Lesson 2 -- Building a Hierarchical Model

Lesson 2
Building a Hierarchical Model

Introduction to Lesson 2
2.1 Creating a recursive hierarchy
2.2 Clustering

Introduction to Lesson 2

The network diagram editor from Lesson 1 is a valuable tool for modeling a relatively small network, consisting of a couple of routers and hosts. But as the number of devices represented in the diagram grows larger, the diagram becomes more complex and ultimately loses its usability.

Fortunately, a network with dozens or even hundreds of devices is usually not as homogeneous as a small one. Large networks typically have different sections, where machines are related much more closely to each other than to the rest of the network. Also, there is a good chance that out of all those devices, at least a few will be identical (from a network designer's point of view, anyway), such as a group of similar user PCs in a department.

These observations illustrate two basic ways to conquer complexity. First, there exists a type of natural segmentation that enables us to transform a single diagram into a hierarchy of subdiagrams with varying detail. Second, we can use clustering, or grouping a set of similar objects into a single unit.

2.1 Creating a recursive hierarchy

Hierarchical decomposition is created by representing the details of a system on subdiagrams, and inserting only a single reference to the subdiagrams in the diagram on the next higher level. For example, if a company has several offices worldwide, each office is represented by an individual subdiagram while the higher-level diagram will only contain one object for each office. If the organization is very big, several intermediate levels (like regional or state-level diagrams) may also be necessary.

Recursion appears if a type of (sub)diagram can accept a similar diagram of the same type. In most situations, this cannot happen; the diagrams, or "container units", are usually bound to certain levels of the hierarchy. A state headquarter, for example, is almost always supervised by a regional center, and not by a branch office or another state headquarter. However, in the less traditional and more logical world of engineers and computer experts, recursion is a key technique for providing extensibility and simplicity. Even if a particular application spans only a few levels, it is useful to design the architecture so that it has practically no limits.

It is easy to construct a hierarchy, but it is not always easy to construct a good one. In a good hierarchy, objects are usually related only to objects in the same container or in adjacent containers; cross-hierarchy links are rare or non-existent. An example of a good hierarchy is a traditional military organization, or a giant oak. Networking, on the other hand, displays numerous semi-hierarchies. Networks tend to have multiple cross connections in order to improve proximity and fault-tolerance, but at most locations the "upstream" and "downstream" directions can still be easily identified.

The problem of semi-hierarchies results from relationships; in this case, the network connections in the networking domain. Suppose we designate a contiguous Ethernet network as a subdiagram. Where should the routers of this network be represented: in the subdiagram, in the higher-level diagram, or in both of them? In other words, do we want to draw the subnet boundaries through routers, networks (subnets), or at the point where these two entities meet each other? Where are the externally accessible connection points (a.k.a. ports) of the subdiagrams?

This "where-to-cut-it-into-pieces" question is often a major problem in creating a hierarchy. A possible heuristic decision could be to place a restriction on the points where the inner and the outer worlds meet, requiring them to be relatively simple atomic entities. Routers with ports are fairly detailed structures in this model. Establishing the boundaries at the networks seems to be the best idea. The following rules are therefore established for the hierarchical modeling paradigm:

- All devices (routers, hosts, and other objects that will be introduced later) are assigned to a single diagram only. This is known as their parent diagram, and they are not visible elsewhere (neither "upward" nor "downward" in the hierarchy).
- Networks are also assigned to exactly one parent diagram. They are not visible from higher-level diagrams, and - as shown below - they are only indirectly visible from the more detailed subdiagrams.
- Subdiagrams will accommodate a new object, a type of network called a "perimeter". A perimeter is the representative of a network located in a higher layer of the diagram hierarchy. Perimeters can connect to other devices in the same subdiagram, but they are also visible from outside. The outer diagram contains the subdiagrams with their perimeters indicated, and there is an association to express the relationship between the perimeters and the networks they represent. In GME, perimeters will be defined as ports of the subdiagram entities, and the association to the corresponding network will be a connection.
- In a higher-level diagram (one that contains the parent diagram of the perimeter), the relationship between a network and a perimeter of a subdiagram indicates that the network is not isolated, but is connected to devices on a lower level.

How does this translate into a metamodel? Let's start with the metamodel we created in Lesson 1!

1. We already have an entity named NetDiagram. Nothing prevents us from reusing NetDiagrams as the subdiagrams of the hierarchy. We need only to specify that NetDiagrams may contain other NetDiagrams. Connect NetDiagram with itself with a composition relationship (the line with the black diamond). Note that we have just added recursion to the metamodel!
2. Insert a new <<Atom>> entity named "Perimeter". Create another composition relationship indicating that Perimeters are valid children of NetDiagrams. Remember that Perimeters are considered "ports" of NetDiagrams (set the role of the containment connection to port). Also, do not forget to add the new entity to the one and only aspect (Connectivity) in the Visualization diagram. Since a Perimeter is always connected to a Network, and effectively "represents" the Network, it does not need attributes of its own.
3. A perimeter is essentially an extension of a network that "spreads" into a subdiagram. So we will use the following bitmaps. Assign these (or your own) icons to Perimeter through the Attributes dialog:

Perimeter.bmp | PerimeterSmall.bmp

4. Perimeters and Networks have several similarities. The most important one, perhaps, is that devices can connect to both of them. Therefore, we shall introduce a common generalization for Perimeters and Networks, named "GenNet". Switch the destination of the Connection relationship from Networks to GenNet. Make GenNet abstract.
5. We must also create a new connection, "NetworkEquiv", which connects Perimeters either to Networks or to Perimeters (in case the network in the grandparent diagram is already represented by a Perimeter in the parent diagram). GenNet is the destination of the connection, while Perimeter is the source. NetworkEquiv must also be added to the Connectivity aspect in the Visualization diagram, and to the NetDiagram entity.
6. NetworkEquiv represents a completely different type of connection than the one we have been using until now. The best way to differentiate them is to assign a different appearance to each connection. In the Attribute dialog for the new connection, set Line type to "Dash", and Color to "0x0000FF" (the RGB code for blue).

Fig 2.1 The updated metamodel

We are done with the metamodel, so interpret and register it. We can now test the new hierarchical modeling environment. The first NetDiagram is on the top level of the hierarchy: let's call it "World". Our World consists of the Internet and two companies which are connected to it. Now we can either manually create the subdiagrams, or we can "borrow" a non-hierarchical diagram, like the one from Fig 1.7 of Lesson 1. That diagram was at the root level, but it can be dragged onto the World diagram to make it a child.

The two child diagrams, CompanyA and CompanyB, need to have at least one perimeter that connects them to the outside world (i.e. the Internet). Internally, these perimeters behave just like normal networks; anything can be connected to them. CompanyA also has a child diagram of its own to contain all its workstations, so that the second-level network diagram is not cluttered by all those PCs. (An alternate approach to this problem will be presented in the next section.)

We are already familiar with the browser window, but it is even more useful now that we are working with hierarchical data. The NetDiagram models, when opened, cannot display the full hierarchy; they can only show two levels at a time (Fig 2.2). The browser window, on the other hand, can display as much (or as little) as we want to see.

Fig 2.2 Network diagram with 3-level hierarchy

2.2 Clustering

Servers, routers and other network devices form the backbone of an IT infrastructure. In addition to these objects, there are typically several workstations. It is important to include the workstations in the diagrams (to be able to calculate network traffic, for example). However, these machines are typically not significant as individuals, but rather as a group of PCs with a common physical location and similar network connectivity. Many infrastructures use dynamic addressing (DHCP), which indicates uniformity, since addresses are randomly distributed within a group.

Using the new hierarchical modeling capabilities, we now have a way to handle this complexity: create a subdiagram, create a Host for each workstation, connect them all to a perimeter, name the diagram something like "BunchOfOrdinaryPCs", and use them as a single unit in the higher-level diagram. This approach (shown in Fig 2.2) is feasible, but has several shortcomings:

- From a higher-level diagram, only the name of the subdiagram indicates that nothing "important" (such as network devices or further subnets) exists in this diagram.
- The separate PC objects will increase the physical size of the model.
- We should (and can) have a better graphical representation of those PCs.

If the PCs are nearly identical, it is unnecessary to model each of them individually. A single object could represent them all, with attributes for the most important features. An example would be "25 PCs, with addresses from the range 192.168.55.10 to 192.168.55.60, located on the 3rd floor of the Memorial building".

Let a new <<Atom>> entity, "WSGroup", represent a cluster of PCs. It will be very similar to Host in the metamodel, except that it has a different icon and different attributes:

- An integer attribute, "Number"
- Two string attributes, AddressFirst and AddressLast.
- A string attribute, "RoomLocation"
- Perhaps an indication of usage: an <<EnumAttr>> "Workload" with the options "Light", "Medium", and "Heavy"
- A customized icon:

WSGroup.bmp

There is one more thing to consider about WSGroup. Host implements NetInterface; can we do the same with WSGroup? Fortunately, NetInterface does not have any attributes of its own (those were attached directly to Host and Port). There is, however, a slight semantic confusion about NetInterface; so far, it has always represented a single network interface, but we have not really relied on that representation yet. Let us redefine (or clarify) the semantics of NetInterface. We now define it to be "one or several interfaces connecting to the same network". The definition of NetInterface has been loose enough so far to allow this change. Now, having tweaked the rules to our advantage, we can make WSGroup a descendant of NetInterface.

We have saved ourselves a lot of extra work, since Connections will now provide connectivity for WSGroups as well. Be sure to indicate that WSGroups are contained by NetDiagrams (and do not forget to include WSGroup in the Connectivity aspect).

Interpret and register the metamodel, and update the networking project through XML. We can now add WSGroups to the diagram. Fig 2.3 shows an example of a small company network with a few servers, two workstation groups, and Internet connectivity.

Fig 2.3 Network diagram with WorkStation clusters

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