Application lifecycle artifact metadata priorities

The SQL Server Modeling CTP – Nov 2009 Release 2 has the model schema for following domains:

· .NET assemblies

· Unified Modeling Language 2 (UML2)

· Next generation identity

As we finalize the plan for our V1, we are trying to figure out what other schemas (and corresponding import/export tools) do we need to ship out-of-box for V1. Our primary target customer for V1 is developer – in particular a developer who is an ISV/System Integrator, building database-based end-user solutions for people involved in software development lifecycle. Our wish is that these developers will find it easy to leverage SQL Server Modeling Services as a platform to build metadata-oriented solutions for their customers (especially software developers and software architects).

We will create some schemas, our internal Microsoft partners will create some and we expect our customers to create others. One of our challenges is determining whether we take a breadth or depth approach to define metadata model for these artifacts. So far, we have gone deep when modeling the CLR and UML domain.

What top 5 model schemas would YOU like to see us ship as part of SQL Server Modeling Services V1?

 

Thinking broadly, we can foresee creating schemas for following type of assets (just a bucket list).

· Conceptual Artifacts

o Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN)

o Unified Modeling Language (UML)

o Entity Relationship Models – Logical Data Model

· Implementation Artifacts

o .NET Assemblies (.dll/.exe)

o Native Assemblies

o Windows Communication Foundation (WCF)

o Windows Workflow Foundation (WF)

o WSDL/XSD

o DAC Application Packages (.dacpac)

o Web Deploy Application Packages (.zip)

o Build Scripts (Build Configuration)

o VS Project (*.*proj)

o Relationship to Source Control Store / Team Foundation Server

o Configuration Files (.config)

o Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)

o ASMX Web Services

o Windows Forms

o ASP.NET

o MSI Files

o BizTalk Orchestrations (.odx)

o Others (to be done by someone other than us)

§ Java Code (JAR)

§ Java Web Archives (WAR)

§ Eclipse Project

§ PHP

§ Ruby

o …

· Deployment, Configuration and Management Artifacts

o Windows Server AppFabric

o Windows IIS

o AppFabric Azure

o Microsoft Virtual Machine Manager – VHDs, etc.

o System Center content – monitoring, configuration, health, operations

o Machines, Data Center (CMDB)

o …

If you are a developer what type of applications are you writing (Web, Rich Client, Midddle-Tier, Frameworks, Tools, Cloud, ….)? If we were to bring the metadata about your applications into an easy-to-query database, what metadata about those applications would be interesting to you for change and impact analysis? Would you rather have a conceptual model that describes the application and not go deeper into individual technology implementations?

Thanks!