IT Infrastructure Modeling Language (IIML)

In the software development process, different graphical modeling languages are used for various problem areas. Famous examples for such modeling languages are event driven process chains in the area of process modeling and the Unified Modeling Language (UML) to construct software. But one problem area in software development is not yet supported by a standardized graphical modeling language: The modeling of IT infrastructures. In the scope of this research topic, an IT infrastructure is defined as the collection of all hardware and software entities, which are needed for the implementation and the operations of a new software artifact.

If a new software product is introduced in an organization, then it is in most cases integrated into an existing IT infrastructure. This assumption applies in particular in the context of Very Large Business Applications (VLBAs), due to the fact that VLBAs are organization and range spreading. In the introduction phase of the software lifecycle, a software architect is confronted with the following questions:

1. Which IT infrastructure already exists? Most new software products have to be integrated with existing software products of the organization. The software architect has to define the integration architecture of those products and to specify the data exchange between the software products. This specification includes questions about the IT infrastructure, when software products are running in different networks (e. g. LAN, DMZ) and the data exchange must be realized between those network segments.
2. How does the staging from the development system to the productive system run? During the introduction of a new software product, development and quality systems are installed, in order to customize organization specific changes. At first, changes are made on the development system and transferred to the quality system. Then key users examine the changes on the quality system. If all tests pass through, the customized software can be transferred to the productive system. This process ensures on the one hand a well defined release management and on the other hand the quality of the productive system.
3. How can recurring activities be identified? In the software operations phase, there are many recurring activities (e. g. backup procedures, updates). Those activities have to be approved with the IT operations department. A graphical modelling language could support the planning of those activities.

The goal of this research is to develop a graphical modeling language for IT infrastructures. It should be possible to model all components of an IT infrastructure and their relations. The modeling language should meet all organizational requirements and thereby close the gap between software architects and IT operations.