Distributed Software Engineering and Architecture (DSEA) Discipline Group

Our official site is now here.

About | Purpose | Members | Research | Teaching | Industry collaboration | Links

About

Distributed Software Engineering and Architecture (DSEA) is a discipline group established in 2007 within the school of Computer Science and Information Technology at RMIT University.

Software Engineering is the application of engineering to software---a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software---and the study of approaches to software engineering as just defined (IEEE Computer Society, paraphrased).

DSEA focuses on software engineering, especially for distributed computer systems, and component-based software engineering and software architecture.

Distributed systems, in particular embedded and connected systems are the fastest growing sector in information and communication technology. Software for distributed systems is a key driver for innovation across all sectors of business and society in all OECD countries with 70% of their GDP in services.

Component-based software engineering and software architectures have become hallmarks for distributed systems software development because of their importance to modelling, specification and design of complex distributed software systems.

Purpose

• provide a focus for research in software engineering for parallel and distributed software and systems;
• comprise a collection of funded research grants and projects administered within the School of Computer Science and Information Technology (CSIT);
• include industry projects and networks with academic and research programmes of leading IT providers;
• assist CSIT in its RQF submission and evaluation;
• and last but not least, create a research-teaching nexus with the "Software Engineering and Architecture" education focus of the School as currently presented in our various undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.

Staff

• Astrid Bauers (YourSoftware.com.au project manager)
• Margaret Hamilton
• Peter McDonald
• Ian Peake
• Heinz Schmidt (discipline group head)
• Dale Stanbrough
• Charles Theva
• Ian Thomas
• Cecily Walker (teaching and learning advisor)

Postgraduate students

Students supervised by our staff (non-RMIT students are noted) include:

• Jens Koetters, Monash University - Formal Concept Analysis (Heinz Schmidt)
• Susan Entwistle, Monash University - A model-driven development approach to exception management (assoc. supervisor Ian Peake)
• Nick May (Heinz Schmidt,Ian Thomas) - Dynamic services quality and resource negotiation for high-availability distributed systems
• Paul McIntosh - 3D Software Visualisation: Enabling Advanced UML Visualisation Through X3D (Margaret Hamilton)
• Iman Ibrahim Yusuf - Recovery-Oriented Software Architecture for GRID Systems (Heinz Schmidt, Ian Peake)

Research

Our members' research includes the following areas:

• Component-based software architecture
• Trusted distributed component software
• Safety-critical and mission-critical distributed real-time system verification
• Adaptive distributed software systems and configuration
• Concurent and parallel software
• Software engineering education

Research Projects

Current / recent research projects involving our members include:

• Intelligent distributed health care management; Heinz Schmidt in collaboration with Monash University researchers
• Enterprise Grid; Zahir Tari, Heinz Schmidt in collaboration with Monash, QUT and Deakin researchers
• Distributed Medical Image Analysis and Visualisation Engine; Heinz Schmidt in collaboration with Monash, VPAC and Howard Florey Insitute researchers
• Formal context analysis in rapidly expanding knowledge webs - 4CareK; ARC Linkage grant; Heinz Schmidt, Ian Thomas, Ian Peake
• Action learning in student mentoring (RMIT); Daryl D'Souza (Information Storage, Analysis and Retrieval Discipline Group), Charles Thevathayan, Margaret Hamilton, Cecily Walker, James Harland (Intelligent Systems Discipline Group)

Programs

Bachelor of Software Engineering (the official RMIT web site still uses an old title for this program)

Master of Technology (Enterprise Architecture)

Student projects and internships

Projects and the experience gained in team project environments are integral elements in RMIT's software engineering programs, involving exposure to exciting, innovative technologies and tools while reinforcing many aspects of software engineering practice taught in other courses.

An industry internship program is a feature of RMIT's Bachelor of Software Engineering at the third year level. Past employers include Ericsson Australia, Agilent Technologies and CSIRO. RMIT students with an interest in DSEA-related areas may find the internships linked below relevant:

• Paid Internship Positions at SAP Research Center Palo Alto, CA, USA (added Oct 2007)
• Sun SPOT Internships at Sun Microsystems (added Nov 2007)

The Software Engineering Post-Graduate Project (COSC 2273) (corporate site at yoursoftware.com.au) is a full-time course giving hands-on practical experience developing software. The project encompasses a real project environment, project management & delivery based on standard software development and delivery principles. A corporate environment is emulated in a dedicated physical space hosted by RMIT (yoursoftware.com.au). Students are mentored by industry practitioners with real management experience in formal and informal settings. Project sponsors in 2007 were: GTS Interactive, EIN, IComm Mobility, IBM, Australian Philatelic Society and the City of Melbourne.

Courses

• Programming 1
• Programming 3 (To be called Software Architecture: Design and Implementation)
• Software Engineering Fundamentals
• Software Engineering: Process and Tools
• Software Requirements Engineering
• Software Testing
• Systems Architecture
• Enterprise Architecture
• Enterprise Architecture Case Studies
• Software Engineering Project Part A
• Software Engineering Project Part B
• Software Engineering Postgraduate Project
• Web Programming

Industry collaborations

• ABB Corporate Research Centres: Germany and Sweden (in predecessor DSEA lab at Monash University) - extra-functional prediction of component-based control systems, PLC code reuse in digital models of automation systems
• Artist2 European (FP6) Network of Excellence on Embedded Systems Design - real time components
• Mälardalen Real-Time Research Centre, MdH, Västerås, Sweden (Heinz Schmidt is an Adjunct Professor) and PROGRESS Centre for Predictable Embedded Software Systems at MdH
• International ACM Sigsoft Component-Based Software Engineering symposium (CBSE) - steering committee
• iPlatforms institute RMIT - Intelligent Industrial Information Technologies program
• Opaltree Systems Pty/Ltd (4CareK project)
• Swedish SAVE initiative on component-based software in safety-critical vehicular systems
• Australian ICT companies host RMIT student projects and internships

Useful Links

(Some are restricted access)

• Heinz Schmidt's dsea page
• YourSoftware.com.au---RMIT Software Engineering Postgraduate Projects company "Your Software"
• DSEALive
• DSEA Wiki (staff only)