Dragon1 defines application architecture as 1) the total concept of an application landscape and 2) the total application concept of an organization or chain or network of organizations.
Types of Application Architectures
As with buildign architecture an application architecture is of a specific type or style when there is a certain concept, principle or element dominant.
Suppose a hospital has many Windows Applications and all these applications are monolitic (meaning they don't consist of replacable modules), and that these two aspects dominate everything and every change, one could that that the type of application architecture for that hospital is a Monolithic Win32 Application Architecture.
Dragon1 suggest that every organization should be aware of the reference architectures in its industry or branche and what type of application architecture best fits their organization size and ambition.
Overview of Common Application Concepts and Principles
Of course any organization is unique. But that said there many applicatio concepts every organization uses, like for instance Windows 32 and monolithic application.
Below is a summarization of common application concepts.
The reason many organizations have these concepts as part of their current state application architecture, is because the IT solution they boguth had them embbed.
Common Application Concepts:
- Windows 32 Application
- Monolithic Application
- Three tier application
Application Architecture Principle Details Diagram Example
Below....
Application Architecture Diagram Example
Below is an example AA diagram with domains, concepts and principles. You can of course add other elements to it, like building bloxks, standards etc...
Application Landscape with AA Principles Projects
THe proof of the pudding is in the eating.
With AA we want to suport decision making and guide innovation projects. So everything that is not compliant to principles (that are requried because of the strategy) blocks realizing business goals.
Visualizations showing this (as issue and with a solution) wil support decison making and guide work in projects.