IBM Israel Research Seminars

Enterprise information systems distinguish the Domain layer that handles the major business logic of an application, from the Data (Persistent) layer that handles storage concerns alone. The integration of these layers is not straightforward since usually the requirement is for partial persistency, i.e., persistency is required only for a subset of the Domain layer classes. Industry tools provide partial help by supporting convenient abstractions on top of concrete database systems. Nevertheless, the developer still has to design the concrete ties between the layers. Full automation can be a great improvement in complex systems development, and goes along with the Model Driven Engineering approach.

In this talk we introduce a set of independent Data Access Patterns that provide the missing link towards full automation of the Domain-Data layers interaction. Each pattern is a simple refactoring that yields some Data Access layer constructs, and relies on local information in the Domain layer. All patterns are Domain layer transparent, i.e., their application leaves the Domain layer intact. We provide an algorithm for combined pattern application and prove its correctness with respect to a specified set of Data Access Layer insertion.

Joint work with Lior Limonad.