What is Solution Architecture?

If you are an IT professional, you've no doubt heard of solution architecture. If not, it's time to learn about this important concept in information and technology management. Solution architecture is the practice of designing, defining and managing solution engineering in relation to specific business problems by tailoring IT solutions to specific business needs.

Definition of Solution Architecture

Solution architecture is a relatively new field and is sometimes confused with the concept of enterprise architecture. However, they are independent of each other, with different organizational structures and processes. The main objective of a solution architecture is to define and manage solution engineering in relation to specific business problems. Solution engineering involves tailoring IT solutions to specific business needs. Solutions can be tailored through strategy and planning, acquisition and implementation, or operation, maintenance and decommissioning of IT resources.

The Difference between Solution Architecture and Enterprise Architecture

These two terms have some similarities but are also very different. In this article, we will go over the differences and provide examples for each.

Solution architecture focuses on specific, small pieces of a project, whereas enterprise architecture looks at the big picture. Solution Architecture is the art of defining the structure and behavior of solutions to solve defined business problems.

Solution architects are involved in all aspects of a solution, from understanding the business strategy and requirements to determining how technology can support them. Solution Architects can work on a single solution such as a new system or application, or on an entire architecture program encompassing multiple solutions.

Enterprise architects work to solve problems with technology, from a 30,000 ft view. An enterprise architect produces top-down views of an organization's IT capabilities and how they support business processes. An enterprise architect must understand the business side as well as the IT side so he or she can translate between them and ensure that aligned goals are set in areas such as security and compliance.

Enterprise architects use high-level models to produce a blueprint that ensures all components fit together.They work at a very high level, answering questions such as:

• Do we need a new system?
• What is the best way to implement these changes?
• What is our technology roadmap?
• How do we maintain security?

Solution architects focus on the details of how to build the components of the solution.

Processes of Solution Architecture

Solution architecture is a set of principles and methods that are used in the process of creating specific IT solutions.

The main purpose of this discipline is to transform business requirements into the necessary IT solution, which will be based on the architecture of the whole enterprise and its infrastructure and will affect each stage of the solution life cycle.

Solution architecture includes five main processes:

• Identification of business goals and objectives;
• Identification of system requirements;
• Definition of information models and processes;
• Selection and integration of technologies, tools, and platforms;
• Development of project plans.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Solution Architect

Solution Architects are responsible for developing and implementing technology solutions to meet organization goals. They review requirements and translate business into technical specifications. They also monitor project progress and help develop, test, and deploy IT solutions.

Roles and responsibilities include:

• Reviewing business requirements
• Meeting with decision-makers, systems owners, and end users to define project scope and objectives
• Leading technical projects
• Creating architecture framework documents
• Designing system models, diagrams, and charts to provide direction to developers and analysts
• Collaborating with information technology staff members to formulate solutions and ensure compatibility with existing applications

Solution Architects have experience in developing technology solutions and a deep understanding of business processes. A Solution Architect's core responsibility is to ensure that the design will meet the customer's requirements.

Solution architects are responsible for determining the best technical approach to take when solving problems. They must be able to assess the costs, risks and benefits associated with each solution before deciding which one to recommend.

They need excellent communication skills to enable them to explain complex problems and solutions in simple terms, for example by using diagrams or visual aids.

They also need to know about systems integration (the process of linking together different computing systems and software applications physically or functionally) and enterprise architecture (the way an organization is structured).