One Day when I am enjoying my off day at home, my cousin Ankit who was studying in school came to me. And he asked some interesting questions about system architecture.
Ankit: These days we are studying about system architecture but I am not getting what it is?
I: System architecture is the design or set of relations between the parts of a system; it is about designing a system according to the needs of the user. It is about fitting data and applications in a logical way according to the need of the user.
Ankit: This is what I am reading all these days but I am not been able to understand it, can’t you describe it in any other way?
I: Let’s take it in a simple way. Let us take an example of building a home, we would first lay out the floor plans, grouping each room by function and placing structural items within each room according to their best utility. What it is? It is architecture. Similarly, moving from home design to IT system design does not change the process. Grouping data and processes into information systems creates the rooms of the system architecture. Arranging the data and applications for the best utility is the result of deploying architecture.
Ankit: Now I am getting a little bit of it. Are there any rules of building it?
I: Yes. The basic principle is that, data must be logically distinct from applications i.e. data must not be embedded within the application.
Ankit: How we distinguish between different types of system architectures?
I: They are differentiated on the basis of arrangement of data and applications within the system.
Ankit: Can you tell me about different types of architecture.
I: ok, basically we divide architecture system into single tier, two tier, three tier and multi tier. In single tier data and applications are physically on the same device but they are logically separated. In two tire architecture data and applications become physically distinct i.e. data stored on server and applications are stored on individual machines. In three tier system, we even separated business centric applications from general application. The main business application is stored on one central system and user interface on individual machines. The main benefit of doing this is that it reduces data transfer over the network. We can even upgrade this system to multi tier architecture by connecting it to internet.
Ankit: I think that’s more than enough for me. Otherwise I will go crazy.
I: I also feel the same way. Do you want to join me for a cup of tea?
Ankit: of course.
good