Technical Architecture - The Definitive Guide | LeanIX
Shortcuts
- Introduction
- What does Technical Architecture mean?
- The Difference between Enterprise Architecture and Technical Architecture
- The Role of a Technical Architect
- 5 useful Technical Architecture Diagrams
- Application Architecture Diagram
- Integration Architecture Diagram
- Deployment Architecture Diagram
- DevOps Architecture Diagram
- Data Architecture Diagram
- Conclusion
Introduction
In a fast-paced digital world where new technical innovations flood the market every year, businesses need to act quickly to keep up with the competition. However, adopting random technologies without knowing how they will create more value, in the long run, can have detrimental effects on a business. In addition, cloud computing, microservices, and distributed systems are adding another level of complexity to the IT landscape. All these factors combined have created a growing need for skilled IT architects.
在一個快節奏的數字世界中，每年都有新的技術創新涌入市場，企業需要迅速行動以跟上競爭。然而，從長遠來看，在不知道如何創造更多價值的情況下采用隨機技術可能會對企業產生不利影響。此外，雲計算、微服務和分布式系統正在為IT領域增加另一個層次的復雜性。所有這些因素加在一起，對熟練IT架構師的需求越來越大。
IT architecture aims to align the business strategy with new technological solutions and consists of various disciplines ranging from strategic to highly technical. One that fits into the latter category is technology architecture as it mainly focuses on the design and documentation of software applications. Thus, technical architects create blueprint schematics of technical solutions making sure that new products or systems meet specified requirements.
IT體系結構旨在使業務戰略與新的技術解決方案保持一致，包括從戰略到高技術的各種學科。屬於后一類的是技術架構，因為它主要關注軟件應用程序的設計和文檔。因此，技術架構師創建技術解決方案的藍圖圖表，確保新產品或系統滿足指定的要求。
Through this focus on detail and the clear rules that are defined in technology architecture, new software solutions can be successfully delivered by developing teams and easily connect with the existing systems of a company once they’re implemented. Working with technical architects ensures that developers create products that fit into the computer architecture and create the desired value for a business. It also saves companies from major headaches that are caused by system noncompliance.
通過這種對細節的關注和技術架構中定義的清晰規則，開發團隊可以成功交付新的軟件解決方案，並在實施后輕松與公司現有系統連接。與技術架構師合作可確保開發人員創建適合計算機體系結構的產品，並為企業創造所需的價值。它還使公司免於因系統不合規而引起的重大麻煩。
What does Technical Architecture mean?
Technical Architecture (TA) is a form of IT architecture that is used to design computer systems. It involves the development of a technical blueprint with regard to the arrangement, interaction, and interdependence of all elements so that system-relevant requirements are met.
技術架構（TA）是用於設計計算機系統的IT架構的一種形式。它涉及到就所有元素的安排、交互和相互依賴性制定技術藍圖，以滿足系統相關需求。
Throughout the past decade, architecture has become a broadly used term in the context of information technology. This doesn’t come as a surprise considering how most companies had to redesign their IT landscape to adopt digital trends like cloud computing and software as service (SaaS). This digital transition required not only skilled developing teams but first and foremost IT architects. In their roles as IT strategists and planners, they map out a target architecture and make sure that all IT decisions align with business goals and requirements.
在過去的十年中，架構已經成為信息技術背景下廣泛使用的術語。考慮到大多數公司不得不重新設計IT環境，以適應雲計算和軟件即服務（SaaS）等數字趨勢，這並不令人驚訝。這種數字化轉型不僅需要熟練的開發團隊，而且首先需要IT架構師。作為IT戰略家和規划師，他們制定了目標體系結構，並確保所有IT決策與業務目標和需求保持一致。
But IT architecture encompasses a variety of different roles and disciplines that are sometimes difficult to tell apart. This is largely due to the highly dynamic nature of IT, its widespread adoption throughout all industries and businesses that have developed their own practices. In general, there’s a differentiation between enterprise architecture, solution architecture and technology architecture. In order to understand what technology architecture means, it’s helpful to examine the term architecture on its own.
但IT架構包含各種不同的角色和學科，有時很難區分。這在很大程度上是由於IT的高度動態性，它在所有已經開發出自己的實踐的行業和企業中被廣泛采用。一般來說，企業體系結構、解決方案體系結構和技術體系結構之間存在差異。為了理解技術體系結構的含義，單獨研究術語體系結構是很有幫助的。
At its core, the term architecture describes the formation of a structure by strategically assembling single components. In this process of assembling, the architect has to adhere to certain rules or requirements like legal constraints, financial constraints, or scientific laws. In the world of technology architecture design, the focus lies on technology limitations, meaning that a technology architect makes sure that a new application is compatible with the existing technology at a company by specifying things like the communications network or hardware that it uses.
架構（architecture）一詞的核心是通過戰略性地組裝單個組件來描述結構的形成。在裝配過程中，架構師必須遵守某些規則或要求，如法律約束、財務約束或科學法律。在技術架構設計領域，重點在於技術限制，這意味着技術架構師通過指定新應用程序所使用的通信網絡或硬件等內容，確保新應用程序與公司現有技術兼容。
The Difference between Enterprise Architecture and Technical Architecture
When it comes to the various disciplines in IT architecture, the difference between enterprise architecture (EA) and technical architecture (TA) can be difficult to grasp from an outside perspective. Even though both follow the same overall goal – which is maximizing the value that a company can get out of using the proper technology – they involve different scopes and skillsets. They also don’t stand alone or opposed to each other but form a synergy and thus are equally important to the success of a business.
當涉及it體系結構中的各個學科時，從外部的角度很難理解企業體系結構（EA）和技術體系結構（TA）之間的差異。盡管兩者都遵循相同的總體目標——即最大限度地提高公司使用適當技術的價值——但它們涉及不同的范圍和技能。它們也不會相互獨立或對立，而是形成協同作用，因此對企業的成功同樣重要。
Enterprise Architecture can be defined as a strategic planning initiative that determines the overall IT direction of a company. By taking all entities of an enterprise into account, including its stakeholders, customers, teams, data, and technology, it creates a visual blueprint of a target architecture that is perfectly aligned with business interests and goals. In this process, EA takes inventory of all existing applications and their interdependencies in order to identify obsolete technologies, redundancies, and new business opportunities.
企業架構可以定義為一項戰略規划計划，它決定了公司的總體IT方向。通過考慮企業的所有實體，包括其利益相關者、客戶、團隊、數據和技術，它創建了一個與業務興趣和目標完全一致的目標體系結構的可視化藍圖。在此過程中，EA對所有現有應用程序及其相互依賴性進行清點，以識別過時的技術、冗余和新的業務機會。
Since EA provides the IT roadmap and focuses on the big picture, it doesn’t go much into technical detail. And that is where TA comes into play. Technical architects focus on specific technologies and have a deep, ground-level understanding of their functions and limitations. By crafting technical blueprints for real-life IT solutions, they provide guidance to development teams during a project lifecycle. They have a low focus on how solutions fit into a company’s overall strategy, but a high focus on how they fit into existing computer systems.
由於EA提供了IT路線圖，並且關注全局，所以它沒有太多的技術細節。這就是助教發揮作用的地方。技術架構師專注於特定的技術，並對其功能和局限性有深入的基礎理解。通過為現實生活中的IT解決方案設計技術藍圖，他們在項目生命周期中為開發團隊提供指導。他們很少關注解決方案如何融入公司的整體戰略，但更關注解決方案如何融入現有的計算機系統。
However, this doesn’t mean that technical architects operate in a bubble that is removed from the strategic mindset. They not only work with developers but also with less technical IT specialists like solution architects. The latter often serve as a middleman between enterprise architecture and technical architecture, synthesizing business strategy into real-life IT solutions that are then passed on to the technical architect. For businesses with a complex IT infrastructure, all three roles are key to successful transformations.
然而，這並不意味着技術架構師在一個脫離戰略思維的泡沫中運作。他們不僅與開發人員合作，還與解決方案架構師等技術水平較低的IT專家合作。后者通常充當企業體系結構和技術體系結構之間的中間人，將業務戰略合成現實生活中的IT解決方案，然后傳遞給技術架構師。對於具有復雜IT基礎架構的企業，這三個角色都是成功轉型的關鍵。
The Role of a Technical Architect
After enterprise and solution architects have designed a strategy and decided which IT solutions should be implemented, they delegate specific tasks to technical architects. In their role as IT specialists, they have the most hands-on approach and in-depth proficiency in one single technology. That’s why they’re often named after their area of knowledge, e.g., Sparx, Java or Python architect. Just like data or information architects, they fall under the umbrella of domain architects.
在企業和解決方案架構師設計了一個戰略並決定應該實施哪些IT解決方案之后，他們將特定的任務委托給技術架構師。作為IT專家，他們在一項技術上擁有最實際的方法和最深入的熟練程度。這就是為什么他們經常以他們的知識領域命名，例如Sparx、Java或Python架構師。就像數據或信息架構師一樣，它們屬於領域架構師的保護傘下。
But what does the day-to-day of a technical architect look like? Since every project is different, technical architects can have a variety of responsibilities that span from producing documents and diagrams for their technical team to informing stakeholders on potential threats and making technology recommendations. The majority of their time goes into creating an architecture implementation plan by gathering requirements and breaking down the project into manageable chunks. During project execution, they closely monitor the progress and keep solution architects informed.
但是技術架構師的日常工作是什么樣的呢？由於每個項目都是不同的，技術架構師可以承擔各種責任，從為其技術團隊制作文檔和圖表，到向利益相關者通報潛在威脅和提出技術建議。他們的大部分時間用於通過收集需求並將項目分解為可管理的塊來創建架構實現計划。在項目執行期間，他們密切監控進度，並隨時通知解決方案架構師。
Depending on the size of the business, technical architects can manage large teams of developers and IT specialists. They act as technical project managers who analyze design specifications for single applications and therein define best practices. From a top-down perspective, technical architects are the closest to the end-user, so they are the ones that ensure the usability and functionality of the respective technology. This involves tracking its effectiveness by conducting post-execution reviews with solution architects.
根據業務的規模，技術架構師可以管理由開發人員和IT專家組成的大型團隊。他們充當技術項目經理，分析單個應用程序的設計規范，並在其中定義最佳實踐。從自上而下的角度來看，技術架構師最接近最終用戶，因此他們是確保各自技術的可用性和功能性的人。這包括通過與解決方案架構師進行執行后評審來跟蹤其有效性。
Given the important part that technical architects play in the digital transformation process, they need to have a skill set that matches their responsibilities. Like most IT specialists, technical architects have a degree in computer science, computer engineering, or software development.
鑒於技術架構師在數字化轉型過程中扮演的重要角色，他們需要具備與其職責相匹配的技能。與大多數IT專家一樣，技術架構師擁有計算機科學、計算機工程或軟件開發學位。
But in-depth knowledge about applications, quality standards, and legislation isn’t enough. They’re also required to have good interpersonal skills to collaborate with stakeholders and team members. And since IT projects usually have tight deadlines, technical architects also need to be able to prioritize and anticipate problems and solutions.
但對應用、質量標准和立法的深入了解還不夠。他們還需要具備與利益相關者和團隊成員合作的良好人際交往技能。而且，由於IT項目通常有很緊的截止日期，技術架構師還需要能夠對問題和解決方案進行優先級排序和預測。
5 Useful Technical Architecture Diagrams
In TA, the use of a technical architecture diagram is common practice as it provides a much-needed bird’s eye view of a company’s IT infrastructure. It usually shows all the components of a system as well as its interdependencies.
在TA中，技術架構圖的使用是常見的做法，因為它提供了公司it基礎設施急需的鳥瞰圖。它通常顯示系統的所有組件及其相互依賴關系。
These high-level architecture diagrams serve different purposes and make it easier for IT specialists to come up with the right technology solution design. They also help fill the gaps in communication between technical and non-technical staff and illustrate how changes will impact the whole system. Below are 5 frequently used TA diagrams.
這些高級體系結構圖服務於不同的目的，使it專家更容易提出正確的技術解決方案設計。它們還有助於填補技術人員和非技術人員之間的溝通空白，並說明變化將如何影響整個系統。下面是5個常用的TA圖。
Application Architecture Diagram
As the name suggests, the application architecture diagram focuses on the applications within a computer system and how they interact with databases and each other. If an application needs to be replaced, upgraded, or merged with other applications, technical architects can quickly assess how this will affect the system. With a single glance, they see which applications reside in shared container clusters, what their interactions and dependencies look like, and how the desired state of architecture can be reached.
顧名思義，應用程序體系結構圖關注計算機系統中的應用程序，以及它們如何與數據庫和彼此交互。如果應用程序需要替換、升級或與其他應用程序合並，技術架構師可以快速評估這將如何影響系統。只需一眼，他們就能看到哪些應用程序駐留在共享容器集群中，它們的交互和依賴關系是什么樣子，以及如何達到所需的體系結構狀態。
Integration Architecture Diagram
While the application architecture diagram deals with the “What” in relation to the system, the integration architecture diagram focuses on the “How” by emphasizing integration protocols between single components. This diagram comes in handy when an external partner system needs to be integrated into the existing one. With this diagram, technical architects are forced to think about how services are organized and how they’re exposed. If they’re exposed externally, it helps them decide on how they’ll be secured and tracked during and after the integration.
當應用程序體系結構圖處理與系統相關的“什么”時，集成體系結構圖通過強調單個組件之間的集成協議來關注“如何”。當外部合作伙伴系統需要集成到現有系統中時，此圖非常有用。通過這個圖，技術架構師被迫思考服務是如何組織的以及它們是如何公開的。如果它們暴露在外部，它可以幫助它們決定在集成期間和之后如何保護和跟蹤它們。
Deployment Architecture Diagram
In the deployment architecture diagram, IT specialists depict the network boundaries as well as the infrastructure of hardware and software components. Since this diagram also tends to specify the quantity and size of components, it both addresses the questions “Where” and “How many”. In practice, the deployment architecture diagram is used to facilitate the upgrading of services or applications. This might be necessary when existing resources have become unable to handle the increasing scale and load caused by a growing number of users.
在部署體系結構圖中，IT專家描述了網絡邊界以及硬件和軟件組件的基礎結構。由於此圖還傾向於指定組件的數量和大小，因此它同時解決了“位置”和“數量”問題。實際上，部署體系結構圖用於促進服務或應用程序的升級。當現有資源無法處理由越來越多的用戶造成的不斷增加的規模和負載時，這可能是必要的。
DevOps Architecture Diagram
This diagram is used to optimize processes and deployment flows. By not only looking at the components but also at their processes, technical architects can identify weaknesses within the deployment process like non-standardized practices or bottlenecks. The diagram makes technical architects examine what kind of applications are deployed, what the current process flow looks like, and how configurations are managed across applications. Once these areas of improvement or integration points are uncovered, it’s easier to implement new tools.
此圖用於優化流程和部署流。通過不僅查看組件，還查看其流程，技術架構師可以識別部署流程中的弱點，如非標准化實踐或瓶頸。該圖使技術架構師能夠檢查部署的應用程序類型、當前流程的外觀以及如何跨應用程序管理配置。一旦發現了這些改進領域或集成點，就更容易實施新工具。
Data Architecture Diagram
With a data architecture diagram, technical architects visualize how data is collected, stored, processed, and used. It also helps them capture the flow of data between all the components that make up a system. Nowadays, businesses deal with an increasing amount of data that can quickly slow down the system or cause even bigger issues. A data architecture diagram is the first step to optimizing data collection and storage as it reveals where upgrades are needed and where costs can be lowered.
通過數據體系結構圖，技術架構師可以可視化數據的收集、存儲、處理和使用方式。它還幫助他們捕獲組成系統的所有組件之間的數據流。如今，企業處理的數據量越來越大，這可能會迅速降低系統速度，或導致更大的問題。數據體系結構圖是優化數據收集和存儲的第一步，因為它揭示了哪些地方需要升級，哪些地方可以降低成本。
Conclusion
In the world of IT architecture, technical architects have the most hands-on role when it comes to the implementation of IT solutions. They focus on specific technologies and make sure that they fit into existing computer systems and meet all technological, security, functional, and business requirements. By employing data architecture diagrams, they depict the intricacies of a computer system and facilitate the communication between developers and other teams involved in the process.
在IT體系結構的世界中，技術架構師在IT解決方案的實施中扮演着最實際的角色。他們專注於特定的技術，並確保它們適合現有的計算機系統，滿足所有技術、安全、功能和業務需求。通過使用數據體系結構圖，它們描述了計算機系統的復雜性，並促進了開發人員與參與該過程的其他團隊之間的溝通。
Since technical architecture is less concerned with the strategy of a business, it is complemented by the work produced in enterprise architecture. The latter determines the overall IT direction and designs a target architecture that aligns with business objectives.
由於技術體系結構與企業的戰略關系不大，因此它由企業體系結構中產生的工作來補充。后者確定總體IT方向，並設計與業務目標一致的目標體系結構。
However, EA relies on TA for the proper implementation and delivery of new technology solutions. In many cases, there is also a solution architect that acts as a middleman between EA and TA. A collaboration between all three roles is key to bringing a complex IT project to fruition.
然而，EA依靠TA來正確實施和交付新技術解決方案。在許多情況下，還有一個解決方案架構師充當EA和TA之間的中間人。這三個角色之間的協作是實現復雜IT項目的關鍵。
IT Architecture Roles
Enterprise Architect vs. Solution Architect vs. Technical Architect
Enterprise Architect (EA)
Technology Focus: 0%
Strategy Focus: 100%
Key Competencies:
- Master of EA Frameworks (i.e. TOGAF, Zachman Framework)
- Uncovers operational gaps
- Analyzes informattion through data models and architecture diagrams
- Communicates the value of new IT strategies and keeps stakeholders informed of ongoing initiatives
Daily Use Cases - Streamline the application landscape for optimal performance. Decommission redundancies and save costs.
- Understand where data inter-dependencies live across the IT landscape. Identify and avoid tech risks.
How to become a EA
- Learn the fundamentals of IT, business operations, and software architecture
- Obtain a Bachelors/Masters degree Minor in Business Administration
- Earn certifications: i.e. TOGAF, FEAC, LeanIX Certified EA Practitioner
- Leverage managerial skills to lead, advise, or collaborate with different departments
- Find a mentor
Solution Architect (SA)
Technology Focus: 50%
Strategy Focus: 50%
Key Competencies:
- Coordinates ongoing activities
- Transtates the design concept to IT operations
- Defines a best-fit solution for existing problems
- Ensures technological risks are accounted for and solutions meet necessary requirements
Daily Use Cases: - Plan transformation on time - whether it's for your cloud migration, external audits, or beyond.
- Communicate how applications support business capabilities from a position of functional fit, technical fit, and risk.
How to become a SA
- Learn the fundamentals of software architecture, computer science
- Obtain a Bachelors/Masters degree
- Acquire analytical skills to translate abstract problem into tangible items the can be solved to drive business outcomes
- Communicate initiatives in a way that both business and technology professionals can understand
- Find a mentor
Technical Architect (TA)
Technology Focus: 100%
Strategy Focus: 0%
Key Competencies:
- High level of in-depth expertise (i.e. Python, Java)
- Provides recommendations to address potential threats
- Implements technical processes to roll out solutions
- Delivers fully functional products in a timely manner for the end user
Daily Use Cases: - Realize a 360-degree view inside DevOps containers to accelerate release cycles.
- Create process for rapid development, intelligent personalization, and seamless exploration across all solutions.
How to become a TA
- Learn the fundamentals of software development, computer science
- Obtain a Bachelors/Masters degree
- Gain an understanding of full-stack development for a broader knowledge of technical operations
- Use interpersonal skills to work alongside non-technical business colleagues. Project manage workload of technical teams
- Find a mentor
Integration Between Solution and Technical Architecture
Technical Architects translate the proposed solution of the Solution Architetcs into an integrated system and provide in-depth technical insight on matters like hardware and software specifics.
Integration Between Enterprise and Solution Architecture
The work between EAs and SAs is like a link between technical vision and its effective implementation through IT strategy. EAs focus more on the strategic portions, whereas SAs take specific problems and propose a solution to support the vision.
What Makes These Roles Critical to IT Operations?
All three positions define business goals and design an information technology roadmap. This roadmap creates a bridge between context and concept. Whether an organization needs all three types of architects depends on the company size and the complexity of its infrastructure.