Analysing with algorithms

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Analysing with Algorithms

Once you have populated your architecture, you are ready to use ABACUS to measure your architecture by applying various algorithms. Before running algorithms on your architecture you must first decide on the kind of information you want to discover. These types of information are often referred to as KPI's, or Key Performance Indicators. For example, you may want to measure the reliability of your infrastructure or gather metrics such as total cost of ownership per business unit. Algorithms can be used to compute these kinds of measures and once calculated, they can be displayed in a variety of different visualisations.

There are three options for simulating your architecture:

•Pre-built simulators*

•Visual Algorithm Composer*

•Scripting.

* Pre-built simulators and the Visual Algorithms Composer are only available to users with an ABACUS Simulator licence.

Pre-built Simulators

Pre-built simulators have a particular set of reserved properties which it uses to run with ABACUS. The names of these properties can be customised in the Simulator Settings dialog box(Analysis | Edit Simulator Options). Some of these properties are used as inputs to the Simulator algorithms and others are the outputs that display the results of the simulation.

There are four pre-built simulators that may be used with ABACUS. These are:

•Performance

•Complexity

•Financial

•Reliability

Visual Algorithm Composer

Visual Algorithm Composer provides an easy-to-use and intuitive interface for building algorithms for calculating properties and APIs. It has been designed so that users with no coding experience can build algorithms based on business logic and a knowledge of their architectural model.

Visual algorithm composer allows for sophisticated multi-step processes to be drawn and then executed, allowing for property values to be updated on various elements throughout the architecture. Values can be attributed across connections and up hierarchies.

Scripting

Scripting provides the flexibility to create algorithms in virtually any way possible. However it is also the most technically involved option for running algorithms and requires a firm understanding of programming concepts. By writing scripts you can perform advanced operations beyond the current capabilities of Visual Algorithm Composer. The entire ABACUS object model is available to the scripting engine, so you are only limited by your ability to program!

Some of the uses of scripts in ABACUS include:

•Calculating KPIs

•Data transformation

•Automatic diagram generation and/or layout

•Automatic import of data from external systems/APIs

The ABACUS scripting environment supports both C#.Net and Visual Basic.Net. Existing code can be leveraged in reference DLL files.

ABACUS Analytics Engine

The ABACUS Analytics Engine provides the ability to automatically run any algorithms in ABACUS after each commit made on Collaboration Server projects and/or at pre-determined intervals. The ABACUS.Console to run the application can be found in the ABACUS installation directory.