Software/System Architectures Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary purpose of software/system architecture?

To identify market trends for software products

To define the aesthetics of the user interface

To represent design decisions related to system structure and behavior (correct)

To determine the programming languages used in development

Which of the following is NOT considered an essential non-functional quality in enterprise-level software/system architecture?

Modifiability

Availability

Security

Scalability (correct)

What distinguishes enterprise-level software/system architecture from non-enterprise-level architecture?

The use of open-source technologies

The need to accommodate a large volume of concurrent users (correct)

Its cost of implementation

The focus on personal user experience

What is one of the key benefits of using software/system architecture?

Consistent quality in code development Signup and view all the answers

Which of these statements best describes monolithic architecture?

All functionalities are integrated into a single unit. Signup and view all the answers

Which feature of software/system architecture aids in identifying and preventing issues ahead of time?

Pre-existing knowledge about system behavior Signup and view all the answers

What is a direct impact of having a well-defined software/system architecture on productivity?

Improved code quality and maintainability Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of Microsoft Office 365 differentiates it from the Old Microsoft Office in terms of architecture?

It is geared towards enterprise-level needs. Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant drawback of traditional application architecture as it evolves?

System-wide issues from changes Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT considered a pro of N-Tier Architecture?

Increased complexity Signup and view all the answers

What does technical debt refer to?

The cost of sub-optimal design decisions Signup and view all the answers

What is a key advantage of Microservices Architecture?

Scalability and flexibility Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of the Controller in the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture?

Handles user input and orchestrates the Model and View Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a disadvantage of Client-Server architecture?

Single Point Of Failure (SPOC) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a disadvantage of Event-Driven Architecture (EDA)?

Debugging challenges Signup and view all the answers

What is a disadvantage of using microservices?

Higher deployment and management effort Signup and view all the answers

What is a defining characteristic of Peer-to-Peer Architecture?

Each peer can act both as a client and server Signup and view all the answers

How do components in Event-Driven Architecture communicate?

Producing and consuming events Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is crucial for selecting a software/system architecture?

Team Expertise Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes synchronous communication?

Operations occur in real-time Signup and view all the answers

What is a common challenge associated with microservices architecture?

Increased security challenges Signup and view all the answers

What is NOT a benefit of Serverless Computing?

Centralized management Signup and view all the answers

Which architecture is characterized by its ability to self-organize and allow peers to join or leave freely?

Peer-to-Peer Architecture Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential downside of centralized management in Client-Server Architecture?

Potential for single points of failure Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Software/System Architectures (Enterprise-Level)

Software/system architecture defines the design decisions of a system's structure and behavior.
It helps stakeholders understand how the system will meet essential qualities like modifiability, availability, and security.
Enterprise-level architecture caters to the unique needs of large-scale systems, such as high volumes of concurrent users.

Example of Enterprise-Level vs Non-Enterprise-Level Architecture

Microsoft Office and Office 365, while similar functionally, differ significantly in architecture.
Office 365 is enterprise-level software, supporting 300+ million monthly active users.
The other is personal productivity software.

Benefits of Using a Software/System Architecture

Predefines core functionalities and behavior.
Enhances agility by reducing technical debt.
Identifies and fixes potential issues early.
Tailors to specific requirements for consistent quality.
Enables creation of better, reusable, and maintainable code.
Boosts overall productivity.

Monolithic Architecture

A single unit of application with all functionalities woven together.
Pros: Simplicity, suitable for small-scale applications without complex distributed systems.
Cons: High complexity that hinders modifications, potential to unintentionally impact various system parts when making changes; not scalable; whole application needs to be scaled.

N-Tier Architecture

Designed in layers (tiers) with each having a specific responsibility; 3-Tier (Frontend, Backend, Database) is a typical example.
Pros: Separation of concerns, reusability, maintainability, testability, encapsulation, and flexibility.
Cons: Performance overhead, increased complexity and rigidity.

Microservices Architecture

Breaks the application into small, independent, and modular components (microservices).
Each handles specific functionality, and communicates via API.
Pros: Scalability, flexibility, fault tolerance, easier maintenance, faster development and deployment.
Cons: Increased complexity, communication overhead, data consistency issues, higher deployment management efforts, and security risks.

Event-Driven Architecture (EDA)

Components communicate by producing and consuming events.
Events represent meaningful occurrences and trigger actions.
Pros: Scalability, loose coupling, asynchronous processing, fault tolerance, and easier integration.
Cons: Increased complexity, debugging/troubleshooting challenges, event ordering problems, data consistency issues, messaging overhead, and monitoring, testing, and validation challenges.

Asynchronous vs Synchronous

Synchronous: Real-time interactions like video calls, SQL queries, or getting content from servers like Apache.
Asynchronous: Processes like sending emails, messages, or retrieving content from servers like NGINX that don't require immediate responses.

Model-View-Controller (MVC)

Separates application logic into three distinct layers: Model (data), View (user interface), and Controller (orchestrates Model and View, handles user input).
MVC can be applied to various architectures.

Client-Server Architecture

Clients interact with a central server.
Pros: Simplicity, centralized management.
Cons: Single point of failure, limited scaling.
Relational databases are often not easily horizontally scalable.

Peer-to-Peer Architecture

A network of peers (both server and client roles).
Peers self-organize and can join/leave the network.
Pros: Fault tolerance, scalability.
Cons: Management/coordination challenges, performance variability, security risks.

Serverless Computing

An approach where the provider manages the underlying infrastructure.

Which Architecture is Better?

No single "better" architecture. Choice depends on the specific requirements.
Factors include team expertise, complexity of the problem domain, performance needs, security concerns, and costs (licenses, training, etc.).

Factors to Consider When Selecting a Software/System Architecture

Team Expertise: Relevant experience can determine the optimal choice.
Problem Domain Complexity: The solution needs to be appropriate for the specific problem to be solved.
Performance Requirements/Scalability: Scalability is a significant factor with high user volumes.
Security and Compliance: Some architectures might have more security concerns, and the solution needs to be appropriate for business requirements.
Costs: The operational costs can vary depending on the selected architecture.
Project Requirements The solution must meet the specific project needs.

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Description

Explore the fundamentals of software and system architecture, specifically focused on enterprise-level designs. This quiz covers the differences between enterprise-level and non-enterprise-level architectures, alongside the benefits of adopting a structured architectural approach in large-scale systems.