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Overview of the SDL Suite


Architecture

The SDL Suite is a member of a wider tool family, which also includes the TTCN Suite and Logiscope.

The SDL Suite consist of a number of separate tools that process information. The tools are integrated using a selective broadcast integration mechanism, making it possible to design a highly integrated system from separate tools. This approach also makes it possible to add new tools without creating any conflicts with the existing tools. In addition, the integration between two separate tools can be easily enhanced, and tools can communicate with each other over a network.

The interface that ties the tools and editors is called The PostMaster. The parts of the Postmaster interface that are of interest for the users, are documented so that you can read about how to integrate your own tools with SDL Suite.

Starting the SDL Suite tools

The SDL Suite components are normally started by using the sdt start script in the bin directory of the installation. This script can take a number of options:

Batch Facilities

The Batch Facilities are commands that you type from the OS prompt. These facilities take advantage of the Postmaster and pass messages to the tools, ordering the individual tools to process information as required. The batch facilities support the following operations:

Licensing Mechanism

The software license server controls the licensing of the tools included in SDL Suite. This is performed through a floating license mechanism based on a third party software, FlexNet PublisherTM. The current license numbers along with a key are stored on a text file, which is distributed at installation of the software. This provides a flexible way of upgrading licences and adding new license agreements, as well as allowing you to keep track of the actual usage of the tools you have purchased.

FlexNet supports multiple tools (even from different tool manufacturers) sharing the same license server, so IBM Rational should not cause any problems when installing it into your computer environment.

For increased flexibility in the use of licenses and to prevent started but unused tools from holding licenses, an optional timeout feature can be enabled. This will automatically release licenses when a user has been idle during a selectable interval.

For more information on license mechanisms, see Understanding IBM Rational Licenses.

Common Tools

The SDL Suite shares a set of tools common to SDL Suite and TTCN Suite:

The SDL Suite Graphical Tools

The SDL Suite comprises the following graphical tools:

Other SDL Suite Tools and Back-End Facilities

The following additional tools and facilities are available:

1

The SDL term type corresponds to the term class, used in many OO notations

2

TTCN stands for Tree and Tabular Combined Notation. It is an ISO standard that is used to describe a test specification.


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