Birla Institute of Technology (BIT Mesra) 2006 SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURES - Question Paper

Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani

Distance Learning Programmes Division

Second Semester 2006-2007



Mid-Semester Test

(EC-1 Regular)



Course No. : SS ZG653

Course Title : SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURES

No. of Pages = 1

No. of ques. = four
Nature of examination : Closed Book

Weightage : 40%

Duration : two Hours

Date of examination : 03/02/2007 (FN)

Note:

1. Please follow all the Instructions to Candidates provided on the cover page of the ans book.

2. All parts of a ques. should be answered consecutively. every ans should begin from a fresh page.

3. Mobile phones and computers of any type should not be brought inside the exam hall.

4. Use of any unfair means will outcome in severe disciplinary action.



Q.1. List and define the most important properties of good software architecture. List and define the most important architectural considerations in creating the architectures. What types of design artifacts are not to be considered as software architecture? [10]

Q.2. The study of software architectures is often compared with the evolution and study of building architectures. While the study of building architectures has evolved over thousands of years, the study of software architectures is fairly latest and rather immature as a discipline. Compare and contrast the discipline of software architecture with that of building architecture, and define (in a set of coherent and lucid points which are numbered serially) what you visualize for the discipline of software architecture in the next 5 years. [10]



Q.3. A large number of architectural styles are designed to support the quality of modifiability. provide 2 examples every from the Data-Flow style and the Call-and-Return style and discuss the various kinds of changes supported by them. [10]



Q.4. The relative informality and high level of abstraction of current practice in describing architectures might at 1st glance suggest that architectural descriptions have little substantive value for software engineers. But this is not the case. Giving improper reasons, critically argue (in lucid points) as to how software architectural descriptions give substantial value for software engineers. [10]





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Earning:   Approval pending.