Software Architecture Concepts

Questions and Answers

What does the deployment structure primarily show?

The management of team responsibilities

How software elements are developed

How software is assigned to hardware and communication elements (correct)

The mapping of software elements to file structures

Which aspect is NOT typically reasoned about using the deployment structure?

Data integrity

Performance

Availability

Module integration (correct)

What is the primary purpose of the implementation structure?

To define communication pathways among teams

To assign teams to individual tasks

To map software elements to the file structure in development (correct)

To illustrate the deployment of software on hardware

How does the work assignment structure impact architecture?

It implies management decisions about team responsibilities Signup and view all the answers

What kind of relations exist between different architectural structures?

Many-to-many mappings Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true regarding a module in a decomposition structure?

It can be part of one or more components in another structure Signup and view all the answers

Architectural patterns allow for the composition of elements in order to:

Solve specific problems Signup and view all the answers

Which structure is primarily concerned with the assignment of responsibilities to teams?

Work assignment structure Signup and view all the answers

What are components in component-and-connector structures?

Runtime elements that have behavior Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following questions can component-and-connector views help answer?

What are the major shared data stores? Signup and view all the answers

What do allocation structures primarily show?

Relationships between software elements and external environments Signup and view all the answers

Why are structures important in software architecture?

They enhance analytical and engineering power. Signup and view all the answers

What relationship do allocation views help to clarify?

The execution environment of each software element. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following does NOT characterize a component-and-connector structure?

Static relationships defined during system design Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of a system’s properties can component-and-connector views analyze?

Performance and security Signup and view all the answers

Which question would NOT be relevant when considering allocation structures?

How can the system change its architecture dynamically? Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary characteristic of the decomposition structure?

It shows recursive module relationships. Signup and view all the answers

How does the uses structure benefit system engineering?

It allows for easy extraction of functional subsets. Signup and view all the answers

What role do layers play in a layered structure?

They enforce managed interfaces for services. Signup and view all the answers

What does an effective decomposition structure achieve in a system?

Localizes likely changes to improve modifiability. Signup and view all the answers

In a uses structure, what defines the relationship between modules?

One module's correctness depends on another's presence. Signup and view all the answers

What is another term for the primary units in a layer structure?

Layers Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of a system is highly influenced by its concurrency structure?

Performance and deadlock handling Signup and view all the answers

What aspect does the deployment structure significantly contribute to?

Performance, availability, and security goals Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of software architecture?

It comprises software elements and their relationships. Signup and view all the answers

Why is a small number of ways for components to interact recommended in architectural design?

To enhance system modifiability and understandability. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes component-and-connector structures?

They show elements with runtime behavior and their interactions. Signup and view all the answers

What does modifiability in a software system imply?

Adjustments can be made easily without affecting the entire system. Signup and view all the answers

What is the benefit of having resource contention areas clearly specified in an architecture?

It clarifies how to manage shared resources. Signup and view all the answers

Which structure illustrates the relationship between a system and its external environment?

Allocation structures Signup and view all the answers

What is a key implication of stating that every system has a software architecture?

It emphasizes that architectures can vary in quality and fit for purpose. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'view' refer to in software architecture?

A coherent set of architectural elements. Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the Layered architectural pattern?

It consists of a coherent set of related functionalities. Signup and view all the answers

Which pattern involves components and connectors that create, store, and access data?

Shared-data (repository) pattern Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of connectors in a client-server pattern?

They facilitate communication and data transfer among clients and servers. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'multi-tier pattern' refer to in architectural design?

It distributes system components across hardware and software subsets. Signup and view all the answers

How is work allocated in the competence center pattern?

Work is allocated according to the site’s technical or domain expertise. Signup and view all the answers

What defines a 'good' architecture according to the discussed principles?

There are no absolute standards for architecture being good or bad. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true regarding architectural patterns?

These patterns provide strategies for solving system-related problems. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of the Layered pattern in software architecture?

It enforces a strict unidirectional relationship among elements. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Component-and-Connector Structures

Define the runtime behavior of systems using components (e.g., clients, servers) and connectors (e.g., call-return, pipes).
Key questions addressed include:
- Major executing components and their interactions.
- Shared data stores and system replication.
- Data flow and parallel execution potential.
- Dynamic structure changes during execution.
Important for evaluating runtime properties such as performance, security, and availability.

Allocation Structures

Illustrate the relationship between software elements and their execution environments.
Key queries include:
- Processor assignments for software elements.
- Storage locations during various stages (development, testing).
- Team assignments for software elements.

Importance of Structures

Structures provide analytical insights into software architecture and its quality attributes:
- Module structure impacts system modifiability.
- Concurrency structure is related to deadlock and performance management.
- Deployment structure influences performance, availability, and security.

Useful Module Structures

Decomposition Structure:
- Modules are recursively decomposed into smaller units.
- Facilitates understanding and localization of changes.
Uses Structure:
- Modules are related by dependency; one module using another requires the latter's correct functionality.
- Supports incremental development and functionality extension.
Layer Structure:
- Composed of layers that act as virtual machines providing services through managed interfaces.

Useful Allocation Structures

Deployment Structure:
- Connects software elements to hardware and communication components.
- Utilized for performance, data integrity, and security assessments in distributed systems.
Implementation Structure:
- Shows how software elements are organized in development and configuration environments.
Work Assignment Structure:
- Defines team responsibilities for implementation and integration of modules.

Relating Structures

One structure's elements can relate to another structure’s elements, often performing many-to-many mappings (e.g., a module in decomposition may manifest as multiple components).

Architectural Patterns

Architectural elements can be composed into established patterns that solve specific problems:
- Common patterns include Shared-data and Client-server.
- Promote reusable strategies that delineate the types and interactions of software elements.
Common Patterns:
- Multi-tier Pattern: Distributes system components across subsets of hardware/software.
- Competence Center Pattern: Allocates work based on technical expertise.
- Platform Pattern: Focuses on developing reusable assets for software product lines.

Characteristics of "Good" Architecture

There's no definitive measure of good or bad architecture; effectiveness is context-dependent.
Modifiability is enhanced when data changes are localized to production or consumption sides.

Structural Rules of Thumb

Expect variation between modules and components; they are not one-to-one.
Ensure processes can easily shift assignments across processors, potentially at runtime.
Limit interaction patterns among components to reduce complexity and enhance reliability.
Clearly specify resource contention areas within architecture.

Summary of Software Architecture

Comprises structures essential for reasoning about the system, including software elements and their relationships.
Three structure categories:
- Module structures (code/data units).
- Component-and-connector structures (runtime behavior and interactions).
- Allocation structures (relations to external non-software elements).
Structures are engineering leverage points; architectures vary in their suitability for particular purposes.

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Description

Explore the principles of component-and-connector structures in software architecture. This quiz will help you understand the runtime behavior of components and their interactions through connectors. Dive into various types of runtime elements and their roles in system structure.