5 Part 5: V-Modell Reference Work Products

5.2 Overview of the Product Model of the V-Modell

5.2.2 Structural Product Dependencies

»System Architecture and »Enabling System Architecture describe the hierarchical structure of the »System and the »Enabling Systems. This hierarchical structure provides a logical structuring of the system and the corresponding enabling systems. However, it does not reflect the complete composition structure and the layout plan of the system. Accordingly, it does not show the complete communcation and interface structure. It is a logical, hierarchical structuring of the system. In the V-Modell, the rules governing the layout of this hierarchical structure are described by means of structural product dependencies.

Figure 6 shows these dependencies. A system may comprise any number of interleaved »Segments. Segments which are not subdivided into further segments consist of »Software Units, »Hardware Units and »External Units. External units are not subdivided further. Software and hardware units consist of any number of interleaved software or »Hardware Components. Software and hardware components which are not subdivided further consist of products of the type »Software Module or »Hardware Module. At hardware and software level, there are also products of the type »External Hardware Module or »External Software Module, which are not subdivided further.

The segment and component levels may be omitted, i.e., the software/hardware unit level may be directly below the system level, and the software/hardware module level may be directly below the software/hardware unit level.

In addition to a system, a »V-Modell Project can develop a number of »Enabling Systems. Every enabling system will be structured like a system. Any number of logistic support documentations may be prepared for the system and the enabling systems. A logistic support documentation is a set of documents which belong together with regard to contents, i.e., »In-Service Documentation and »Training Documentation, and - depending on the necessary logistic effort - additional »Maintenance Documentation, »Repair Documentation and »Spare Parts Catalog s .

Figure 6: Overview of Structural Product Dependencies