The specification and conformance of ODP systems

Open Distributed Processing (ODP) is a joint standardisation activity of the ISO and ITU. A reference model has been defined which describes an architecture for building open distributed systems. This paper introduces the key aspects of the reference model of open distributed processing, including the ODP conformance framework. We discuss how specific formal techniques are used in the ODP viewpoints, along with the implications for conformance assessment using such techniques. Particular attention is given to the role of consistency in the conformance assessment process. Finally, we review the current work on an ODP conformance testing methodology.