How to model a data center or a site with HOPEX in application architecture diagrams?

[BenAvdicevic]

Hi,

A very common requirement for our architects is to model a physical location of the assets on an application architecture diagrams.

For example:

• drawing a box around  a set of applications and labeling the box "on-premise"
• drawing a box around a set of applications and labeling "AWS" or "Google Cloud"

HOPEX has several metamodel concepts for "geographical location".  Namely,

• Site
• Facility (which can be of several types)
  • Data center

But, none of these can be used in diagrams - when modeling application architecture.  That is - when modeling:

• Application Environment (scenario or structure)
• Application (scenarios or structure)
• Application deployment
• Application System (scenario or structure)

For example, have a look at diagram that "site" appears in:

None of these diagrams is what our users use to model application architecture.

How do you model a "data center" or some other "location" on your diagrams ?

thanks,

Ben

[BenAvdicevic]

I'm curious how other HOPEX V5 users are handling this gap.

[BenAvdicevic]

Thanks @TDucher .

This illustrates what we are doing today as a workaround the lack "location" object.

We created a "legend" with some graphical elements that we can add to application landscapes.

Architects literally drag and drop (cut/paste) the location objects next to the application resources.

These are just "picture" and create any relationships to the objects.  But.  It makes the diagram clearer to everyone who looks at it and reviews it.

[TDucher]

Hi Ben,

We are in HOPEX V2 and in the process of migrating to HOPEX V5 beg of next year.

We are using the Site object sometimes instead of "Boxes"  to model Physical locations and/or Data centers but as it seems to be still the case in V5  only available in standard in Diagrams used to model more Technical infrastructures oriented aspects.

In HOPX V2 we are creating Technical infrastructure objects, link them to applications. These models show which Technical components are needed to run the application and in some cases locations or Data centers are added in these Diagrams

[BenAvdicevic]

@alaaeid Thank for the feedback.   I know the "site" object is there - but it doesn't address the requirement we have.

We are modeling application architectures - not resource architectures.

This diagram is not what most of our architects create today when modeling Application architecture

In Archimate however - you can use the "location" object to show where you applications are located

for example:

We are looking for a "location" or "site" object on diagrams linked to these objects

* Application 

* Application System

* Application Environment

** Scenario objects associated to above objects

hope that make is more clear.

Thanks again.

[alaaeid]

Hi Ben,

I think you're looking for the Resource Architecture concept, take a look at them under a ITA Functional Admin user.

Create a resource architecture assembly diagram to be able to model the following concepts

                         

Best,

Alaa Eid