Building Blocks

Question 1

Building block

Answer 1

• A package of functionality defined to meet business needs across an organization.
• A building block has published interfaces to access functionality.
• A building block may interoperate with other, possibly inter-dependent building blocks.

Question 2

Characteristics of a good building block

Answer 2

• It considers implementation and usage, and evolves to exploit technology and standards
• It may be assembled from other building blocks
• It may be a subassembly of other building blocks
• Ideally, a building block is re-usable and replaceable, and well specified with stable interfaces
• Its specification should be loosely coupled to its implementation, so that it can be realized in several ways without impacting the building block specification

Question 3

An architecture is a composition of:

Answer 3

• A set of building blocks depicted in an architectural model
• A specification of how those building blocks are connected to meet the overall requirements of an information system

Question 4

Systems are built from collections of buildings blocks. They can be defined at many levels of detail:

Answer 4

• Groupings at a functional level, such as a customer database, are known as Architecture Building Blocks
• Real products or specific custom developments are known as Solution Building Blocks

Question 5

Architecture Building Blocks

Answer 5

• Architecture documentation and models from the enterprise’s Architecture Repository classified according to the Architecture Continuum.
• They are defined or selected during application of the ADM – mainly in Phases A, B, C, and D.

Question 6

ABBs characteristics

Answer 6

• They define what functionality will be implemented
• They capture architecture requirements; e.g., Business, Data, Application, and Technology requirements
• They direct and guide the development of Solution Building Blocks

Question 7

ABB specifications

Answer 7

• Fundamental functionality and attributes: semantic, unambiguous, including security capability and manageability
• Interfaces: chosen set, supplied
• Interoperability and relationship to other building blocks
• Dependent building blocks with required functionality and named user interfaces
• Map to business/organizational entities and policies

Question 8

Solution Building Blocks

Answer 8

• Relate to the Solutions Continuum.
• Are implementations of the architectures identified in the enterprise’s Architecture Continuum and may be either procured or developed.
• SBBs appear in Phase E of the ADM where product-specific building blocks are considered for the first time.
• SBBs define what products and components will implement the functionality, thereby defining the implementation.

Question 9

SBBs characteristics

Answer 9

• They define what products and components will implement the functionality
• They define the implementation
• They fulfill business requirements
• They are product or vendor-aware

Question 10

SBB specifications

Answer 10

• Specific functionality and attributes
• Interfaces: the implemented set
• Required SBBs used with required functionality and names of interfaces used
• Mapping from the SBBs to the IT topology and operational policies
• Specifications of attributes shared such as security, manageability, scalability
• Performance, configurability
• Design drivers and constraints including physical architecture
• Relationships between the SBBs and ABBs

Question 11

Building Blocks and the ADM

Answer 11

• In Phase A, the earliest building block definitions start as relatively abstract entities within the Architecture Vision.
• In Phases B, C, and D building blocks within the Business, Data, Application, and Technology Architectures are evolved to a common pattern of steps.
• Finally, in Phase E the building blocks become more implementation-specific as SBBs are identified to address gaps.

Question 12

Architecture Patterns

Answer 12

• A way of putting building blocks into context
• Building blocks are what you use; patterns can tell you how you use them, when, why, and what trade-offs you have to make in doing that.
• Help to identify combinations of Architecture and/or Solution Building Blocks (ABBs/SBBs) that have been proven to deliver effective solutions in the past, and may provide the basis for effective solutions in the future.