Information Systems (IS) have become an integral aspect of our lives today. They are the backbone of most organizations and their use has become a necessity. They play a prominent role in every sector including finance, manufacturing, healthcare, travel, education, and many others. From the early days of using a machine for computing and accounting purposes, these systems have come a long way. They have evolved into comprehensive, complex structures which encompass a variety of tools and technologies which cater to the diverse functions of the entire organization. The invention of newer data and communication technologies over the millennia, led to a profound revolution in the ability to store, process, disseminate, and apply information. Correspondingly,
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When applied to IS, it refers to the fundamental structures of the system and the construction of these structures. There are several definitions which describe the architecture of an IS. According to Shaw and Garlan (1996), the architecture of an information system defines that system in terms of components and interactions among those components, from the viewpoint of specific aspects of that system, and based on specific structuring principles. In their book, Software Architecture in Practice, Bass, Clements, and Kazman (2003) define the software architecture of a program or computing system as the structure of the system which comprise the software elements, the externally visible properties of those elements, and the relationships among them. The Open Group Architecture Forum (TOGAF) has two definitions for architecture; a formal description of a system, or a detailed plan of the system at component level to guide its implementation; the structure of components, their inter-relationships, and the principles and guidelines governing their design and evolution over time. Martin Fowler’s (2002) views on architecture do not conform with the above-mentioned definitions. Instead, he feels that the term ‘architecture’ is an overloaded word. In his book on Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture, he identifies two important elements to define architecture - one is the highest-level breakdown of a system into its parts and the second; the decisions that are hard to change. He further states that a system has multiple architectures and what may seem architecturally significant, may change over a system’s
When applied to IS, it refers to the fundamental structures of the system and the construction of these structures. There are several definitions which describe the architecture of an IS. According to Shaw and Garlan (1996), the architecture of an information system defines that system in terms of components and interactions among those components, from the viewpoint of specific aspects of that system, and based on specific structuring principles. In their book, Software Architecture in Practice, Bass, Clements, and Kazman (2003) define the software architecture of a program or computing system as the structure of the system which comprise the software elements, the externally visible properties of those elements, and the relationships among them. The Open Group Architecture Forum (TOGAF) has two definitions for architecture; a formal description of a system, or a detailed plan of the system at component level to guide its implementation; the structure of components, their inter-relationships, and the principles and guidelines governing their design and evolution over time. Martin Fowler’s (2002) views on architecture do not conform with the above-mentioned definitions. Instead, he feels that the term ‘architecture’ is an overloaded word. In his book on Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture, he identifies two important elements to define architecture - one is the highest-level breakdown of a system into its parts and the second; the decisions that are hard to change. He further states that a system has multiple architectures and what may seem architecturally significant, may change over a system’s