Modeling Network Computing Hardware Diagrams with UML/EAP Profile and Archimate
The article explains how enterprise applications have evolved to web‑based distributed environments, describes the three‑tier architecture, and shows how UML/EAP and Archimate can be used to model and visualize the deployment of hardware and application components in a networked infrastructure.
From the transition of mainframes to client‑server systems, and later with the rise of e‑commerce and J2EE, large enterprises have migrated to highly network‑based distributed computing environments that include firewalls and DMZs. Today most applications have a web front‑end and typically consist of three layers in a network environment: a web presentation layer, a business logic or application layer, and a backend data storage layer.
Deploying and hosting applications in shared public‑infrastructure environments is common, making it critical to document the mapping between logical application components and the supporting technical components (e.g., servers) in development and production. The purpose of a network‑computing hardware diagram is to show a logical deployment view of these components.
UML/EAP Profile
Server Device: represents a hardware platform that can connect to other devices and host deployed application components.
Workstation: a workstation connected to the information system where application components can be deployed.
Process Application Component: responsible for executing business processes and orchestrating tasks.
Entity Application Component: usually derived from business entities, managing access to and integrity of those entities.
Utility Component: a frequently reused component, often off‑the‑shelf.
Interaction Application Component: a top‑level component that manages interaction with external elements of the IS, typically a GUI such as a web interface.
Database Application Component: represents a repository; while pure SOA should avoid it, it is useful for legacy analysis or technical architecture modeling.
Application: corresponds to a legacy application, a commercial product, or an assembly of application components.
Internal Participant: a participant belonging to the enterprise.
Association Between Two Classes: an association with a name, providing role names and cardinalities for each end.
Archimate
This diagram shows where application components are deployed, how computers are networked, and other related details.
It illustrates the hardware (servers, workstations) interconnected by a network and the technical and application components deployed on that hardware.
Technical/architecture components such as web servers are added to the logical components identified in the application architecture.
Source: https://architect.pub/togaf-modeling-network-computing-hardware-diagrams
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