Information Systems Modelling Using LOOPN++, An Object Petri Net Scheme

There have been significant recent developments in high level specification schemes for modelling information systems using formalisms based on petri nets. In particular, the application of object-based design principles have produced high level petri nets which can be used to model large complex systems. This paper discusses a new language and modelling scheme, known as LOOPN++, which fully integrates the concepts of object-oriented language design and model building into a coloured petri net system. The completeness and clarity of LOOPN++ are discussed with respect to its use in the dynamic modelling of information systems. 1. Introduction Petri Nets have been popular as a formal modelling technique and a practical tool for the description, analysis and simulation of concurrent computer systems (Jensen 1990; Reisig 1985; Reisig 1992). Much of the work on petri nets has focussed on their mathematical properties and their ability to accurately model components of systems. Relatively l..