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Microsoft "Oslo" Questions and Answers

Last Updated: March 2009

 

Also see Questions and Answers for:

 

Q: What is “Oslo”?

"Oslo" is the code name for Microsoft’s platform for model-driven applications.

 

Q: What are the specific components being delivered with “Oslo”?

There are three elements to our modeling platform investments:

  • Oslo Repository
    A shared database for linking together all of the various model artifacts across the Microsoft platform, leveraged across various Microsoft products. The repository is a SQL Server database for managing domain models and includes a library of pre-built models. It stores models as SQL Server schema objects and model instance data as rows in the tables that implement the schema.
  • Oslo modeling language (codenamed “M”)
    A new modeling language for authoring domains textually, providing a shared meta-model that enables developers to easily import/export models from the repository in an approachable, textual manner.
  • Oslo visual modeling tool (codenamed “Quadrant”)
    A modeling and composition tool for authoring domains visually, such as designing business processes with well-understood, flowchart-like graphics.

 

All three of these investments will help organizations remove boundaries and realize the potential of modeling in applications and services. Our goal with these investments is to take modeling mainstream and inspire efficient collaboration between the participants of the application lifecycle (business decision makers, analysts, developers, IT professionals, etc.). It also enables the application to be “designed for operations” to help make sure that the developer builds an application that can be easily managed, deployed, and evolved in a production data center environment.

 

Q: What are the major customer benefits delivered by Oslo?

          1.   Simplified Development

          “Oslo” will help provide greater levels of agility and productivity by greatly simplifying the development of applications. By putting model-driven innovation            directly into the .NET platform,developers can take advantage of a mainstream use of models for pre-built domains that easeand simplify application            development.

          2.   Visibility into Distributed Solutions

          “Oslo” will bring together a connected view of today’s models, which are often built in vertical, isolated silos. Building upon the existing and familiar            investments customers have already made in Microsoft platforms, while simultaneously opening up a rich new set of capabilities, “Oslo” will integrate with a            variety of Microsoft technologies including Windows Server, System Center, Visual Studio, and SQL Server. These connections will provide greater visibility            into the configuration of a solution that spans across multiple parts of the application platform.

          3.   Bridging the Gaps

          “Oslo” technologies will integrate with and enhance Microsoft lifecycle tooling in Visual Studio Team System and System Center to unite development and           management activities, helping information workers, developers, database architects, software architects, business analysts, and IT Professionals to better           collaborate across development and operations.

 

Q: What opportunities does ‘Oslo’ present for partners?

"Oslo" represents a set of technologies that will provide a robust platform on top of which our partners can build. We are currently working with a number of partners (such as the Business Process Alliance) who are interested in leveraging the "Oslo" platform. As we move further into the product schedule, we will organize a more formal Technology Adoption Program (TAP) to increase the number of partners we engage with.

 

Q: What will Oslo help developers vs. business analysts vs. IT Pros do better?

Developers will have the opportunity to develop application models textually or visually by choosing M or Quadrant, both of which provides a high amount of flexibility and accuracy. Developers will also benefit from having a shared repository that allows for central storage of application components; this will increase efficiency when developing composite applications.

Business Analysts could use Quadrant to have a visual representation of the application, and make real-time edits to that application using Quadrant, if they so choose, which then become “live” immediately due to the integration between the three components.

IT Professionals will benefit from having a central, shared data store that is built on technology they know and love today (SQL Server). A repository also helps reduce duplication, increase efficiency and use of all technology assets, and reduces communication challenges between developers who build applications and IT professionals who often deploy and manage them.

 

Q: How will the technologies from "Oslo" be packaged, branded, or sold?

We are not disclosing packaging or pricing at this time. However, we expect that “Oslo” will be made available across existing Microsoft product lines including Visual Studio and .NET Framework.

 

Q: What is the timeline for shipping "Oslo"?

We are not disclosing the release schedule at this time. We are committed to releasing regular Community Technology Previews (CTPs) and will engage with the developer community on an on-going basis. The Oslo Developer Center is the place to learn about the latest Oslo-related downloads.

 

Q: Is there an "Oslo" CTP?

A Community Technology Preview of the Oslo modeling platform is available today on the Oslo Developer Center. This includes the “M” language tools and the repository but not the “Quadrant” visual tool at this time.

 

Q: How does Oslo relate to, or take advantage of, Azure Services Platform?

As the platform for model-driven applications, “Oslo” does not make a distinction between on-premise or cloud applications. Microsoft’s Cloud platform makes use of models in many areas, including deployment, access control, and workflow. As such, we are working with a number of teams building cloud infrastructure and services to leverage various “Oslo” technologies. We expect to announce more details about this work in upcoming months.

 

Q: How does Oslo relate to SQL Server?

“Oslo” makes intensive use of SQL Server in a deep and rich way. One of the key design points of “Oslo” is the use of a natural and straightforward SQL database, the repository, for storage, editing, and sharing of models.  The “M” language supports the authoring of models for storage in SQL Server in a first class way. The “Quadrant” tool supports the editing of models in a SQL Server database. We view “Oslo” as an important step in bringing the power of SQL Server to the next-generation of model-driven applications.

 

Q: How does Oslo relate to the Entity Framework(EF)/Entity Data Model (EDM)?

EF and EDM are important technologies for Microsoft. “Oslo” full embraces EF/EDM as a primary mechanism for “Oslo”-based runtimes to access the repository. We are working closely with the Entity Framework team to enable this scenario. In addition, as we continue the development of “Oslo” we expect deeper alignment with EF/EDM. In particular, we expect that to have “Oslo” textual and visual DSLs for EDM and for these to play an important role in how application developers build model-driven applications.

 

Q: What is the relationship of your “Oslo” investments to Visual Studio?

The relationship between “Oslo” and Visual Studio is strong. The Oslo modeling tool, “Quadrant” is a member of the Visual Studio family, although we are not discussing packaging details at present. The “Oslo” modeling language, “M”, supports textual model authoring in Visual Studio. Lastly, the “Oslo” repository is fully accessible within Visual Studio. In general, models in Oslo can be edited using a variety of tools, including those with which users are already familiar (Visual Studio, BizTalk, Visio, etc.).

 

Q: Is "Oslo" shipping with the rest of the Visual Studio 2010 product line?

We are not currently disclosing schedules or packaging.

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