Title :
Modeling of the XOM/XMP application programming interface (API)
Author :
Poo, Gee-Swee ; Chew, Chye-Guan
Author_Institution :
Nat. Univ. of Singapore, Singapore
fDate :
8/1/1996 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
With the growing complexity of communication protocols, it is increasingly difficult for application developers to interface the applications to the communication stacks across a number of platforms. A common application program interface (API) is needed for the purpose. The API can effectively conceal the complexities of communication protocols and architecture, making it easier for application development. This article presents the modeling and development of a generic API, XOM and an application-specific API, XMP. XOM API provides a general-purpose data handling mechanism and XMP API provides service primitives to network management protocols. The development is based on object-oriented technology. The attractiveness of object-oriented implementation is its ability to provide encapsulation, reusability and extensibility in the software modules. The benefits and difficulties encountered during the implementation are to be discussed. The experience will be useful for API development
Keywords :
application program interfaces; object-oriented programming; open systems; protocols; software reusability; telecommunication network management; utility programs; API development; API modeling; XMP API; XOM API; XOM/XMP application programming interface; application development; application-specific API; communication architecture; communication protocols; communication stacks; encapsulation; general-purpose data handling mechanism; generic API; generic XOM; network management protocols; object-oriented technology; open systems; reusability; service primitives; software modules; Access protocols; Data structures; Decoding; Electrical capacitance tomography; Encoding; Information management; Message service; Object oriented modeling; Open systems; Programming profession;
Journal_Title :
Communications Magazine, IEEE