ITR/SY: Features, Components, and Legacy Systems

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester MA

Investigators

Abstract

Proposal Number: 0220166 Title: ITR/SY Features, Components, and Legacy Systems PI: George T. Heineman, Computer Science Department, WPI A legacy system is any software system that is in use and must evolve to meet changing conditions. These systems must be re-engineered because over time, the ability to evolve the system decreases with each successive maintenance. The proposed research combines the concepts of features and software components in a novel way to extract feature-based software components from a legacy system. First, the features of the target legacy system are elicited and using existing code profiling tools, the code associated with these features is identified. This task is made possible by the regression test suite that many legacy systems already have to ensure proper functioning as the system is upgraded. Second, software components are refactored from the legacy system. In short, the data generated by execution traces is analyzed for evolution purposes. The research will provides a viable long-term strategy for an organization to incrementally modernize its software code base. A reengineering methodology will be defined and applied. A corresponding cost/savings model will be developed based upon preliminary success with the legacy system for a financial company. The methodology will be packaged and disseminated to ensure other organizations with legacy systems can easily benefit from the results of this research.