Fast prototyping of communication protocols.

Abstract

In this thesis we present a methodology and a life-cycle system for rapid implementation of communication protocols. Our proposed approach includes a scheme for automated coding and decoding of protocol (single module) formal specifications in Estelle into (and from) a KnowledgeBase(KB). An interactive experimental system, FPCP (Fast Prototyping of Communication Protocols), is designed and implemented. It automatically generates an interrogatable KnowledgeBase representation of the specification, and automatically generates an executable prototype of communication software corresponding to the formal (single module, normalized) specifications in ESTELLE format. Our approach allows developers to maintain single, useful and authoritative "reference specifications" throughout the protocol development life cycle. The automated encoding of the specifications into a rule based KB allows users to take advantage of rule based system features (Mackert) and yet maintain the Estelle specifications as the single authoritative reference specifications. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)