OK, I've got a web app here that involves a whole bunch of components:
The client browser, 2 web servers, 2 app servers, a three tiered back end system, 2 external payment gateways (one, CCD validation, is hidden from the web user and one, deferred payment service from the PO, involves direct user interation) and the customers e-mail clientd (we can ignore the SMTP server at present).
What I am trying to do is model all the messages between the components that make up a transaction. Simple heh?
The EA elements I am trying to use all exist as components in the Component and Deployment models - as components - and they all have vast depth of use in the rest of the repository.
Now ....
Are components classifiers or instances?
??
(Actually I'm not too concerned about that.)
Now, lets say I want to start modelling the tx flow at "User accepts payment terms by clicking on the submit button on the Buy Now page on the browser".
This would generate a URI request to the payments web server relating to a specific script in the payments app server which would submit a credit validation message to the CCD gateway which, if credit is accepted, would send a n acceptance message back to the payment app which would then raise an order by sending a message to the back end comms tier which would create an order in the sales / warehousing system which if succesful would return an order number back through the tiers to the app server which would then create a payment record against the order through the same tiered ..... blah blah blah .... which would finally send a confirmation email to the customer.
Now all these components have assembly links that currently describe the protocols and mechanics of sending messages between the two.
I want to add the messages ...
Seems I got to create associations between the components as that is the only way to add messages.
Is this correct? i.e. doesn't UML like communications messages on assembly links
or
Is EA not doing it?
yours in misery
bruce
