Difference between revisions of "Second Life Grid Glossary"
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Please note that this glossary is specific to the SL Architecture Working Group and is intended for use only within the context of Second Life. The definitions are not expressed in a generic manner, and should not be interpreted that way. | Please note that this glossary is specific to the SL Architecture Working Group and is intended for use only within the context of Second Life. The definitions are not expressed in a generic manner, and should not be interpreted that way. | ||
=== Agent === | |||
: A entity (can be a real person or a bot) interacting via an avatar with other avatars (representing other agents) and with one or more regions. | : A entity (can be a real person or a bot) interacting via an avatar with other avatars (representing other agents) and with one or more regions. | ||
=== Architecture === | |||
: An abstraction (or mental model) of the SL system that corresponds to its system design. It is revealed through architectural descriptions and multiple views (ADV). | : An abstraction (or mental model) of the SL system that corresponds to its system design. It is revealed through architectural descriptions and multiple views (ADV). | ||
=== Architectural descriptions and views (ADV) === | |||
: Documents which describe (textually and/or graphically) how the various pieces of the SecondLife system fulfil their expected goals. More precisely, ADVs express in detail how the system architecture is conformant with the concerns expressed in viewpoints. Some examples follow. | : Documents which describe (textually and/or graphically) how the various pieces of the SecondLife system fulfil their expected goals. More precisely, ADVs express in detail how the system architecture is conformant with the concerns expressed in viewpoints. Some examples follow. | ||
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: For a ''scalability-oriented viewpoint'', ADVs describe the relevant system resource pools and their capacities, the flow paths with special highlighting of choke points, the bandwidth of all links and access mechanisms, and the expected mathematical scalability of key elements. | : For a ''scalability-oriented viewpoint'', ADVs describe the relevant system resource pools and their capacities, the flow paths with special highlighting of choke points, the bandwidth of all links and access mechanisms, and the expected mathematical scalability of key elements. | ||
=== Asset === | |||
: some entity which can be transferred from agent to agent or from agent to region or from region to agent. It can be something like an object, texture, sound, link, landmark | : some entity which can be transferred from agent to agent or from agent to region or from region to agent. It can be something like an object, texture, sound, link, landmark | ||
: An asset basically is a piece of data plus some meta data (also called properties). | : An asset basically is a piece of data plus some meta data (also called properties). | ||
=== Avatar === | |||
: The representation of an agent in a region (or somewhere else, like on the web) | : The representation of an agent in a region (or somewhere else, like on the web) | ||
=== Meta data === | |||
: part of an asset. Contains data about (meta) the asset data itself; for example, permissions, owner UUID, creator UUID. | : part of an asset. Contains data about (meta) the asset data itself; for example, permissions, owner UUID, creator UUID. | ||
=== Permissions === | |||
: A kind of license digest that specifies what rights the creator of an asset grants to a user of that asset (or what rights she doesn't want to grant) [see also [[Protecting content in an open grid]]] | : A kind of license digest that specifies what rights the creator of an asset grants to a user of that asset (or what rights she doesn't want to grant) [see also [[Protecting content in an open grid]]] | ||
=== Region === | |||
: Some space. It can have any form. It can be grouped together with other regions. It is part of a region domain. | : Some space. It can have any form. It can be grouped together with other regions. It is part of a region domain. | ||
=== Region domain === | |||
: Set of regions group operated by the same service provider. | : Set of regions group operated by the same service provider. | ||
=== Resource === | |||
: Any finite architectural component or property or behaviour that is subject to exhaustion or which can become a bottleneck to system performance. Resources are the primary focus in designing for scalability. Examples: client-server bandwidth, agent pool depth, database access mechanism, locks, transaction times, utilities, services. | : Any finite architectural component or property or behaviour that is subject to exhaustion or which can become a bottleneck to system performance. Resources are the primary focus in designing for scalability. Examples: client-server bandwidth, agent pool depth, database access mechanism, locks, transaction times, utilities, services. | ||
=== Scalability === | |||
: The ability of a system to grow effectively ''in a given dimension'' in proportion to the amount of resource or capacity provided. The given dimension is often associated with a related dimension. A specific system may attempt to be ''scaled'' by adding resources, but this is effective only if the system is ''scalable''. Example: scalability in the number of avatars at an event, viewed against the size of the user population, in proportion to the hardware allocated. | : The ability of a system to grow effectively ''in a given dimension'' in proportion to the amount of resource or capacity provided. The given dimension is often associated with a related dimension. A specific system may attempt to be ''scaled'' by adding resources, but this is effective only if the system is ''scalable''. Example: scalability in the number of avatars at an event, viewed against the size of the user population, in proportion to the hardware allocated. | ||
=== Service === | |||
: A Web Services invocable resource which performs some task on behalf of a region | : A Web Services invocable resource which performs some task on behalf of a region | ||
=== Simulation (sim) === | |||
: A computation over time that mimics real world events within a part of the virtual world. | : A computation over time that mimics real world events within a part of the virtual world. | ||
=== Stakeholder === | |||
: Anyone who has a ''technical'' viewpoint that impacts on AWG work on system architecture. | : Anyone who has a ''technical'' viewpoint that impacts on AWG work on system architecture. | ||
: Non-technical viewpoints exist and have validity, but do not fall within the current scope. | : Non-technical viewpoints exist and have validity, but do not fall within the current scope. | ||
=== Utility === | |||
: A Service, or collection of services which provides a utility which does not manifest as a region, agent or avatar within the virtual world. Examples: Currency, Identity, Asset Storage, Messaging, Presence, Topology Management. | : A Service, or collection of services which provides a utility which does not manifest as a region, agent or avatar within the virtual world. Examples: Currency, Identity, Asset Storage, Messaging, Presence, Topology Management. | ||
=== Viewer === | |||
: A program which (possibly) controls an agent (eventually inside a region) | : A program which (possibly) controls an agent (eventually inside a region) | ||
=== Viewpoint === | |||
: A set of related concerns about the architecture, and the representations or views used to describe the architecture to address those concerns. Examples: Client viewpoint, Client UI viewpoint, Functional viewpoint, REST Services viewpoint, Scalability viewpoint, Region Scalability viewpoint, Network viewpoint, Manpower viewpoint. | : A set of related concerns about the architecture, and the representations or views used to describe the architecture to address those concerns. Examples: Client viewpoint, Client UI viewpoint, Functional viewpoint, REST Services viewpoint, Scalability viewpoint, Region Scalability viewpoint, Network viewpoint, Manpower viewpoint. | ||
[[Category:Architecture Working Group]] | [[Category:Architecture Working Group]] | ||
[[Category:AWGroupies]] | [[Category:AWGroupies]] | ||
Revision as of 02:48, 13 October 2007
Words with specific meanings within the project, defined so that discussions can be concise and misunderstandings fewer. We also encourage you to take a look at the IEEE 1471 article on designing an effective system architecture which addresses all of the project goals.
Please note that this glossary is specific to the SL Architecture Working Group and is intended for use only within the context of Second Life. The definitions are not expressed in a generic manner, and should not be interpreted that way.
Agent
- A entity (can be a real person or a bot) interacting via an avatar with other avatars (representing other agents) and with one or more regions.
Architecture
- An abstraction (or mental model) of the SL system that corresponds to its system design. It is revealed through architectural descriptions and multiple views (ADV).
Architectural descriptions and views (ADV)
- Documents which describe (textually and/or graphically) how the various pieces of the SecondLife system fulfil their expected goals. More precisely, ADVs express in detail how the system architecture is conformant with the concerns expressed in viewpoints. Some examples follow.
- For an operational flow viewpoint, ADVs describe how system components interact with one another by describing their relations, protocols and message formats.
- For a scalability-oriented viewpoint, ADVs describe the relevant system resource pools and their capacities, the flow paths with special highlighting of choke points, the bandwidth of all links and access mechanisms, and the expected mathematical scalability of key elements.
Asset
- some entity which can be transferred from agent to agent or from agent to region or from region to agent. It can be something like an object, texture, sound, link, landmark
- An asset basically is a piece of data plus some meta data (also called properties).
Avatar
- The representation of an agent in a region (or somewhere else, like on the web)
Meta data
- part of an asset. Contains data about (meta) the asset data itself; for example, permissions, owner UUID, creator UUID.
Permissions
- A kind of license digest that specifies what rights the creator of an asset grants to a user of that asset (or what rights she doesn't want to grant) [see also Protecting content in an open grid]
Region
- Some space. It can have any form. It can be grouped together with other regions. It is part of a region domain.
Region domain
- Set of regions group operated by the same service provider.
Resource
- Any finite architectural component or property or behaviour that is subject to exhaustion or which can become a bottleneck to system performance. Resources are the primary focus in designing for scalability. Examples: client-server bandwidth, agent pool depth, database access mechanism, locks, transaction times, utilities, services.
Scalability
- The ability of a system to grow effectively in a given dimension in proportion to the amount of resource or capacity provided. The given dimension is often associated with a related dimension. A specific system may attempt to be scaled by adding resources, but this is effective only if the system is scalable. Example: scalability in the number of avatars at an event, viewed against the size of the user population, in proportion to the hardware allocated.
Service
- A Web Services invocable resource which performs some task on behalf of a region
Simulation (sim)
- A computation over time that mimics real world events within a part of the virtual world.
Stakeholder
- Anyone who has a technical viewpoint that impacts on AWG work on system architecture.
- Non-technical viewpoints exist and have validity, but do not fall within the current scope.
Utility
- A Service, or collection of services which provides a utility which does not manifest as a region, agent or avatar within the virtual world. Examples: Currency, Identity, Asset Storage, Messaging, Presence, Topology Management.
Viewer
- A program which (possibly) controls an agent (eventually inside a region)
Viewpoint
- A set of related concerns about the architecture, and the representations or views used to describe the architecture to address those concerns. Examples: Client viewpoint, Client UI viewpoint, Functional viewpoint, REST Services viewpoint, Scalability viewpoint, Region Scalability viewpoint, Network viewpoint, Manpower viewpoint.