computer science

Solution architecture

Solution architecture is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Solution architecture rather than just read about it. In short: Solution architecture is a term used in information technology with various definitions, such as "a description of a discrete and focused business operation or activity and how IS/IT supports that operation". Definitions The Open Group's definition of solution architecture, as provided above, is accompanied by the following three from Scaled Agile, Gartner and Greefhorst/Proper.

Key takeaways

Solution architecture belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Solution architecture to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Solution architecture from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Definitions The Open Group's definition of solution architecture, as provided above, is accompanied by the following three from Scaled Agile, Gartner and Greefhorst/Proper. The Open Group does not recognize the role "solution architect" in its TOGAF skills framework; on the other hand, Glassdoor advertised 55,000 Solution Architect roles in August 2020.

Scaled agile (2020): Solution Architect/Engineering is responsible for defining and communicating a shared technical and architectural vision across a "Solution Train" to help ensure the system or Solution under development is fit for its intended purpose. Gartner (2013): A solution architecture (SA) is an architectural description of a specific solution. SAs combine guidance from different enterprise architecture viewpoints (business, information and technical), as well as from the enterprise solution architecture (ESA). Greefhorst and Proper (2013): An architecture of a solution, where a solution is a system that offers a coherent set of functionalities to its environment. As such, it concerns those properties of a solution that are necessary and sufficient to meet its essential requirements A typical property of solution architecture, in contrast to other types of Enterprise Architecture, is that it often seeks to define a solution within the context of a project or initiative. This close association to actual projects and initiatives means that solution architecture is the means to execute or realise a technology strategy.

Coverage According to Forrester Research, solution architecture is one of the key components by which Enterprise Architecture delivers value to the organization. It entails artifacts such as a solution business context, a solution vision and requirements, solution options (e.g. through RFIs, RFPs or prototype development) and an agreed optimal solution with build and implementation plans ("road-map"). Since The Open Group does not recognize a unique Solution Architect role, a relevant link for these mentioned artifacts can be to the Business and Systems Analyst roles. The Open Group's definition of solution architecture is broader than Forrester's (see aforementioned definition). According to a 2013 paper published by the Federation of Enterprise Architecture Professional Organizations, solution architecture includes business architecture, information architecture, application architecture, and technology architecture operating at a tactical level and focusing on the scope and span of a selected business problem. In contrast, enterprise architecture, which also includes the aforementioned four types of architecture, operates at the strategic level and its scope and span is the enterprise rather than a specific business problem.

See also Architecture patterns, hereunder enterprise architecture (EA) reference architectures Segment architecture

References

Further reading Banerjee, Jaidip, and Sohel Aziz. "SOA: the missing link between enterprise architecture and solution architecture." SETLabs briefing 5.2 (2007): 69-80. Chen, Graham, and Qinzheng Kong. "Integrated management solution architecture." Network Operations and Management Symposium, 2000. NOMS 2000. 2000 IEEE/IFIP. IEEE, 2000. Gulledge, Thomas, et al. "Solution architecture alignment for logistics portfolio management." International Journal of Services and Standards 1.4 (2005): 401-413. Shan, Tony Chao, and Winnie W. Hua. "Solution architecture for n-tier applications." Services Computing, 2006. SCC'06. IEEE International Conference on. IEEE, 2006. Slot, Raymond, Guido Dedene, and Rik Maes. "Business value of solution architecture." Advances in Enterprise Engineering II. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2009. 84-108.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Solution architecture

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Solution architecture claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Solution architecture before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Solution architecture ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Solution architecture

In research: Solution architecture appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Solution architecture in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Solution architecture is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Enterprise architecture, Software architecture, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Solution architecture outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Solution architecture in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Solution architecture means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Solution architecture out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Solution architecture in simple terms?

Solution architecture is a term used in information technology with various definitions, such as "a description of a discrete and focused business operation or activity and how IS/IT supports that operation". Definitions The Open Group's definition of solution architecture, as provided above, is ac…

Why does Solution architecture matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Solution architecture?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Solution architecture.