CEIS 420 Chapter 1: Principles of Software Architecture

Availability

A property of readiness of a software system to carry out its operations when the need arises

Client/Server Architecture

A shared computer network architecture where several clients (remote systems) send many requests and finally to obtain services from the centralized server machine (host systems)

Cohesion

A degree (quality) to which a module focuses on the single thing and shows the relative dependence/interdependence among the modules (we want it to be high)

Coupling

The degree of interdependence between software modules. (We want it to be low)

Deployability

The degree of ease with which software can be taken from the development to the production environment

Environment

The context or circumstance in which a software system is built, which has a direct influence on its architecture

Latency

The time taken for a system to get its stimulation and then provide a response (we want it to be low)

Modifiability

The ease with which changes can be made to a system and the flexibility which which the system adjusts to the changes

Quality attribute

A measurable and testable property of a system that can be used to evaluate the performance of a system within its prescribed environment with respect to its non-functional aspects (ex: performance, availability, security, modifiability, testability, usability )

Response time

The time taken for a function to execute in terms of real time (user time) and clock time (cpu time)

Scalability

A quality attribute that describes the capacity of a system to accommodate increasing workload on demand while keeping its performance within acceptable limits

Software Architecture

A description of the subsystems or components of a software system and the relationships between them

Software design

A blueprint of the details, at the implementation level, of the various subsystems and components that make up those subsystems

Stakeholder

A person or group of persons who has an interest or concern in the system and its success

Structure

A set of elements that are grouped or organized together according toa guiding rule or principle

System

A collection of components organized in specific ways to achieve specific functionality

Testability

A quality attribute that refers to how much a software system us amenable to demonstrating its faults through testing

Throughput

The rate at which a system processes information (we want it to be high)