Syllabus for SSE 661

Software Architecture

Spring Semester 2011 (11S)

Changes are possible.

Instructor: Dr. Paul E. MacNeil

Office:       Suite 223a, School of Engineering

Phone:       478-301-2185

                  478-301-2732

Email:        macneil_pe@mercer.edu

Textbooks and Supplies:

Texts (including web sites):

• Patterns-Oriented Software Architecture Volume 1: A System of Patterns (1st ed), by Buschmann, Meunier, Rohnert, Sommerlad, and Stal, Wiley ISBN 0-471-95869-7 (1996) (Required) Check Out This Text
• Patterns-Oriented Software Architecture Volume 2: Patterns for Concurrent and Networked Objects (1st ed), by Schmidt, Stal, Rohnert, and Buschmann, Wiley ISBN 0-471-60695-2 (2000) (Required) Check Out This Text

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Software (including web sites):

• An Internet ftp client of your choice.  Core FTP LE is free and works well http://www.coreftp.com/ .  (Required, but your choice)
• TBD

Other Useful Resources (including web sites):

• TBD

Catalog Description (Course Purpose):

This is a beginning course in object-oriented development. It may be taken in one of several object-oriented languages, e.g., C#, Java, or C++.

Please note that this course is conducted *asynchronously* with regard to the face-to-face class meeting schedule. That is, the course begins on January 11, 2011, for *all* students.

Course Objectives:

Breadth and Depth in Defining, Analyzing, and Solving Complex Problems:

• After successfully completing this course, you should be able to demonstrate a basic capability to apply software architecture techniques to solve complex problems.

Communicate Technical Aspects of the Solution for Complex Software Engineering Problems to a Technical Audience:

• After successfully completing this course, you should be able to demonstrate a basic ability to communicate regarding the application of software architecture techniques to a technical audience.

Prerequisites:

SSE 550 or permission of the program director.

Class Location:

• The Macon face-to-face meetings take place in the Engineering Building Room 216b. (Directions to the Macon campus, and a map of the Macon campus can be found at  http://www2.mercer.edu/Admissions/macon.html and  http://www2.mercer.edu/About_Mercer/MaconMap/default.htm [look for Building 34 on the map], respectively.)
• The Distance Learning asynchronous "meetings" take place in Cyberspace; i.e., on the Internet.

Grading:

Credit will be given only for original work.

More information about grading is contained in the General Project Rubric.

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Assignments:

• Purpose of projects:
• Use the projects to develop your capabilities, and
• Use the projects to demonstrate your capabilities.
• Deliverables for all projects:
• Your report should be a single, standalone document in .html or .doc format.
• Your report should be organized in such a way as to make the topics that you want credit for covering easy to find, and demonstrate your capabilities clearly and convincingly. Everything you want considered for credit, including code and tests (including test results), should be included in the report.
• Each project can be a single, integrated project that tries to actually do something, or a collection of exercises that demonstrate your capabilities but don't accomplish anything else, or any combination of these two alternatives that you find convenient.
• You may include other material outside of the report, if you wish, but this material may or may not be considered in evaluating your work.
• For each capability that you demonstrate within a report or major section of that report, you may present only the final result of your work; you need not demonstrate every step in the development of that result.
• Some suggestions for doing a project are contained in the One Way to Do a Project page.
• Don't repeat patterns. There are a lot of patterns in our texts, so a pattern should be addressed in one project or in none, but not in multiple projects.
• Everyone should select some architectural patterns (Volume 1, Chapter 2) to work with, but the other patterns in both volumes are open for selection, too.
• Consider and document (in your report) the strengths and weaknesses of each pattern that you use, and it's appropriateness for the application in which you plan to use it. Why is this pattern "good" for this application? What potential risks and weaknesses do you have to accept in order to use this pattern for this application? (For example, if an application [system] will need to be scalable, and you choose a non-scalable architecture for that system, your system will fail.)
• Project 1(Solo)
• Familiarize yourself (at a high level of abstraction) with the contents of Volumes 1 (Buschmann et al.) and 2 (Schmidt et al.) . Become familiar with what is similar between the two volumes, and what is different.
• Pick an architectural pattern from chapter 2 of Buschmann et al., and develop (program, test, and demonstrate) an implementation of that pattern.
  • Implementation of some patterns make take some ingenuity. For example, the Microkernel architectural pattern is frequently used in designing operating systems. However, design and implementation of an operating system is well beyond the scope of this course. However, you can build something less that is less than an operating system but is none-the-less based on your chosen design pattern(s).
  • Use the course listserv and /or threaded discussion capability to report your intended project scope, and to help to manage that scope.
• Project 2 (Solo)
• Pick two new (to you) architectural patterns from Volume 1 and/or Volume 2, and develop (program, test, and demonstrate) an implementation of each pattern.
  • Implementation of some patterns make take some ingenuity. For example, the Microkernel architectural pattern is frequently used in designing operating systems. However, design and implementation of an operating system is well beyond the scope of this course. However, you can build something less that is less than an operating system but is none-the-less based on your chosen design pattern(s).
  • Use the course listserv and /or threaded discussion capability to report your intended project scope, and to help to manage that scope.
• Project 3 (Solo)
• Pick two new (to you) architectural patterns from Volume 1 and/or Volume 2, and develop (program, test, and demonstrate) an implementation of each pattern.
  • Implementation of some patterns make take some ingenuity. For example, the Microkernel architectural pattern is frequently used in designing operating systems. However, design and implementation of an operating system is well beyond the scope of this course. However, you can build something less that is less than an operating system but is none-the-less based on your chosen design pattern(s).
  • Use the course listserv and /or threaded discussion capability to report your intended project scope, and to help to manage that scope.
• Project 4 (Team)
• Pick two new (to you) architectural patterns from Volume 1 and/or Volume 2, and develop (program, test, and demonstrate) an implementation of each pattern.
  • Implementation of some patterns make take some ingenuity. For example, the Microkernel architectural pattern is frequently used in designing operating systems. However, design and implementation of an operating system is well beyond the scope of this course. However, you can build something less that is less than an operating system but is none-the-less based on your chosen design pattern(s).
  • Use the course listserv and /or threaded discussion capability to report your intended project scope, and to help to manage that scope.
• Implementation Language(s)
• Java, C#, or C++
• TBD

Additional Information:

• Asynchronous Learning Nets (ALNs)
• Self Study: You study the texts and any other course study material on your own.
• Collaborative Projects: After your self-study, you collaborate (via the Internet [email, ftp]) with your partner(s) to produce a team product. Your collaborative work is substantial, asynchronous, and rapid.
• This course is a distance learning course with 100% optional face-to-face class meetings Please read this Distance Learning web page regarding distance learning in this course and this program.

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• Subscribe to the course email listserv and be able to access our FTP server; your professor can tell you how to do this.
• Study the assigned material.
• Write and read email messages about ideas, problems and solutions to do with the assigned study material.
• Do the assigned exercises.
• Write and read email messages (to/from the listserv) about ideas, problems and solutions to do with the assigned homework.
• Review the exercises done by other people, as assigned by the professor.

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Changes to this Syllabus:

There will be changes to this syllabus, so check back frequently, and don't forget to hit "Reload" or "Refresh".

Schedule of Events and Assignments:

Notes:

tbd

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List of all courses.

Contact Information

• My Name: Dr. Paul E. MacNeil (Atlanta, Macon and DL Section)
• My E-mail: macneil_pe@mercer.edu .
• My Office Phone: 478 301-2185
• My FAX: 478 301-2732
• US Mail:
 
• Dr. Paul E. MacNeil
• School of Engineering
• Mercer University
• 1400 Coleman Ave.
• Macon, GA 31207

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mportant Additional Information:

"Students requiring accommodations for a disability should inform the instructor at the close of the first class meeting or as soon as possible. The instructor will refer you to the Disability Support Services Coordinator to document your disability, determine eligibility for accommodations under the ADAAA/Section 504 and to request a Faculty Accommodation Form. Disability accommodations or status will not be indicated on academic transcripts. In order to receive accommodations in a class, students with sensory, learning, psychological, physical or medical disabilities must provide their instructor with a Faculty Accommodation Form to sign. Students must return the signed form to the Disability Services Coordinator. A new form must be requested each semester. Students with a history of a disability, perceived as having a disability or with a current disability who do not wish to use academic accommodations are also strongly encouraged to register with the Disability Services Coordinator and request a Faculty Accommodation Form each semester. For further information, please contact Carole Burrowbridge, Disability Services Coordinator, at 301-2778 or visit the Disability Support Services website at http://www.mercer.edu/studentaffairs/disabilityservices" * (10/09)

Accreditation: Mercer University is accredited by SACS.