The new IBM Rational Systems Developer, which IBM described as a peer to its Rational Application Developer, transforms Unified Modeling Language (UML) 2.0 graphical representation of code into C++, Java or Common Object Request Broker Architecture, according to IBM executives. The Eclipse-based tool is designed for users working under industry-specific regulations and enables them to trace those regulatory requirements from design to implementation, said Roger Oberg, IBM Rational vice president of marketing.

For example, in the defense industry, the tool can help engineers comply with mandatory military systems requirements -- the U.S. Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DODAF) -- by providing standardized views and reports on the system architecture.

"It can help comply with any of the systems-related requirements that come from outside an organization," Oberg said. "It associates the design ... to the requirements themselves. When you're audited for compliance on any subject, if you can demonstrate the models associated with the implementation ... you're in a good position to defend your compliance."

In addition, companies can use the tool to create models to plan how to build a service-oriented architecture in components, he added.

"It can visualize architecture, allow you to figure out at what level of granularity you want your architecture to be modularized," Oberg added. "You can use it to help define those parts of systems that can leverage Web services interfaces."