Process-Control and Architecture Fundamentals

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Questions and Answers

What characterizes the Process-Control Architecture in terms of its structure?

It decomposes the system into sub-systems and their interconnections. (correct)

It operates exclusively through a centralized data store.

It consists solely of independent software components.

It directly manipulates data transmission protocols.

Which element is NOT part of the Controller Unit in a Process-Control Architecture?

Controlled Variable

Input Variable

Set Point (correct)

Manipulated Variable

What limitation is associated with the common data transmission format mentioned?

It facilitates high-speed dynamic interactions.

It has minimal overhead in data transformation.

It requires a low Common Denominator for ASCII formats. (correct)

It is effective for complex data encoding.

In the context of Data Centered Architecture, what does the term 'independent software component' refer to?

A software agent that relies on the data store for operations. Signup and view all the answers

Which component measures an input to the process within the Process-Control Architecture?

Input Variable Signup and view all the answers

What role does the controller play in a Blackboard architecture?

It provides overall supervision and initiates the Blackboard. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of the Blackboard architecture?

Lower development cost Signup and view all the answers

In Object-Oriented architecture, what is meant by encapsulation?

Hiding the internal state and requiring all interaction to be performed through an object's methods. Signup and view all the answers

How do Knowledge Sources in the Blackboard architecture respond to changes in the data?

They passively wait for changes and then process the data. Signup and view all the answers

What is a major disadvantage of both Object-Oriented and Blackboard architectures?

Both require careful synchronization to avoid conflicts. Signup and view all the answers

In a Component-Based architecture, which aspect is crucial for ensuring system reliability?

Changing the functionality of components without altering their interfaces. Signup and view all the answers

What does the principle of Low Coupling emphasize in Object-Oriented design?

Minimizing dependencies between objects to enhance modularity. Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes Hierarchical architecture in software systems?

It organizes components in a tree-like structure for better management. Signup and view all the answers

What is NOT a key component of architectural styles?

Cycles Signup and view all the answers

Which task is primarily associated with a software architect?

Establishing dynamic control relationships Signup and view all the answers

In which architectural pattern does all software reside in one package?

Monolithic Architecture Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a method of communication between subsystems?

Resource allocation Signup and view all the answers

What defines the advantages and disadvantages of a chosen software architecture?

Attributes Signup and view all the answers

Which architectural style is characterized by data flowing through a series of processing elements?

Data Flow Architecture Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes a characteristic of asynchronous communication architecture?

It relies on event-based and buffered messaging techniques. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a consideration for software architects during the selection of architectural styles?

User interface design choices Signup and view all the answers

What aspect does not contribute to the definition of software elements?

Visual representation Signup and view all the answers

Which architectural pattern is best suited for applications that require clear functional separation?

Layered Architecture Signup and view all the answers

In the Batch Sequential Architecture (BSA), what is the process that occurs after transactions are validated?

Transactions are sorted Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a key characteristic of the Pipes and Filters architecture?

Connections are based on data streams Signup and view all the answers

What are the two main quality attributes associated with Pipes and Filters architecture?

Concurrent and Incremental Signup and view all the answers

In the Data Flow Architecture, what role does a 'Pipe' serve?

It connects data sources to sinks Signup and view all the answers

What is a distinguishing feature of the Batch Sequential Architecture compared to the Pipes and Filters architecture?

It lacks filters for data manipulation Signup and view all the answers

Which component is NOT typically part of the Pipes and Filters architecture?

Validation Unit Signup and view all the answers

What type of update is often performed in the Batch Sequential Architecture after processing transactions?

Batch updates Signup and view all the answers

Which transformation occurs first in a typical Batch Sequential Architecture workflow?

Data validation Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of incorporating filters in a Pipes and Filters architecture?

To modify or enhance data streams Signup and view all the answers

What happens to rejected transactions in the Batch Sequential Architecture process?

They are eliminated and not processed further Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes the repository architectural model from the blackboard architectural model?

The repository model keeps the data store passive while agents are active. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of the repository architectural model?

High dependency on data warehouse structure Signup and view all the answers

In a blackboard architectural model, which role do software units (agents) play?

They contain the domain-specific knowledge and remain passive. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of the repository model in terms of agent interaction?

Agents may interact with the repository in both interactive and batch modes. Signup and view all the answers

Which scenario is best suited for using the repository architectural model?

A large, complex information system with multiple agents accessing shared data. Signup and view all the answers

What does the active nature of the blackboard data store facilitate?

Parallel and independent problem-solving by agents. Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary disadvantage of the repository architectural model?

High dependency on the structure, security, and availability of the data warehouse. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of both architectural models, what best describes the relationship between data storage and agent actions?

In the repository model, data storage is passive while agents are active; the opposite is true for the blackboard model. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the blackboard in the blackboard architectural model?

To store hypotheses and facts used by agents. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Software Architecture

Software architecture is the fundamental organization of a system
It encompasses components, their relationships, and the principles guiding design and evolution.
It describes the elements of a system, their interactions, and the guiding principles.

Software Development Activities

The goal of software design is to craft a model aligning with client requirements and facilitating successful implementation.
Software product/system success heavily depends on strong architecture design.

Software Architect Responsibilities

Software architects and designers translate system requirements into architectural designs.
Employ diverse architectural design strategies.
Simplify complex application domains.
Resolve software architecture complexities.

Importance of Software Architecture Design

Effective design minimizes software development risks.
Facilitates orderly team coordination.
Enables system traceability for implementation and testing.
Enhances software quality attributes.

Software Architecture Role in SDLC

Software architecture plays a crucial role in the software development life cycle (SDLC).
The Software Requirements Specification (SRS) serves as input for software design.
Software Design Description (SDD) reports software architecture or high-level design, combined with detailed system design.

Architectural Styles (Architecture Patterns)

Architectural styles abstract common properties of similar designs.
Define rules, constraints, and patterns for system structure.
Govern overall constituent element types, runtime interaction (flow control and data transfer).
Four key components: Elements, Connectors, Attributes, and Constraints.

Software Architect's Tasks

Perform system static partitioning
Decompose the system into sub-systems and define communications.
Employ replaceable sub-systems, facilitated by loose coupling between elements.
Establish dynamic control relationships between system subsystems.
Consider and evaluate alternative architectures.

Common Software Architecture Patterns

Monolithic, Data flow, Data-Centered, Object-oriented, Component-Based, Service-Oriented, Hierarchical, Virtual Machine, Layered, Pipes and Filters, and Broker Architecture

Monolithic Architecture

Single package incorporating all program components.
Efficient communication between components (local).
Suited for small, straightforward software systems.

Data Flow Architecture

System viewed as successive data transformations through processing components.
Output of preprocessor serves as input for the postprocessor.
Common types include Batch Sequential Architecture (BSA), Pipes and Filters, and Process-Control.

Batch Sequential Architecture (BSA)

Traditional data processing model (1950s-1970s).
Sub-systems execute sequentially, dependent on preceding computations.

Pipes and Filters Architecture

Improved form of sequential batch architecture.
System divided into data source, pipes, filters, and data sink components.

Data Transfer Types

Push-only (write-only): data source pushes data to downstream elements.
Pull-only (read-only): data sink pulls data from upstream elements.
Push-pull (read-write): filters read data from upstream and write transformed data to downstream.

Process Control Architecture

Suitable for embedded systems with process control variables.
System decomposed into sub-systems with defined connections.
Elements such as controller unit and executor processing unit manipulate variables.

Data Centered Architecture (DCA)

Separates data store from independent software components (agents).
Centralized data store supports sharing among agents.
Communication (invocation) between data and agents can be explicit or implicit.

Repository

Data store (passive) managed by active software agents (components).
Agents interact interactively or via batch transactions.
Suitable for large, complex systems with numerous agents.

Blackboard Architecture

Architectural style resembling a classroom’s blackboard.
Software units (agents) work in parallel and independently.
Blackboard (active data store) holds data and hypotheses, agents contain domain knowledge.
Controller unit initiates and manages knowledge sources.

Object Oriented Architecture

System comprises interconnected objects with attributes and methods.
Objects communicate through message exchanges to complete tasks.
Features like abstraction, inheritance, and encapsulation streamline software design.

Component-Based Architecture

System subdivided into independent components handling subproblems, deployed separately.
Components feature specific functionalities, are reusable, and communicate through interactions.

Hierarchical Architecture

System organized in a hierarchy of modules (sub-systems).
Lower-level modules provide services to higher-level modules.

Multi-tier Architecture

System structured in distinct tiers (front-end, middleware, back-end).
Distinct functionalities are assigned to each tier.

Broker Architecture

Central broker facilitates communication between clients and servers.
Services are exchanged through the broker.

Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)

Breaks down applications to small interconnected services.
Supports one business need per service.
Services utilize diverse communication protocols.

SOA with Grid Computing

Service approach facilitates integration with grid computing resources.
Clients access distributed resources through the service directory (metadata).

Model-View-Controller (MVC) Architecture

Separation of concerns (model, view, controller) manages applications structure.
Model (data), View (rendering), Controller (interaction) simplify complex tasks.

Presentation-Abstraction-Controller (PAC) Architecture

Application is divided into Presentation, Controller, and Abstraction layers.
Components communicate through explicit or implicit invocation mechanism.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Test your knowledge on various architectures, including Process-Control, Data Centered, and Object-Oriented architectures. This quiz covers key concepts such as controller roles, limitations, and design principles specific to these architectural styles. Assess your understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different architectures.