When to model external services as a component or as an infrastructure service

[Rick Walsh]

I have a platform component which talks to MS Graph API.

I could model Graph API as an infrastructure service or as a component with an API.

If I owned Graph API I would model it as a component. Since I dont own it, it seems right to model it as infrastructure. Thoughts?

[Mastering ArchiMate]

Hi Rick,

MS Graph is a Graph Database I assume. If so, then it depends a little bit if you are talking to your own application code that runs inside a database (that I would model as an application so I can also show it is my own code with an Artifact/ApplicationComponent even if it runs somewhere else) or if you are talking to the generic database instance to store your data. In the latter case I would model it as a Technology Service (ArchiMate 3) or Infrastructure Service (older ArchiMate).

In ArchiMate 2, you cannot have the application layer service the infrastructure layer, so your choices are limited whjich means that if you m odel it as application service you cannot use it in your infra layer. One of the advantages of ArchiMate 3 is that you can do that, so you could even have something that you model as infrastructure and that is services by an application). ArchiMate 3 is really an improvement over ArchiMate 2 in this respect and I would alwyas suggest moving on at this stage (ArchiMate 3 has been released in 2016 or so)

Finally, if you own it doesn’t really decide on something being infrastructure. In ArchiMate 2 as I said you have no choice to model it as anything but, but in ArchiMate 3 you have.

Yours,

Gerben Wierda
Chess and the Art of Enterprise Architecture
Mastering ArchiMate
Architecture for Real Enterprises at InfoWorld
On Slippery Ice at EAPJ

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[Rick Walsh]

Yep Im using Archimate 3 - Im just being rubbish and using the old nomenclature!

Apologies.

What do you mean by "service the infrastructure layer" - Do you mean that I can have an application component "serving" the technology layer?

If so excellent - In my case MS Graph is a microsoft API and so I'll follow your advice and model it in the technology layer. Thanks!

On Tuesday, 7 April 2020 14:48:18 UTC+1, masteringarchimate wrote:

Hi Rick,

MS Graph is a Graph Database I assume. If so, then it depends a little bit if you are talking to your own application code that runs inside a database (that I would model as an application so I can also show it is my own code with an Artifact/ApplicationComponent even if it runs somewhere else) or if you are talking to the generic database instance to store your data. In the latter case I would model it as a Technology Service (ArchiMate 3) or Infrastructure Service (older ArchiMate).

In ArchiMate 2, you cannot have the application layer service the infrastructure layer, so your choices are limited whjich means that if you m odel it as application service you cannot use it in your infra layer. One of the advantages of ArchiMate 3 is that you can do that, so you could even have something that you model as infrastructure and that is services by an application). ArchiMate 3 is really an improvement over ArchiMate 2 in this respect and I would alwyas suggest moving on at this stage (ArchiMate 3 has been released in 2016 or so)

Finally, if you own it doesn’t really decide on something being infrastructure. In ArchiMate 2 as I said you have no choice to model it as anything but, but in ArchiMate 3 you have.

Yours,

Gerben Wierda
Chess and the Art of Enterprise Architecture
Mastering ArchiMate
Architecture for Real Enterprises at InfoWorld
On Slippery Ice at EAPJ

On 7 Apr 2020, at 15:36, Rick Walsh <rick...@gmail.com> wrote:

I have a platform component which talks to MS Graph API.

I could model Graph API as an infrastructure service or as a component with an API.

If I owned Graph API I would model it as a component. Since I dont own it, it seems right to model it as infrastructure. Thoughts?

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[Mastering ArchiMate]

On 7 Apr 2020, at 17:53, Rick Walsh <rick....@gmail.com> wrote:

Yep Im using Archimate 3 - Im just being rubbish and using the old nomenclature!

And using an old book (as you were referring to the Edition 2 section)!

Paper book?

Apologies.

What do you mean by "service the infrastructure layer" - Do you mean that I can have an application component "serving" the technology layer?

If you download the free first chapter of the Edition 3 book via https://ea.rna.nl/ in PDF then you can look at page 38 view 54. No need to buy the book again, the free first chapter of Edition III.TC1 will give you all the basics.

G

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