The link model between IBM Rational DOORS and IBM Rational Quality Manager (RQM) is based on the concept of two links. For example, for every link from an RQM Test Case to a DOORS Requirement, there should also be a link from the DOORS Requirement to the RQM Testcase. This second link is called the 'backlink'. Not all OSLC integrations are implemented this way, some use link discovery. However backlinks are the implementation for DOORS 9 and RQM. See more details in: Back links and link discovery,
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYQBZ_9.6.0/com.ibm.doors.install.doc/topics/c_backlinks_linkdiscovery.html?lang=en
For the integration to work correctly and to ensure reporting is accurate, it is important that two links are always maintained. A failure to create or delete one
must result in user action.
The link is present in RQM but not in DOORS
The locking model of DOORS makes this the most common scenario. The user in RQM tries to create a link to a requirement in DOORS but it fails as someone in DOORS as the module open in edit mode. It will give a message : The changes to the link cannot be saved because the link target in the Rational DOORS project cannot be updated at this time. There are three options: Try again, Cancel or Save partial changes
If you "Cancel", nothing should happen. No link is created in either application.
If it's you who has the module open in edit mode in DOORS, close it in DOORS and check "Try again".
If you continue and "Save the partial changes", you have created a link from RQM to DOORS but not from DOORS to RQM. In DOORS, you could create the link to the RQM object via right click, links, new validated by. But also in RQM there is a way for checking the state of these links. See: Ability to see back link status in traceability view,
https://jazz.net/downloads/rational-quality-manager/milestones/4.0.1M4?p=news#backlink. The missing links are identified and can be fixed by the broken link icon.
The link is present in DOORS but not in RQM
This is less common but is seen most often if the RQM test case has been deleted. It can be corrected manually in DOORS by removing the Test Case link. The attached DXL can also be run if the issue is more extensive.
Ideally this situation should be avoided by deleting the link to the requirement before the test case is deleted. Access to deleting the test case could be restricted to users who know to do this.
Verifying the consistency
Other areas which could result in link inconsistency is Copying and Scripting (or any form of automation). Care must be taken that links are created and where relevant deleted in
both applications. It is not sufficient to create it in RQM or to just delete in DOORS.
The status of the links can be verified by looking at the traceability views in RQM.
https://jazz.net/downloads/rational-quality-manager/milestones/4.0.1M4?p=news#backlink
That can verify that the backlinks exist and that the requirement is covered by a test case in the relevant test plan.
Or the attached DXL can be used in DOORS.
External links: