Networks

This paper will answer four main questions and give detailed examples of each question. The four topics of discussion are Unified Modeling Language (UML), Object Oriented Database Architecture, Semantic Objects, and Seven types of Objects. Each of the subjects is laid out in outline form below.

Question 1

Unified Modeling Language, simply stated, is "a standard language for writing software blueprints" in the Safari Tech Book. UML is better explained as a tool to help you build your database; somewhat as if a flowchart helps, you identify the flow of your process. It helps you visualize the information and helps with the specifying, constructing and documenting the aspects of a database as well as other applications.

The key elements of UML language are the three basic building blocks. They are Things, Relationships, and Diagrams. Things can be broken down into four kinds of things they are: Structural, Behavioral, Grouping, and Annotations. These are the core of the building blocks they are used to write the models. Structural things are the nouns of the UML Models according to the Safari Books online reading for week one. These Structural things can be broken down into seven types. They are Classes, Interfaces Collaborations, Use Cases, Active Classes, Components, and Nodes. Behavioral things are the Dynamic parts or the verbs of the model, in other words it is used to represent behavior over time and space according to the safari online book. There are two types of Behavioral Things. They are the interaction and the state machine. Grouping Things are the organizing parts of the model, and only has one part and that is the package. The last thing is the Annotations. These are the ones that do the explaining or describe what is going on.