Business Service
Identification
Name: Business Service
Category: Business Layer
Version: 1.0
Modelling/Architecture Pattern: Architecture Pattern
Synonyms: No data
Contributor(s): EJW
Attribution: ArchiMate® specification, Core Metamodel. §4.1 and especially Fig. 5.
Description
Context: A major component in the description of any business architecture is the description of the Business Services offered or intended to be offered by the enterprise to its stakeholders.
Problem: In a service-oriented style of architecture (SOA) the problem that arises for the Service Provider is how to obtain a consistent form of architectural description for Business Services that includes all the key Elements and Relationships that should be considered and potentially described.
Trade-offs, Design Constraints (Forces): The main force to consider in SOA is the separation of Service Consumer from Service Provider, by means of an intervening Business Interface. The Interface represents the channel via which the Consumer accesses the Service. This promotes a style of architecture which reduces the dependencies between the parties involved in the service transactions.
Solution Structure: The pattern is constructed around ArchiMate’s Core Metamodel, with the following significant additions:
- There is always a Service Consumer and a Service Provider.
- Contract: The Service delivery is bound by formal or informal terms and conditions.
- Location: a Service instance takes place in a logical or physical Location.
- Consumer Account: the Consumer may have an account with the Provider.
- Service Transactions: the Provider may wish to record the details of Service Instances.
- The Service may rely on the use of Application and/or Technology Services.
- Some form of output/outcome is expected from a Service which has Value for the Service Consumer. This may be in the form of: o Verbal or written information o On-line data o Material o Some form of Artefact like a file
Solution Dynamics: A Service instance takes place at a Service Location, triggered by the event of a Service Request from the Service Consumer, via the Service Interface. The Service is realized by a Service Delivery Process, performed by the Service Provider. The process writes service transaction data, and may read it too, depending on whether the service is stateless or stateful. The service instance ends with the production of an output valuable to the Consumer.
Layers/Aspects of the ArchiMate modelling language used: All Layers/All Aspects
Variants, Refinements and Combinations: A Business Service may use other Business Services in a service composition.
Known Uses: Many enterprises have adopted, or aspire to adopt, a principle of ‘service-orientation’ to guide the design of their business architecture.
Other comments and references: No data