Generic service and protocol structures

Service and protocol structures are presented in the context of a design methodology, referred to as the LotoSphere design methodology. This methodology provides a basis for motivating and refining specification structures. First some structuring principles are outlined. These principles are then applied to generic service and protocol design. The resulting structures are expressed in the formal description technique LOTOS. The usefulness of the predefined specification structures in the architectural phase of distributed system design is discussed.