IEEE_1471

TheInstituteofElectricalandElectronicsEngineers,Inc.3ParkAvenue,NewYork,NY10016-5997,USACopyright©2000bytheInstituteofElectricalandElectronicsEngineers,Inc.Allrightsreserved.Published9October2000.PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.Print:ISBN0-7381-2518-0SH94869PDF:ISBN0-7381-2519-9SS94869Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedinanyform,inanelectronicretrievalsystemorotherwise,withoutthepriorwrittenpermissionofthepublisher.IEEEStd1471-2000IEEERecommendedPracticeforArchitecturalDescriptionofSoftware-IntensiveSystemsSponsorSoftwareEngineeringStandardsCommitteeoftheIEEEComputerSocietyApproved21September2000IEEE-SAStandardsBoardAbstract:Thisrecommendedpracticeaddressestheactivitiesofthecreation,analysis,andsus-tainmentofarchitecturesofsoftware-intensivesystems,andtherecordingofsucharchitecturesintermsofarchitecturaldescriptions.Aconceptualframeworkforarchitecturaldescriptionisestab-lished.Thecontentofanarchitecturaldescriptionisdefined.Annexesprovidetherationaleforkeyconceptsandterminology,therelationshipstootherstandards,andexamplesofusage.Keywords:architecturaldescription,architecture,software-intensivesystem,stakeholdercon-cerns,systemstakeholder,view,viewpointCopyrightTheInstituteofElectricalandElectronicsEngineers,Inc.ProvidedbyIHSunderlicensewithIEEENotforResaleNoreproductionornetworkingpermittedwithoutlicensefromIHS--``,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---IEEEStandardsdocumentsaredevelopedwithintheIEEESocietiesandtheStandardsCoordinatingCom-mitteesoftheIEEEStandardsAssociation(IEEE-SA)StandardsBoard.Membersofthecommitteesservevoluntarilyandwithoutcompensation.TheyarenotnecessarilymembersoftheInstitute.ThestandardsdevelopedwithinIEEErepresentaconsensusofthebroadexpertiseonthesubjectwithintheInstituteaswellasthoseactivitiesoutsideofIEEEthathaveexpressedaninterestinparticipatinginthedevelopmentofthestandard.UseofanIEEEStandardiswhollyvoluntary.TheexistenceofanIEEEStandarddoesnotimplythattherearenootherwaystoproduce,test,measure,purchase,market,orprovideothergoodsandservicesrelatedtothescopeoftheIEEEStandard.Furthermore,theviewpointexpressedatthetimeastandardisapprovedandissuedissubjecttochangebroughtaboutthroughdevelopmentsinthestateoftheartandcommentsreceivedfromusersofthestandard.EveryIEEEStandardissubjectedtoreviewatleasteveryfiveyearsforrevisionorreaffirmation.Whenadocumentismorethanfiveyearsoldandhasnotbeenreaffirmed,itisrea-sonabletoconcludethatitscontents,althoughstillofsomevalue,donotwhollyreflectthepresentstateoftheart.UsersarecautionedtochecktodeterminethattheyhavethelatesteditionofanyIEEEStandard.CommentsforrevisionofIEEEStandardsarewelcomefromanyinterestedparty,regardlessofmembershipaffiliationwithIEEE.Suggestionsforchangesindocumentsshouldbeintheformofaproposedchangeoftext,togetherwithappropriatesupportingcomments.Interpretations:Occasionallyquestionsmayariseregardingthemeaningofportionsofstandardsastheyrelatetospecificapplications.WhentheneedforinterpretationsisbroughttotheattentionofIEEE,theInstitutewillinitiateactiontoprepareappropriateresponses.SinceIEEEStandardsrepresentaconsensusofallconcernedinterests,itisimportanttoensurethatanyinterpretationhasalsoreceivedtheconcurrenceofabalanceofinterests.Forthisreason,IEEEandthemembersofitssocietiesandStandardsCoordinatingCommitteesarenotabletoprovideaninstantresponsetointerpretationrequestsexceptinthosecaseswherethematterhaspreviouslyreceivedformalconsideration.Commentsonstandardsandrequestsforinterpretationsshouldbeaddressedto:Secretary,IEEE-SAStandardsBoard445HoesLaneP.O.Box1331Piscataway,NJ08855-1331USAIEEEisthesoleentitythatmayauthorizetheuseofcertificationmarks,trademarks,orotherdesignationstoindicatecompliancewiththematerialssetforthherein.AuthorizationtophotocopyportionsofanyindividualstandardforinternalorpersonaluseisgrantedbytheInstituteofElectricalandElectronicsEngineers,Inc.,providedthattheappropriatefeeispaidtoCopyrightClearanceCenter.Toarrangeforpaymentoflicensingfee,pleasecontactCopyrightClearanceCenter,Cus-tomerService,222RosewoodDrive,Danvers,MA01923USA;[phone].PermissiontophotocopyportionsofanyindividualstandardforeducationalclassroomusecanalsobeobtainedthroughtheCopy-rightClearanceCenter.Note:Attentioniscalledtothepossibilitythatimplementationofthisstandardmayrequireuseofsubjectmattercoveredbypatentrights.Bypublicationofthisstandard,nopositionistakenwithrespecttotheexistenceorvalidityofanypatentrightsinconnectiontherewith.TheIEEEshallnotberesponsibleforidentifyingpatentsforwhichalicensemayberequiredbyanIEEEstandardorforconductinginquiriesintothelegalvalidityorscopeofthosepatentsthatarebroughttoitsattention.CopyrightTheInstituteofElectricalandElectronicsEngineers,Inc.ProvidedbyIHSunderlicensewithIEEENotforResaleNoreproductionornetworkingpermittedwithoutlicensefromIHS--``,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---Copyright©2000IEEE.Allrightsreserved.iiiIntroduction(ThisintroductionisnotpartofIEEEStd1471-2000,IEEERecommendedPracticeforArchitecturalDescriptionofSoftware-IntensiveSystems.)Ithaslongbeenrecognizedthat“architecture”hasastronginfluenceoverthelifecycleofasystem.Inthepast