Latest Posts - Page 109 of 205

February 5, 2020January 28, 2020 Software Architecture From Scratch

Architecting System Logs and Logging – Finding Proper Balance

System logs and logging is one of the least sexy things in software development. Nevertheless, they are highly valuable. The ultimate challenge in a logging architecture is balancing information with performance. That is why you want to tackle this during the architecture process. It is time-consuming when left until implementation or beyond. Where To Keep System Logs The architecture part of logging often boils down to location. There are facets of storage like archiving, rollover, and format. However, these are often driven by storage decisions. These include options like a file or database solution, a single file or one per system, and accessibility considerations. Any of these options can be valid. On the other hand, they may not be the... Read more

February 3, 2020January 28, 2020 Software Architecture From Scratch

Messages and Notifications – Your Communication Architecture

While the GUI is used for most of our user interaction, there are other methods to consider as well. The areas of focus in this episode will be messages and notifications. Much like other details of our solution, these need to be architected. Our goal is to provide a consistent experience and easy use of these tools for implementation. Messages Of the two items in this episode, these are easier to design. The architecture will often be a text file with message text values. Alternatively, they can reside in a database. While both options are viable, the database solution tends to be easier to maintain and extend. You will also have to determine whether the messaging approach is a one... Read more

January 31, 2020January 26, 2020 Software Architecture From Scratch

Security And Authentication – Critical Architecture Concerns

Hackers are everywhere. Thus, security and authentication are essential pieces of software architecture. There are so many common features of application security available it may seem like no real thought is needed. You can just grab the essential features “off the shelf.” Nevertheless, there is much to nail down in architecting the best solution for your specific application. Start With Security And Authentication There are applications that are created with security and authentication left as a finishing touch. This approach is often taken to simplify testing and validation during the implementation phase. However, these are features that should be built into every piece of the application. When you fail to do so, it is too easy to miss details and... Read more

January 29, 2020January 24, 2020 Software Architecture From Scratch

Scaling Up or Out Architectural Decisions

Systems and solutions will grow if they are successful. Therefore, it is essential for us to consider whether this will be handled by scaling up or scaling out. There are many ways that a solution will need to grow. There can be limitations based on processing, storage, network, or other areas. Each of these can grow in the same way or you can mix-and-max your way through these issues. No matter the approach, it needs to be thought through as part of the architecture. Scaling Up The first way to scale a system is up. This essentially keeps everything in place while making it stronger or more powerful. In the computer world, this can be a bigger storage drive, more... Read more

January 28, 2020January 28, 2020 Integrate Testing Into Your Development Flow Testing

How to Define and Implement a Test Strategy

Welcome to the next episode in our new series “Integrating testing into your development flow”. Today we are going to be looking at “How to Define and Implement a Test Strategy”. Even though testing differs between organizations. Almost all software development organizations follow some sort of test document to achieve their goals and ensure they are following best practices. Not only is this document used by the organization to define its overall Test Strategy, but it is also one of the most important documents in test deliverables. Like other test deliverables, this document can be shared with the customer for a better understanding of the scope of the project, test approaches, and other important aspects. In some cases, the sales... Read more

January 27, 2020January 23, 2020 Software Architecture From Scratch

Administrative Tools And Architecting Your Solution

Nearly every solution includes some manner of administrative tools. These tools range from scripts and manual process steps to full graphical interfaces and wizards. No matter the form these take, they must be considered as part of architecting a solution. Their very nature is for it to work hand in glove with the architecture and design to manipulate data as needed. Low-End Administrative Tools The simplest form of tools are scripts and similar utilities that are primarily manual. These are often built around the architecture and implementation after the fact. While that is acceptable, it is not ideal. There are many times that I have seen these tools pushed off until after production deployments only to find that the proper... Read more