InformationWeek
Defining The Business Value Of Technology
September 20, 1999
The Science Of Visual ModelingBy James E. Gaskin
t's not rocket science, but it's close. Researchers who map the genetic content of humans, animals, plants, and microorganisms in an emerging science known as bioinformatics rely on visual modeling tools to do their work. At the National Center for Genomic Research, modeling helps turn data into useful information and gives scientists and programmers a common ground for communications.
The Santa Fe, N.M., research center chose GDPro from Advanced Software Technologies Inc. to help its research in bioinformatics, which integrates biology, mathematics, and computers. The models help researchers better understand genetics and develop practical applications in medicine and agriculture. "Visual tools help everyone," says Don Kiphart, a National Center software developer. GDPro runs on a Sun Microsystems HPC 10000, popularly known as a Starfire server, and Sun Unix and Windows NT workstations.
Before selecting GDPro, the cost-conscious nonprofit Genomic center explored using freeware tools designed for its Sun workstations, but found them too limited. That forced the center into the commercial arena. Besides GDPro, the center also looked at Rational Rose from Rational Software Corp. When it came to cost comparisons, a Rational Rose license-at about $10,000 for its environment-would have cost more than twice as much as a GDPro license. In addition, GDPro works on multiple platforms, and it offers better exchanges between the modeler and development tool-Rational Rose leaves embedded tags and markers in the code, while GDPro ships code back and forth without these markers.
Applications were developed in both modeling systems, and several other specific function evaluations helped the National Center choose GDPro. It was also more Unix- and Windows NT-friendly. Although the majority of processing is done on Sun computers, several programmers preferred using NT. GDPro had native versions for NT and Unix, but at the time of the decision in the fall of 1998, Rational Rose's Unix version required a Windows NT emulation layer. Unix-friendly programmers at the center felt comfortable with GDPro, a native Unix system. Kiphart especially appreciates the fact that GDPro is extensible using Perl, allowing programmers to use many of the same report scripts that they used with other applications for similar reports.
GDPro supports a central server approach, used by the National Center, which makes all changes to any model available to users in real time. Unix and Windows NT workstations are supported by the server. An offline mode runs at the local workstation, so private models can be kept private. Huge databases of gene descriptions intersect at a variety of points, creating complex and convoluted maps of genomes. National Center programmers write applications in Java for internal use and provide them for other researchers on the Web site. Creating applications to navigate such complicated databases requires a framework, which GDPro provides.
Visual modeling doesn't have to be used for rocket science or bioinformatics. Any time a team of programmers contribute to the final project, modeling tools can help the process, provide a necessary architectural framework, and offer a method of updating information between programmers. That's just good business.
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