SAE International

(R) Architecture Analysis & Design Language (AADL)
 N AS5506C

Annotation

This standard defines a language for describing both the software architecture and the execution platform architectures of performance-critical, embedded, real-time systems; the language is known as the SAE AADL. An AADL model describes a system as a hierarchy of components with their interfaces and their interconnections. Properties are associated to these constructions. AADL components fall into two major categories: those that represent the physical hardware and those representing the application software. The former is typified by processors, buses, memory, and devices, the latter by application software functions, data, threads, and processes. The model describes how these components interact and are integrated to form complete systems. It describes both functional interfaces and aspects critical for performance of individual components and assemblies of components. The changes to the runtime architecture are modeled as operational modes and mode transitions

The language is applicable to systems that are:

real-time,

resource-constrained,

safety-critical systems,

and those that may include specialized device hardware

This standard defines the core AADL that is designed to be extensible. While the core language provides a number of modeling concepts with precise semantics including the mapping to execution platforms and the specification of execution time behavior, it is not possible to foresee all possible architecture analyses. Extensions to accommodate new analyses and unique hardware attributes take the form of new properties and analysis specific notations that can be associated with components. Users or tool vendors may define these extensions. Extensions may be proposed as annex documents for inclusion in the AADL standard