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Subject: Re: [soa-rm] Reference Model vs. Reference Architecture (Road Map)


Following the house analogy, a reference model can tell you that the  
concept of a bath is relevant to houses (and even why its relevant)  
but does not tell you how to plumb it in?
Frank

On May 10, 2005, at 5:35 PM, Duane Nickull wrote:

> Joseph:
>
> I am going to take a try at this. Please forgive this next sentence:
>
> "A reference model is a model while a reference architecture is an  
> architecture. "
> Okay - so what does that really mean (other that I couldn't find  
> appropriate words)?  Not an easy question to answer.
>
> There are multiple differences you can state such as "One is  
> implement-able, the other is not".  A reference architecture does  
> tend to be more generic than most use cases would require and would  
> still need to be specialized further for a particular set of  
> requirements.
>
> Reference architecture is sort of a proof of concept. Individual  
> requirements and implementations  may vary, but with the
> data and guidelines from such reference implementations the system  
> designer can make more informed decisions.  A reference  
> architecture also may force you to consider things the RM does not  
> delve into.  The RM for building a house may have a notion of a  
> bathroom and also a kitchen.  The reference model states you have  
> to have one instance of each to fulfill the functional requirements  
> of providing a habitat for a human being, but does not show a level  
> of detail of how you could build a house having both.
>
> The reference architecture for a house would delve into how  
> plumbing gets from the source/target to both the bathroom and the  
> kitchen, as well as a documented layout that shows how they are  
> connected and what other common touchpoints and infrastructure they  
> share.  It is a more specific design that can also be further  
> specialized.  It forces someone architecting another house to  
> consider the same question and perhaps even shows them a solution  
> paradigm (example - hide the pipes in the wall).  This also hints  
> at ways of implementing things that are optimized (hiding pipes in  
> the wall is better than running them outside the house in climates  
> where they may freeze).
>
> The Reference Architecture for this alleged house can also be  
> modified for someone who owns property that is on a 10 degree slope  
> or is not connected to a city water and sewage system (let's not  
> get into those details).  It may also further optimize the house's  
> orientation to optimize it for natural sunlight and views via windows.
>
> The order of abstraction is as follows:
>
> 1. Meta models and meta conventions(ADL's and notions such as  
> patterns of pipes and filters, stacks, etc.)
> 2. Reference Models
> 3. Reference Architectures
> 4. Specific Architectures.
>
> There is of course, not 100% consensus on this subject and even  
> something as simple as a definition of architecture itself has  
> proven to be very difficult.
>
> I would also pick Matt's brain on this subject.  He is far more  
> knowledgeable since he lives in this world every day.
>
> Duane
> Duane
>
>
> Chiusano Joseph wrote:
>
>
>> I think it is very important that at some point we include in our  
>> spec the necessary guidance for users of our spec to move from our  
>> reference model to a reference architecture, and perhaps beyond.
>>  I have seen so many cases in which the terms "reference model"  
>> and "reference architecture" have been used interchangeably (and  
>> sometimes in the same resource!) that I am no longer crystal clear  
>> on the similarities/differences between the 2. I know that there  
>> has been preliminary discussion that reference model != reference  
>> architecture.
>>  Can someone please provide a clear distinction between the 2, and  
>> how we envision our RM "flowing" into an RA?
>>  Thanks,
>> Joe
>>  Joseph Chiusano
>> Booz Allen Hamilton
>> Visit us online@ http://www.boozallen.com <http://www.boozallen.com/>
>>
>>
>
>
> -- 
> ***********
> Senior Standards Strategist - Adobe Systems, Inc. - http:// 
> www.adobe.com
> Chair - OASIS Service Oriented Architecture Reference Model  
> Technical Committee - http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/ 
> tc_home.php?wg_abbrev=soa-rm
> Vice Chair - UN/CEFACT Bureau Plenary - http://www.unece.org/cefact/
> Adobe Enterprise Developer Resources  - http://www.adobe.com/ 
> enterprise/developer/main.html
> ***********
>
>



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