Describing an IT Service with HOPEX IT Architecture

[SergeThorn]

Dear all,

the standard definition is:

An IT service is a software component of an application, that can't be deployed alone and that realizes a sub-set of the functionalities of this application either for end users of this application or inside the application (or another application). This includes batch programs.

If I get right, the component should not be linked to several Applications, however nothing prevents me from adding the same IT Service to several applications.

Either the definition is wrong or there should be a control when adding an IT Service already attached to an Application! Something like “ IT Service can’t be added as already deployed with another application.”

Have I misunderstood?

Thanks for your comments.

Kind regards

[SergeThorn]

Thanks @BenAvdicevic for your thoughtful reply. For your understanding...that discussion has been a hot topic in my team for a while...😁. We created a type of applications named "Technical Applications" which are Applications being used by several Business Applications. For example an ETL application or an application with various web services/microservices accessing other Business Applications. People were challenging the fact of creating an intermediary application with let's say a series of shared IT Services. Some started to link the same IT Services to several Business Applications, which I believe is not correct.

I hope MEGA will fix this in the nearest future.

Kind regards

[BenAvdicevic · Accepted solution]

@SergeThorn 

You are 100% correct to raise this.

I think the definition of an IT Service is correct.  An IT Service is a "child" of an Application.   It is not something reusable, that can be a child of many applications.   

For example,  imagine an Application A has a "Log Extraction" IT Service.       Now imagine an architect for Application B wans to model a logical component for "Log Extraction"  for that Application.

I would think the model would be wrong if the architect "reuses" the existing Log Extraction IT service created for Application A.   Instead, I think they should create a new IT Service for Application B and also call it "Log Extraction".

There are other example where HOPEX doesn't enforce rules which follow from its documentation and training materials.

For example, based on documentation and training materials, an Application Environment should have only 1 Subject Application.   But HOPEX doesn't enforce this in any way, and architects are free to create an App. Env. diagram where every object is a "Subject" application.