Distribution Architecture

Definitions

Distribution Architecture: an architecture that documents the allocation of one or more data componentsdata and/or software components across hardware components

Responsibilities

The typical responsibilities of a Distribution Architecture are to:

Document how software and data components are to be distributed across hardware components.

The typical contents of a Distribution Architecture are:

Architectural Views:
- Allocation of software components to hardware components
- Allocation of software components to hardware components
- Ancillary Text:
  - Rationale for allocation including:
    - Impact of allocation of the achievement of architecturally-significant requirements
Stakeholders

The typical stakeholders of a Distribution Architecture are:
- Producers:
  - Architecture Team
- Evaluators:
  - Architecture Evaluation Team
  - Customer Organization, which evaluates the architecture for feasibility and appropriateness
- Approvers:
- Maintainers:
  - Architecture Team
- Users:
  - Software Development Team
Phases

A distribution architecture typically is produced during the following phases:
- Business Strategy: Not Applicable
- Business Optimization: Not Applicable
- Initiation: Started
- Construction: Completed
- Delivery: Maintained
- Usage: Maintained
- Retirement: Archived
Preconditions

A distribution architecture typically can be started if the following preconditions hold:
- The initiation phase is started.
- The architecture team has been staffed and trained in architecting.
Inputs

The typical inputs to a distribution architecture include:
- Work Products:
  - System Requirements Specification
- Stakeholders:
  - TBD
Guidelines
- TBD.
Conventions

A distribution architecture is typically constrained by the following conventions:
- Work Flow
- Content and Format Standard
- Inspection Checklist
Examples
- Client/Server Distribution Architecture
- N-Tier Distribution Architecture

Distribution Architecture

Definitions

Preconditions