This exercise involves developing COCOMO II software cost estimates for a Library Information System (LIS).

LSI Architecture Summary: SoCal University (SCU) has three major campuses, each of which has a main library which will provide LSI services. Each of three campuses operates a server running a COTS client-server library services package. The COTS package provides Internet capabilities enabling a client at any campus to deal with any of three servers.

The SCU Library, Computer Sciences Department, and Computing Services Operation have been funded to develop an experimental Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) system to provide SCU users with information about new library acquisitions of interest. It will do this by comparing attributes of new library acquisitions with interest profiles provided by library users.

The SDI software will acquire data on recent library acquisitions, compare it with library user interest profiles, generate user notices, and support query, browsing, and request functions for the new acquisitions. It will have a number of subsidiary functions for user interest profile management, access control, user interface functions, and usage monitoring. It will communicate with users via the COTS client-server package.

Candidate Software Functions

• User Interest Profile Management (3.5 KSLOC). User interest profile creation, deletion, update, query, etc.
• Access Control. Basic password access control. Assume this component is modified from a 6 KSLOC code base with 10% design modification, 20% code modification, 50% of integration required, AA=2 and SU=25.
• Acquisition Data Handling and Profile Checking (5 KSLOC). Acquisition record and file access, validity checking, logging, storage, etc. Determination of matches between acquisition and interest profiles.
• User Interface and Services (15 KSLOC).
• Usage Monitoring (4 KSLOC). Recording and summarizing system usage by time of day/week/year, by user attributes, by acquisition attributes.
• Trend Analysis (4.5 KSLOC). Extrapolation of rates of increase, decrease, or cyclical trends in services.
• Library network access (7.5 KSLOC). Extension of acquisition notification to cover acquisitions from a regional network of 10 additional universities.
• COTS integration. Software needed to integrate SDI functions with COTS library information functions:
  • 4 KSLOC for processor X;
  • 7.5 KSLOC for processor Y.

COCOMO II software development and cost drivers
Some of the COCOMO II cost drivers are associated with hardware options. Below are the ratings determined for the reminder of the LSI system cost drivers. Most of them are the same for all of the candidate software functions except for the differences noted.

Effort Multipliers:

• RELY Nominal, except for Access Control, which is High
• DATA Very High
• CPLX Nominal, except for Access Control (Very High) and COTS Integration (High)
• RUSE Nominal
• DOCU Low
• STOR Nominal
• PVOL Low
• ACAP High
• PCAP High
• AEXP Very Low
• PCON Very High
• LTEX High
• SITE High
• SCED Nominal
  

Scale Factors:

• PREC Low
• FLEX Nominal
• RESL Nominal
• TEAM High
• PMAT Low

Hardware Options

There are two hardware options for SDI functions. Processor X is a more mature but slower processor, with better tool support. Processor Y is a fast, new processor with a lower level of tool support and virtual machine experience. A summary of their comparative cost/performance/risk feature is as follows:

1) Develop a pair of software development cost and schedule estimates for the LSI system, one for a system with Processor X and one using Processor Y. Use $6,300/person-month as the cost for all personnel. Report your results using the MBASE lifecycle. Then compare the total costs for each solution including the hardware purchases.