05 Fakultät Informatik, Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://elib.uni-stuttgart.de/handle/11682/6
Browse
1 results
Search Results
Item Open Access Architectural refactoring to microservices : a quality-driven methodology for modernizing monolithic applications(2024) Fritzsch, Jonas; Wagner, Stefan (Prof. Dr.)Context and Problem: The microservices architectural style has revolutionized the way modern software systems are developed and operated, and has become the de facto standard for cloud-based applications. However, existing systems are often designed as monoliths, which are associated with inflexible processes, long release cycles, and an architecture incapable of leveraging the advantages of cloud environments. The adoption of microservices would require an architectural refactoring, entailing redevelopments of parts or even the entire application. Often associated with extensive manual effort, the targeted, quality-oriented, and semi-automated decomposition into a set of self-contained services remains problematic. Software architects look for resource-efficient ways to provide predictable results and guidance in this highly individual process. Objective: To systematically guide software architects and developers in modernizing their software systems, we seek to provide a holistic methodology for systematic and quality-driven migrations towards microservices. As part of it, we search solutions for the targeted and automated decomposition into services, and ways to support a quality-oriented design based on established patterns and best practices. Our work aims to provide industry-relevant methods that address the gap between academia and practice by facilitating the transfer of knowledge. Methods: In an overarching design science research process, we create a migration methodology that we implement as a web-based application. For analysis and evaluation, we apply established methods in empirical software engineering, such as case study research, surveys, and semi-structured interviews with experts. Our secondary research to summarize the current state of scientific advances relies on consecutive literature searches and rapid reviews, a lightweight method derived from systematic reviews. Contributions: Based on two primary empirical interview studies with 25 software professionals, we collected evidence on the intentions, strategies, and challenges of migrating monolithic applications to microservices, complemented by requirements for tool support and automation. Over four iterations, we reviewed 110 scientific publications on approaches for architectural refactoring and migration to microservices. To guide architects and developers in a migration process, we conceptualized a framework, along with a dedicated quality model that reflects a quality-driven migration process. Based on latest technologies and a modern user interface design, we realized our concept as a web-based application in an agile development process with early involvement of potential users. In a multi-faceted evaluation, we examined its ability to provide actionable guidance for practitioners. To this end, we conducted three surveys and one interview study with a total of 26 participants, complemented by two longitudinal case studies in an industrial context. Conclusion: We propose a holistic methodology for modernizing monolithic applications to microservices that comprises a framework and a dedicated quality model. Our contributions support architects in making informed decisions about microservices adoption, and furthermore guide them through a systematic transformation process. The evaluations showed an overall positive result in terms of effectiveness, usefulness, and usability, while both case studies demonstrated a successful application in an industrial environment. By sharing important study artifacts, we support researchers developing industry-focused methods, who can profit from our insights and experiences. Moreover, we regard our design science approach to leveraging academic research by practice as transferable to other scientific disciplines.