SIMS: Single Interface to Multiple Systems.
Abstract
This report describes the Single Interface to Multiple Systems (SIMS) project, which is developing a tool to automatically invoke services to perform the tasks of information systems users. Most of these tasks involve multiple software servers that differ vastly in their functional capabilities, their view of the world, and their input and output languages (e.g., databases and expert systems). Before a user can determine if a server can perform the required task, he must first understand the language and services provided by each server, and then express the task in the terms used by the server. In contrast, SIMS allows the user to specify a task in a service-independent language. Our approach is dynamic in that SIMS determines which server will satisfy the request when the task is defined. SIMS performs logical integration, where the servers remain separate, but a common model makes them appear as if they were providing a single virtual service. Logical and dynamic integration allow the system of which SIMS is a part to be more easily designed and maintained. Keywords: Code reusability, Error recovery, Execution monitoring, Framework, Multiple software servers, Hierarchical planning, Software integration, User interfaces.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA192264
Entities
People
- Jasmina Pavlin
- Raymond L. Bates
Organizations
- University of Southern California