Architectural templates for business IT apps

An architectural template is a generalized architecture that illustrates features common to all examples of a given type of system. A template may be thought of as a “fill in the blanks” form for a project lead, identifying typical components, good analysis and design techniques, general project planning guidelines, staffing skill needs, and more. The data warehouse model is a good example (check out the Wikipedia article on data warehousing). It identifies distinct components and interfaces that make up a data warehouse, and defines the quality and performance characteristics that make them work well.
Most importantly, the template gives rules for deciding whether or not a system is an example of the given architectural type. With a good template, it is possible for a systems architect to compare the template with the general functions and objectives of a planned system. If the problem matches the template, then the architect has a head start on planning and definition.

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