Consub must ensure that all software knowledge is effectively transferred once the client takes responsibility for the solution.
Create a transparent development and test process which supports the integration of all system lifecycle stages using the full suite of Micro Focus testing tools.
Siem Consub (Consub) is one of the few Latin American companies in the defense industry with full and recognized expertise in specifying, designing, developing and integrating complex command and control systems. Its technologically advanced tactical control and weapons systems for the Brazilian Navy are currently operational on several of its most modern combat assets.
Consub designed SICONTA, a tactical and weapons control system that has a high degree of modularity which can be configured for installation in nearly any kind of ship or submarine. Small size and simple operation, added to the ultimate technology used in its design, make SICONTA one of the best systems of its class. Various SICONTA versions are now installed on several Brazilian Navy platforms.
Consub’s objective is to continue improving SICONTA, using UML language and exploring object-oriented (OO) technology. Expected results include the traceability of all stages, from requirement collection to testing and maintenance of the end product.
One of the main challenges faced by Consub was how it would transfer the knowledge on the software that was being developed. They had to make sure that their clients would have traceable documentation, access to all of the artifacts developed by them and to the quality control procedures used in each piece of software.
Consub conducted market analysis on the development model, looking to support a fully integrated application lifecycle approach. The company mapped processes and identified a need for tools to improve management, automate tests and integrate all development lifecycle stages.
Micro Focus was chosen because it has a full range of tools to support the integration of all application lifecycle stages. Ricardo Albuquerque, Director, Consub Defense and Technology, explains why Micro Focus was the best option: “The range of possibilities offered, from requirement gathering to modeling, process formalization, test automation and management, control over artifact versioning and the chance to use agile methodology to support development planning and tracking mean that the Micro Focus development and testing tools support us at every necessary stage of the project. Furthermore, we work with two different operating system platforms: Windows and Linux. The development and testing solutions are merged across these two platforms, so we can manage our needs on the platforms appropriate to each stage of the work.”
With Caliber® Author, the requirements are described and client needs are formalized in use cases, functionalities and business rules. Caliber Visualization allows quick analysis, by displaying the requirement visually. It also enables the Specification department to design test scenarios that will be refined for managing test cases, with the integration between Caliber and Silk Central®. Better requirements validation and collaboration delivers improved test coverage. The Requirements Specification and Software Development teams have joint access to a documentation requirement tool.
Together® provides better architecture understanding as well as source code documentation. With it, Consub can use the UML diagrams best suited to its needs to design, develop and implement the system. This supports software analysis, architecture, development and documentation.
It also offers functionalities for mapping the overall work process and its relationships. Albuquerque explains the benefit: “We like the integration of Together with the source code, enabling us to reverse engineer code that has already been developed, generating the documentation from that part of the system almost automatically.”
Silk Central is at the center of the Application Development Lifecycle Management (ADLM) solution. It manages and controls the quality, tracking issues, managing test automation, facilitating the running of tests, as well as monitoring any inconsistencies that may be encountered. In addition, it is used to execute the automated Linux-based tests.
StarTeam administers source code and document versioning and is integrated with all other tools. The implementation and use of the agile development process is strongly supported by the StarTeam Agile tool, which facilitates control of all the team work being done. The StarTeam and StarTeam Agile servers are Linux-installed, and are accessed from Linux and Windows.
Albuquerque comments: “The integration made possible by Micro Focus solutions, with the option of tracking the entire development cycle, will give us greater formalization, more accurate measurements and greater process optimization.”
Albuquerque concludes: “We hope that this new process, which is in the implementation stage, will speed up development and will drastically improve team collaboration. It delivers full transparency in the whole project cycle, to management and to the end client. It will give us increased productivity, collaboration and a higher quality product.