.
The Consequence: Configuration Management and CM Tools in Common
Practice
Software developers gained control over the versions and configurations during the software development
lifecycle. Commercial and open source versions of configuration management tools
have become an integral part of their development environment, transparent and requiring no
overhead to use. Their capabilities have been extended to uniformly support individual developers’
workspaces and cooperative team development. The tools also have been extended to support
build and release management of artifacts ranging from documents to models, source code, binaries,
build-and-installation configuration files, and other artifacts. De facto open source standards
in integrated development environments (Eclipse) and distributed configuration management
(GIT) have been embraced by industry and government and have been used by the SEI as the basis
for OSATE.CM has become well established in the community in other ways. See, for example,
Crossroads web-based resources on CM 50 and CM tool recommendations [Burrows 2005].
Despite these advances, new challenges are being posed to CM through the emergence of ultralarge-scale
systems [Northrop 2006], such as web-enabled, rapidly evolving, user-adaptable systems.
50 Home page: http://www.cmcrossroads.com/
CMU/SEI-2016-SR-027 | SOFTWARE ENGINEERING INSTITUTE | CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY 204
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