Modularizing Behavioral and Architectural Crosscutting Concerns in Formal Component-Based Systems - Application to the Behavior Interaction Priority Framework

TL;DR

This paper introduces a formal method and tool for modularizing crosscutting concerns like logging and security in component-based systems using the BIP framework, inspired by Aspect-Oriented Programming.

Contribution

It formalizes local and global aspects in BIP systems and presents AOP-BIP, a tool for aspect-oriented modularization and analysis of CBSs.

Findings

Successfully modularized logging, security, and fault tolerance concerns

Demonstrated the approach on a network protocol case study

Discussed potential for runtime verification of CBSs

Abstract

We define a method to modularize crosscutting concerns in Component-Based Systems (CBSs) expressed using the Behavior Interaction Priority (BIP) framework. Our method is inspired from the Aspect Oriented Programming (AOP) paradigm which was initially conceived to support the separation of concerns during the development of monolithic systems. BIP has a formal operational semantics and makes a clear separation between architecture and behavior to allow for compositional and incremental design and analysis of systems. We distinguish local from global aspects. Local aspects model concerns at the component level and are used to refine the behavior of components. Global aspects model concerns at the architecture level, and hence refine communications (synchronization and data transfer) between components. We formalize local and global aspects as well as their composition and integration into a BIP system through rigorous transformation primitives. We present AOP-BIP, a tool for Aspect-Oriented Programming of BIP systems, demonstrate its use to modularize logging, security, and fault tolerance in a network protocol, and discuss its possible use in runtime verification of CBSs.