CMU CS 15-675 Architectures for Software Systems Spring 1997

Architectural Presentation

Garlan & Shaw Questions on Readings for Lecture 9
Due: Mon Feb 10, 1997

The papers:

[ADS]: ADS Architecture: Executive Summary.

[AG94, pp 1-5]: Allen & Garlan. Beyond Definition/Use Architectural Interconnection.

[Mar91]: Maranzano. Best Current Practices: Software Architecture Validation.

[HNS]: Hofmeister, Nord, & Soni. Architectural Descriptions of Software Systems.

Hints:

The Maranzano and ADS papers should be treated as a pair: think of them as providing insight into what are the goals and techniques for architectural reviews. The first characterizes AT&T's experience with reviews. The second is a set of briefing slides from an actual industrial architectural presentation.

The paper by Allen and Garlan is included only for the first five pages, where they argue that architectural connection is not the same the definition/use relationship.

The paper by Hofmeister et al., describes different kinds of information or views that can be associated with a system design. Warning!!!: They refer to these views as different architectures, (in our view, erroneously) equating "structure" with "architecture". In this class we will reserve the term "architecture" for one of those views.

Questions:

  1. What is the difference between a "discovery review" and the "architectural review" in the context of AT&T practices?

  2. Based on AT&T's experience how much does a typical review cost? How much does it save?

  3. The ADS presentation distinguishes between "policy" and "technical" decisions. Briefly say what this distinction is. (Hint see slides 14-15.)

  4. What is are some differences between definition/use and architectural connection, as argued by Allen and Garlan.

  5. Briefly describe the conceptual architecture as presented in Architectural Descriptions of Software Systems. Why were the different scenarios of the example system all described by one conceptual architecture? How is this a strength? What does the conceptual architectural not describe?

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Modified: 02/20/97