IBM's definition of a reference architecture

[Don Flinn <flinn@alum.mit.edu>]

IBM defines a reference architecture 
(http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rational/library/2774.html) as:
"A reference architecture is a resource containing a consistent set of 
architectural best practices for use by all the teams in your organization."
 
Whereas our spec's definition is:
"A reference architecture models the abstract architectural elements in 
the domain independent of the technologies, protocols, and products that 
are used to implement the domain."

Our definition and the resulting specification is highly abstract, while 
the IBM definition is much more concrete.  As we point out, the more 
concrete architectural descriptions should be able to use the concepts 
from the more abstract ones.  Consequently, I don't see any conflict; as 
each has is place and its usefulness.  Further, a highly abstract 
reference architecture is not prone to change, whereas as one that is 
more concrete has more of the potential for change. 

Don

-- 
Don Flinn
President
Mansurus LLC
e-mail: flinn@alum.mit.edu
Tel: 781-856-7230
http://mansurus.com