第10章エンタープライズアーキテクチャーとソリューションアーキテクチャーの管理

While the architectural design approach leads the way to pattern-based design, patterns themselves may not always be sufficient to develop a complete design. In some cases, it may be necessary to provide a framework. Remember that a framework is an implementation-specific skeletal subsystem for design work. Mini-architecture provides the generic structure and behavior for a family of software abstractions. Memes (i.e., metaphors) specify the subsystems’ collaboration within a given domain. You can reuse the mini-architectures along with a meme to create the framework, which is not an architectural pattern but rather a skeleton with a collection of “plug points” that enable the framework to be adapted to a specific problem domain. The plug points—also called hooks and slots—enable you to integrate problem-specific classes or functionality within the skeleton. Therefore, a framework defines the architecture of a family of subsystems, provides the basic building blocks to create them, and defines where adaptations for specific functionality should be made. In general, patterns can be used to describe the framework as information about the system and the frameworks are software that defines a generic design.

A software stack is a collection of independent components or subsystems such as operating systems, protocols, databases, architectural layers, and function calls that work together to support the execution of an application. As architectural models are being transitioned into implementation architectures, it is necessary to identify specific products that may be used as part of the implementation. This is where the selection of product/software stacks takes place. For example, a choice may be to select among IBM, Oracle, or Microsoft product stacks such as Dynamic 365 (or a combination) to implement a particular architecture.

Figure 10.47 is an example of a simple software stack for a website implementation. The stack consists of a user interface, application layer, application infrastructure, and tech infrastructure.

Once a software stack is selected, various products can be added via callouts on the corresponding implementation architecture blueprint.

Global issues in technology can have significant implications for solution architecture management worldwide. Solution architecture management needs to address data protection regulations, ensure secure handling of sensitive data, and implement robust security measures to safeguard against cyber threats. Complying with the European Union’s GDPR requires organizations to implement strict data privacy controls. This, in turn, influences the design of global IT solutions as they must account for local and regional regulations.

As we discussed before, design patterns address general structural principles; in contrast, idioms represent low-level patterns that describe how to solve implementation-specific problems in a programming language, such as managing memory in C++ or Java.

As architectural models get transitioned into implementation architectures, it becomes necessary to specify how architectural and design patterns are realized practically within the solution. This mapping actually starts at a high level with the architectural styles themselves. For example, a BPM architectural style may be realized via the selection of an enterprise REST Services and with a corresponding product such as MuleSoft. This subsequently dictates the use of specific implementation patterns and idioms specific to the MuleSoft product stack.