Data Center Architecting

Definition

Data center architecting is the subclass of architecting during which the architecture of a data center is produced.

Goals

The typical goals of the data center architecting subactivity are to:

• Produce a extensible maintainable architecture for a data center that will adequately support all associated applications.

Objectives

The typical objectives of the data center architecting subactivity are to:

• Determine the data components including:
  • Databases
• Determine the hardware components including:
  • Server Computers
  • Network Connectivity Devices
  • Support Hardware
• Determine the software components including:
  • Applications
  • Web, Application, and Database Server Software

Examples

Examples of data center architecting include:

• Architecting a new data center.
• Rearchitecting an existing data center.

Preconditions

Data center architecting typically may begin when the following preconditions hold:

• The initiation phase has started.
• The architecture team is initially staffed and adequately trained in data center architecting.
• Some architecturally significant requirements have been specified.

Completion Criteria

Data center architecting is typically complete when the following postconditions hold:

• The data center architecture has been documented in the:
  • System Architecture Document (Data Center information)
  • Data Center Architecture Document
• These deliverable documents in the architecture work product set have:
  • Passed evaluation.
  • Been delivered to the customer organization.
  • Been accepted by the customer representative.

Tasks

Data center architecting typically involves the following producers performing the following architecting tasks in an iterative, incremental, parallel, and time-boxed:

• Architecture Team, which performs:
  • Architecture Reuse
  • Technology Partner Selection
  • Technology Vendor Selection
  • Architectural Patterns Selection
  • Logical Architecture Production
  • Physical Architecture Production
  • Architectural Mechanism Production
  • Architecture Prototyping
  • Architecture Documentation
  • Architecture Integrity Assurance

Environments

Data center architecting is typically performed using the following environment(s) and associated tools:

• Engineering Environment:
  • Whiteboards
  • Word processing tool
  • Modeling tools

Work Products

• System Architecture Document
• Data Center Architecture Document

Guidelines

• The data center architecting subactivity is not needed unless a data center is to be produced.