Three offices, three designs
A company opens three offices in a year. Three different technicians design the IT for each. One uses one make of switch, one uses another, and the third wires everything differently.
When a switch fails in the third office, the spare parts do not fit and the notes do not exist.
Good architecture stops this.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Solution architecture | the design of how the parts of one IT solution fit together |
| Reuse | using something that already exists and works, instead of making it again |
| Documentation | written and drawn records of how a solution is built and run |
| Architecture framework | an agreed method and shared words for designing architecture |
| TOGAF | a well-known architecture framework from The Open Group |
| Enterprise architecture | the design of the whole organisation: its business, data, software and technology |
| Alignment | making sure a design fits with the larger plan around it |
| Hardware | the physical parts of a system, such as servers, switches and cables |
| Requirement | something the solution must do |
| Capacity | how much work a part can handle |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can explain why reuse and documentation matter, how architecture applies to hardware, and what frameworks and enterprise architecture are for.
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What solution architecture is
Solution architecture is the design of how the parts of one solution fit together. The parts are the hardware, the software, the data and the people.
It answers: what do we build, from what, and why this way? It turns each requirement into a plan that many people can follow.
The importance of reuse
Reuse means using designs, parts and services that already exist and work.
It saves time and money. Reused parts are already tested, so there are fewer surprises. It also makes the estate the same everywhere, so spare parts fit and staff know what to expect.
The importance of documentation
Documentation is the written and drawn record: diagrams, lists of equipment, settings and the reasons for decisions.
Without it, the design lives in one person's head. When that person leaves, nobody can fix it. With it, a new technician can pick up the work in a day.
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3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.